'LI  B  HARY 

OF   THE 
UN  IVERSITY 
Of    ILLINOIS 

377.322 
E>31h 


ILL.  HIST.  SURVEY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/historical2bate 


HISTORICAL 


ENCYCLOPEDIA 


OF 


ILLINOIS 


EDITED   BY 
Newton   Bateman,   LL.   D.  Paul  Selby,  A.   M. 


INCLUDING 

GENEALOGY,  FAMILY  RECORDS 

AND 

BIOGRAPHY 

OF 

McHENRY  COUNTY    CITIZENS 

EDITED  by 
A.  L.  WING  COBURN 


ILL  US  'PRATED 


VOL.   II 

McHENRY   COUNTY   CITIZENS 


CHICAGO  : 

MUNSELL  publishing  company,  publishers 

1903. 


3Z 


PREFACE. 


Among  the  varied  motives  which  operate  upon  the  human  mind,  few  exert  a  more  far^ 
reaching  influence  than  those  drawn  from  history.  If  the  intellectual,  social  and  moral 
conditions  of  a  nation,  rich  in  historic  memories  and  associations,  be  compared  with  that 
of  another  chiefly  or  wholly  destitute  of  these  characteristics,  the  difference  will  be  found 
as  striking  as  it  is  comprehensive.  The  individual  characteristics  which  go  to  make  up  the 
true  strength  of  a  great  nation  like  England  or  the  United  States,  is  continuously  fed  by  the 
memories  of  Cressy  and  Agincourt,  Bunker  Hill  and  Saratoga,  while  long  centuries  of 
darkness  and  bondage  have  enfeebled  the  Chinese  and  many  other  nations. 

What  is  true  of  nations  is  also  true  of  individuals  and  families.  There  is  not  an  intel- 
ligent, public-spirited  and  trustworthy  citizen  of  whom  it  can  be  denied  that  the  motives 
prompting  to  a  life  of  virtue  and  patriotism  have  not  been  inspired  and  strongly  reinforced 
by  the  consciousness  that  his  ancestors  were  brave  and  upright  men.  We  believe  with 
Webster,  that  "there  is  a  moral  and  philanthropic  respect  for  our  ancestors,  which  elevates 
the  character  and  improves  the  heart."  Burke  also  truly  says :  "Those  only  deserve  to  be 
remembered  by  posterity  who  treasure  up  the  history  of  their  ancestors,"  while  a  distin- 
guished American  clergyman  observes :  "There  are  riches  of  moral  power  in  such  an  an- 
cestry as.ours." 

The  history  of  nations  is  little  else  than  the  collective  history  of  the  families  compos- 
ing each  separate  and  individual  nation ;  therefore,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  sufficient  reasons 
exist  why  the  history  of  families  should  be  written.  It  is  connected  with  the  greatest  trans- 
actions of  the  past  as  well  as  the  present,  and  through  it  posterity  is  enabled  to  discover 
what  its  ancestors  have  had  to  do  in  shaping  the  successive  stages  of  the  nation's  history. 

Beverence  for  one's  ancestors  is  not  pnly  regarded  as  a  natural  instinct  of  the  human 
^  mind,  but  a  distinctive  feature  of  the  most  highly  cultivated  and  virtuous  character.     The 

labors  of  the  genealogist  may  be  regarded  with  disdain  by  those  intent  mainly  on  the  acqui- 
sion  of  wealth,  the  gratification  of  their  appetites,  or  the  pursuit  of  pleasure,  but  if  General 
Washington,  in  the  midst  of  his  duties  as  President  of  the  United  States  in  1792,  found 
time  to  collect  and  write  out  the  genealogy  of  the  Washington  family ;  if  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, while  representing  the  embryo  Republic  as  its  agent  in  England,  was  prompted  to 
undertake  a  journey  for  the  express  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  facts  connected  with  his  own 
lineage;  if  both  the  older  and  the  younger  Adams  thought  it  worth  while  to  trace  out  the 
history  of  their  family,  even  to  the  minutest  detail,  the  editor  of  the  McHenry  County 
Genealogical  Record  may  deem  himself  justified  in  the  task  he  has  undertaken,  and  which 
he  has  reason  to  hope  he  has  executed  with  a  fair  degree  of  success  and  to  the  satisfaction 
p~  of  its  patrons  and  subscribers. 


KJ 


D 


797 


There  could  be  no  more  impressive  lesson  than  that  drawn  from  the  contrast  afforded 
by  the  record  of  a  family  which  has  gone  on,  from  generation  to  generation,  descending  in 
the  scale  of  ignorance,  criminality  and  degeneracy,  as  against  that  of  another  which  has 
maintained  for  centuries  the  reputation  for  intelligence,  patriotism  and  high  integrity  estab- 
lished by  its  forefathers.  It  is,  after  all,  to  the  average  citizen  that  we  are  to  look  for 
those  traits  which  tend  to  establish  society  on  its  most  stable  foundations.  It  is  the  descent 
from  a  family  of  solid  worth  that  is  to  be  coveted,  and  their  can  be  no  more  honorable  de- 
scent than  that  afforded  by  McHenry  County's  pioneers — those  men  and  women  of  native 
ability,  strong  force  of  character,  hardy  constitutions  and  high  integrity. 

It  is  from  these  well-springs  of  our  middle  classes  that  have  come  the  forces  which 
govern  and  control  the  destinies  of  the  American  people  and  produce  the  leaders  of  thought 
and  of  action.  From  this  uncorrupted  blood  have  sprung  the  greatest  American  citizens 
—such  as  our  own  Abraham  Lincoln,  who,  in  spite  of  generations  of  hardship  and  privation 
incident  to  pioneer  life  and  environment,  drew  from  remote  New  England  ancestors  that 
rich  inheritance  of  intellect,  of-  lofty  patriotism,  sound  judgment  and  incorruptible  hon 
esty,  which  has  made  him  the  strongest  and  most  abiding  force  in  American  history. 

Editor. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX. 


A. 

Adams,  Dr.  John  Quincy 642-644 

Adamek,  Frank 654-655 

Allen,  Henry  C 648-649 

Ames,  George  W 653-654 

Austin,  Isaiah  A 645-646 

Austin,  Pasco   646-648 

Avery,  Gilbert  L 640-645 

Avery,  Col.  William 640-642 

Aylsworth,  John   649-651 

Axtell,  Frank  F 651-653 

B. 

Bagley,  Elmer  Ellsworth 674-675 

Bagley,  Mrs.  Margaret 672-674 

Barber,  Lester  686-690 

Barnes,  Charles  P 663-664 

Barrows,  Dexter    682-683 

Barrows,  Lathrop  H.  S 669-672 

Beach,  Lebbeus  H .  693-695 

Beardsley,    Henry    W.... 1079-1080 

Beckley,   Gordon  Lucius 677-678 

Beckley,  John  Edmund 679-681 

Bishop,  Richard 690-691 

Bower,    Elijah   A 664-666 

Bower,  James  Thomas 666 

Bright,  Henry   691-693 

Brown,  Charles  E 685-686 

Brown,  Henry  T.,  M.  D 675-676 

Brown,  Jonathan  S 678-679 

Brown,  Rufus    683-685 

Buck,  Clara  T.  (Mrs.  G.  P.  Bay) . .  696-697 

Buck,  Rasmus   695-696 

Bunker,  Amos  K 660 

Bunker  Family,  The 655-656 

Bunker,  Florence  M 659-660 

Bunker,   Francis   M 659 

Bunker,  George  K 656-658 

Bunker,  Mrs.  George  K 658-659 

Burbank,  Gardner  E . .  .  667-669 

Burger,  Peter    697-698 

Button,  Joseph   Clark 660-663 

iii 


c. 

Carmack,   Merville   A 1082-1083 

Carmack,  William  A 1080-1082 

Carpenter,  George  W 733-735 

Casey,  James  F 719-720 

Chandler,   William  W 729-730 

Chase,  Eli  T 711-713 

Coffey,  Thomas  W 1098-1099 

Colby,    Albert   H 705-706 

Colby,  Allen  P 706-707 

Colby  Family  History 698-701 

Colby,  Newell  S 701-702 

Colby,  Ora  C 703 

Colby,  Page   703-704 

Cole  Family,  The 707-708 

Cole,  Franklin  M 710 

Cole,  Miles  H 708-709 

Cole,  Ransom  B 710-711 

Conn,  George  W 736-738 

Conover,  Jay  L 724-725 

Conover,   John    S 725-726 

Cook,  Dr.  Charles  E 717-719 

Cooney,   John  J 720-721 

Cooney,  Roderick  D 721-722 

Corl,   Albert    S 722-724 

Covell,   Charles    735-736 

Cowlin,  William   H 738-739 

Crabtree  Family,  The 730-732 

Crabtree,  George 732 

Crabtree,   William    732-733 

Cristy,    Joseph    W 740-741 

Cross,  Harry   739-740 

Cummings,  John  S 726-729 

Curtiss,  Ira  Rozel 714-717 

D. 

Dacy,   Timothy   J 741-743 

Dake,  Gilbert  B 890-891 

Dalton,  Victoria  A 752-754 

Dellenbach,  Jacob 751-752 

Dodd,  George  E 754-755 

Doig,  Andrew    755-756 


Dolbeer,  Hamlin  T 758-759 

Donnelly,  Neill  743-744 

Donovan,  John  D 749-751 

Draper,  Joseph   757-758 

Dufield,  James  H 744-745 

Dufield,   John   Aaron 745-746 

Dufield,  Oscar  F 746-748 

Dunham,  Artimus  E 748-749 

Dwelly,  John  A 756-757 

E. 

Eckert,  George 1088-1089 

Edwards,  William  760-762 

Emerson,  Merton  J ............ .  759-760 

F. 

Fenner,  Hamlin    765-767 

Field,  Albert  F 1083-1084 

Field,  George  W 1083 

Fillmore,  Charles  L 770-772 

Forman,  Josiah  E 768-770 

Frame,  Norman 767-768 

Frary,   Guy  S 764-765 

Fuller,  Eussel 762-767 

G. 

Gates,  Mrs.  Louisa  C 778 

Gerould,  Henry  M 788-790 

Gilkerson,  Lieut.  Thomas 784-787 

Gillian,  Eichard    781-782 

Gillmore  Family,  The 772-774 

Gillmore,  Orson  Harris 774-778 

Gorham,  Henry 782-784 

Gracy,  John  H 790-791 

Griffiths,  George  J 787-788 

Groesbeck,  William  H 778-781 

Haldeman,  Charles  L 811-813 

Hall,  William  Duane 821-824 

Hallisy,  John  C 809-810 

Hamer,  Theodore 810-811 

Hancock,  Edward  831-833 

Hanly  Brothers,   The 799-801 

Harris,   Joseph   M 1086-1087 

Harrison,    Charles    837-838 

Harrison,  George  H 835-837 

Harrison,  Phil.  S 837 

Harrison,  William  Henry 829-831 

Harsh,  Isaac    820-821 

Hatch,  Fred  L, ,, , , 828-829 


Hatch,  Lewis    826-828 

Hay,  Eev.  Samuel  Cox 797-799 

Helm,   Nathan  B 806-808 

Hendricks,   Calvin  J 816-817 

Hendricks,  John    817 

Herdklotz,   Peter   J 802-804 

Herman,  Henry 824-825 

Herrington,    Charles   A 840-842 

Hewitt,  David  W 1077-1079 

Hickox,  Mark    813-814 

Hill,   Noble    801-802 

Hill,   William    819-820 

Holmes,   Fred   Elliot 839-840 

Horr,  Stephen   H 825-826 

Howard,  Lewis  F 804-806 

Howe,   Edson  G 838-839 

Hoy,  John  M 795 

Hoy,  M.  D 791-795 

Hubbard,    Elihu    817-819 

Huffman,  Philip  M 797 

Huffman,   Lieut.   William  H 795-797 

Hunt  Family,  The. 833-835 

Hunt,  George  A ' 835 

Hurd  Family,  The 814-816 

J. 

Jewett,  Emilus  C 851-852 

Jewett,  Walter  P 850-851 

Johonnott,   Eobert    856-857 

Johnson,  Joel  H 660 

Jones,  Lawrence   H 854-856 

Joslyn,    David    E 848-849 

Joslyn  Family  Origin,  The 842-843 

Joslyn,  Mrs.  Mary  E 846-848 

Joslyn,  Marcellus  L 850 

Joslyn,  Hon.  Merritt  L 843-846 

Judson,  John 853-854 

K. 

Kee,  James 865-867 

Kennedy,  John   863-864 

Kern,  Edith  (Kingman) 857-858 

King,    Alfred    861-862 

King,  Augustus   C 862-863 

Kingman,   A.    J 858-861 

Knutson,  Goodskalk   864-865 

L. 

Lake,   Beardsley    1089-1090 

Lake,  James 1090-1091 

Lake,  Levi   872-873 


Lake,  M.  W 880-881 

Lang,  Joseph  1 1087-1088 

Lawlor,  Timothy 876-877 

Leisner,  Svend  B 696 

Lemmers,  Charles  A 879-881 

Lewis,  James  Oliver 873-875 

Lincoln,    Samuel   L 870-872 

Lindsay,  Thomas    878-879 

Lockwood,   Hiram   J 877-878 

Lowell,   Lorenzo   Dow,    Jr 1095-1096 

Lowell,  Lorenzo  Dow,  M.  D 1094-1095 

Lumley,   Vincent   Silas 867-869 

Lymburner,   Arthur   P 875-876 

M. 

Magoon,    Henry    918-919 

Maha,  Dr.  Frank  J 910 

Manley,  Andrew  C 921-924 

Marshall,  John    1084-1086 

Maxon,  Dr.  Joseph  S 919-921 

McAuliffe,  Edward  L.,  M.  D 899-901 

McCabe,  Patrick 916-917 

McCarthy,  John  C 914-915 

McConnell,   Abraham   Alexander.  882 

McConnell,    Abraham    Bodine.  . .  882-883 

McConnell  Family,   The 881-882 

McConnell,    George    884-885 

McConnell,   John    883-884 

McMillan,  Andrew  T 917-918 

McOmber,   Henry  M 901-902 

Mead,    Cyrus    L 902-904 

Mead,  Edwin  E 905-907 

Mead,    Henry    Clay 904-905 

Mead,    Henry   W 895-897 

Medlar,  Herbert  B 890 

Medlar,  John  S 889-890 

Miller,    Dr.    Charles   C 891-893 

Minier,    Henry    B 898-899 

Moreland,  Lester  A 910-911 

Morgan,  Annie  M 912-913 

Morris,  Edwin  R 887-889 

Morton    Family,    The 908-910 

Morton,  George  Everett 1097-1098 

Moses   Family,   The 893-895 

Mullen,  John 907-908 

Munroe,  William  H 913-914 

Murphey,  Anderson  Reid 885-887 

Murphy,  Andrew  Wilson 897-898 

N. 

Nason,  Dr.  William  A 925-926 

Nish,  Capt.  James 924-925 


O. 

Ormsby,    William    M 927-928 

P. 

Parker,    James    Franklin 928-930 

Parker,    Joseph   J 702-703 

Parks,   George   E 946-947 

Patrick,  Ernest  Durand 934-936 

Patrick,  Richard  M 932-934 

Peter,  John   937-938 

Pettibone,    John    T 938-939 

Pfeiffer,  Emil 947-948 

Philip,    Robert    1096-1097 

Pierce,  Lyman 930-932 

Pingry,   Charles  C 940-943 

Poyer-Kern,  Edith  (Kingman)..  857-858 

Primm,  Dr.  John  W 943-944 

Pringle,    Patterson 944-945 

Purves,   Andrew    936 

Q. 

Quinlan,  Daniel  F.  .  .•. 950 

Quinlan,  Jeremiah    948-950 

R. 

Randall,  John  F 957-958 

Reading,   Horace   G 960-961 

Redpath,  David  958-960 

Reed,  William   961-962 

Renich,  Charles  F 951-952 

Richards,    Thomas    McDonough.  .  954-956 

Robinson,  David  Wilmarth 965-966 

Robinson    Family    Genealogy....  964-965 

Robinson,    Joseph    E 1099-1101 

Ross,  William  S 962-964 

Rowley,  Frederick  956-957 

Rushton,  Charles 953-954 

Rushton,  George  F 952-953 

S. 

Salisbury,  William  A 983-984 

Sanborn,  John  W 988-991 

Saunders,  Eugene   995-996 

Saunders,  Philip  Edward 994-995 

Sayler,    James   R 968-972 

Seaman,  Erasmus  W 984-985 

Senger,  Peter 966-968 

Seward  Family,   The 1033-1034 

Shaplev,    Charles   B 991-992 

Shurtleff,  Edward  D 975-976 

Simmons,  Robert  T.,  M.  D 972-973 

Smiley,   David   T 978-979 

Smith,    Maria   W 979-981 


Snyder,   Jacob    993-994 

Stafford,  John  J 996-997 

Stafford,  Martin  A 973-975 

St.  Clair,  Israel  C 996 

St.  Clair,  William  Plunkett 976-978 

Stewart,  Capt.  William  H 985-987 

Still,  Abraham 992-993 

Story,  Jacob    t 987-988 

Sunderlin,  Eev.  Newton  A 981-983 

T. 

Terwilliger,  Barney    1018-1020 

Thomas,   Adelbert  A 1014-1015 

Thomas,  Andrew 1002-1004 

Thomas,  Dorr  W 1098 

Thomas,  George  Clarence 1004 

Thomas,  La  Fayette 1091-1092 

Thomas,  Stanton  M 1012-1014 

Thomas,  William  H 1004-1005 

Thompson,  Ahira    1005-1008 

Thompson,  Asahel  C 1010-1012 

Thompson,  Henry  T 1008-1010 

Thorne,  Charles  F 1017-1018 

Toles,  Job    1015-1016 

Tripp,  Melvin  G 1016-1017 

Truax,  Mrs.  Mary  E 1000-1002 

Tryon,   Capt.   Charles   Hopkins..   997-1000 

U. 

Usborne,  William   1020-1021 

V. 

Vinton,  George   1021-1022 

Van  Hoozen,  John 1022-1023 


W. 

Waite,   Eollin    1058-1060 

Wakeley,  William   1052-1053 

Walker,  Samuel  H 1046-1047 

Walkup,  William  P 1056-1057 

Wallace,  Columbus   1043-1044 

Walsh,  Michael  F 1047-1048 

Walsh,  Thomas  J 1048-1049 

Wandrack,  Charles    1062 

Waterman,  Levi  A 1044-1045 

Watson,  James    1040-1043 

Webber,    Ira    1069-1070 

Wegg,   Robert    1063-1064 

Welbon,  Peter  J   1067-1068 

Wells,   John   T 1029-1031 

Wells,  Walter  C 1023-1029 

Weltzien,  John    1068-1069 

Werden,  Henry  C 1070-1072 

West,  Morris  S.  M .  .1092-1094 

Wheeler,  Eugene  Strode 1045-1046 

Wheeler,  Rev.  Joel 1074-1077 

Whiston,  George 1072-1074 

Whiteside,  John  J 1049-1051 

Whiting,   Amos   D 1037-1039 

Whiting,  Freeman   1060-1062 

Whitworth,  John 1065 

Wilcox,   Alfred    1062-1063 

Wilcox,   Chapin  A 1053-1055 

Wilson,    John    F 1055-1056 

Windmueller,  Emil,  M.  D 1065-1066 

Wire,  William  E 1066-1067 

Woodard,  Belle  Seward,  M.  D 1032-1033 

Woodard,  Loren    1031-1032 

Wright,  Adelbert  S 1039-1040 

Wright,  Burton   1034-1037 

Wright,  Pearson  Kellett 1057-1058 


VI 


PORTRAIT  INDEX. 


A. 

Adams,    Mary    <>■!? 

Adams,  Melvin    642 

Allen,  H.  C 648 

Allen,  Mrs.  H.  C 648 

Avery,  CI.  L 644 

Averv,    Mrs.    G.    L 644 

Avery,   William    640 

B. 

Baldwin,  Wm.  N. 1 > 

Barnes,  C.  P 662 

Barnes,  Mrs.  C.  P 662 

Barnes  Residence    662 

Barrows,  L.  TT.  S 668 

Barrows,  Mrs.  Emily  S 670 

Bower,  E.   A 664 

Bower,  Elizabeth    664 

Bower,  J.  T 666 

Bower,   Mrs.   Mary  E 666 

Brown,   Samuel  W 678 

Brown,  Sophia  C 678 

Bunker  Family.  Four  Generation?.  .  .  .  654 

Bunker,   (}.   K 656 

Bunker,  Mrs.  G.  K 656 

Bunker,    John    654 

Bunker,   Urania    654 

Button,  J.  C •...'...  6G0 

Button,  Mrs.  J.  C 66.0 

C. 

Casey,  J.  P 718 

Chase,  Eli  T 710 

Chase,  Mrs.  Eli   T 712 

Colby,   Newell   S 700 

Colby,  Mrs.  Newell  S 702 

Cole!  M.  H 70S 

Cole,  Mrs.  C.  E 708 

Cooney,  John  J. 720 

Cottle",  Uriah     658 

Cottle,  Mrs.  Uriah    658 

Crabtr.ee.  Wm 732 


( Irabtree,  Mrs.  Wm 732 

Cummings,  J.   S 726 

Cummings,  Mrs.  John  S. 726 

Curtiss,  Ira  E 714 

D. 

Dellenbach,  Jacob  750 

Dellenbaeh,  Mrs.  Jacob   750 

Dunham,  A.  R 748 

Dunham.  Maria    G 748 

F. 

Fenner,  Hamlin 764 

l'Ynner,    Mrs.    Hamlin   and   Daughter.  764 

Fuller,    Mrs.    Mary   S 762 

Fuller.   Russel    762 

G 

(lillmnre.    ().     II 772 

(iillmore,   Mrs.   0.    IF 774 

(iorham.   Henry   782 

Gorham,  Mrs.  Henry  784 

Groesheck,  W.   H.  ' 778 

(imesl.eek.    Mrs.    W.    II 778 

H. 

Hamer,   Theo 810 

Ilanley,     Alexander    H 798 

llanley.    Mrs.    Alexander  H 798 

Hanly,  Geo.  H 800 

Manly,  S.  B 800 

Flay,  Per.   Sam'l   Cox    796 

I  [elm,   Mrs.  Marilla    806 

Helm.  Nathan  B 806 

Hendricks,  Calvin  J 816 

Herdklotz,  Catharina    802 

llerdklotz.  Peter  J 802 

Herrington,  Chas.  A 842 

Herrington,  ]\Irs.  Chas 842 

Herrington,  Mary  T 840 

Herrington.  Wm.   C 840 

Hickox,  Mark    812 


Hickox,  Mrs.  Betsey  A 814 

Hoy,  Catherine  Maria 794 

Hoy,  Esther  Atwater   792 

Hoy,  M.  D 790 

J. 

Joslyn,  M.  L .' 844 

Joslyn,  Mary  Eobinson 846 

Judson,  John,  Wife  and  Family 852 

K. 

Kennedy,  John   862 

Kingman,  A.  J 80S 

L. 

Lake,  James    1090 

Lake,   Mrs.   James    1090 

Lake,  M.  W 880 

Lake,  Mrs.  M.  W 880 

Lewis,  J.  0 872 

Lewis,  Sarah  Jane   874 

Lockwood,  Hiram  J 876 

Lockwood,  Mrs.  Hiram  J 878 

Lnmley,  Ann  Eliza 866 

Lumley,  Neva  B 868 

Lnmley,  Thomas 866 

Lnmley,  Vincent  S 868 

M. 

Manley,  A.    C 920 

Man'ley,  Mrs.  A.  C 922 

Maxon,  Annah  Goodrich 918 

Maxon,  Joseph  S.,  M.  D 918 

McAuliffe,   E.  L.    898 

McAuliffe,  Lillian  Maddin    900 

McConnel,  A.  B 882 

McConnel,  Mrs.  A.  B 882 

McConnel,  Elizabeth    882 

McConnell,  Geo 884 

McConnell,  Mrs.  Geo 884 

McConnell,   John    884 

McConnell,  Mary  A 884 

McConnell,  W.  A 882 

Mc  Henry  County  Map  (following  title  page.) 

Mead,   C.  L.    . '. 902 

Mead,  Mrs.   C.   L 904 

Morgan,  Annie  M 912 

Morris,  Edwin  E 886 

Morris,  Mrs.  Sarah  A 886 

Morton,  Edward,  Jr 908 

Morton,   Maria    908 

Moses,   Gad    894 

Moses.  Mrs.  Gad  894 

Mnrphy,    A.   W 896 

vi:i 


Murphy,  Caroline   896 

P. 

Parker,  A.  H 928 

Parker,  Mrs.  Alvin  H 928 

Parker,  Hannah  Jane 930 

Parker,  Jas.  F 930 

Patrick,   E.   D 934 

Pfeiffer,    Emil    946 

Pfeiffer,  Mrs.   Emil    918 

E. 

Eichards,  Julia  A 956 

Eichards,  Martha  J 954 

Eichards,  Thos.  Mel) 954 

Eushton,  G.  F 952 

S. 

Sayler,  J.  E 968 

Sayler,  Mrs.  James  E 968 

Senger,  Peter 966 

Senger.  Mrs.  Peter  966 

Shurtleff,  Edward  L> 974 

Smiley,  David  T 978 

Smiley,    Elizabeth     978 

T. 

Thomas,   Andrew    1002 

Thomas,  Mrs.   Andrew    1002 

Thompson,  Ahira    1004 

Thompson,  Mrs.  Ahira 1004 

Thompson,  Julia   A.  B 1006 

Tryon,    Chas.    II 996 

Tryon.   Mrs.   C.  H 998 

Tryon,  Miss  L.  B.  ("Bonnie  Boon")  .  .  1000 
W. 

Walker,   S.   H 1046 

Waterman,   L.    A 1044 

Waterman,  Mrs.  L.  A 1044 

Watson,  James 1010 

Watson.  Mrs.  E.  W 1040 

Watson,  Mrs.  Louisa  Button    1042 

Webber,  Ira    1068 

Webber,  Mrs.  Ira    . 1070 

Wells,  G.  V 1022 

Wells,  Walter  C 1024 

Wells,  Mrs.  Walter  C 1026 

Whiteside,  John  J 1048 

Whiteside,  Mrs.  John  J 1050 

Wilcox,    Chapin   A 1052 

Wilcox,  Mrs.   S.  A 1054 

Woodard,  Dr.  Belle  S 1030 

Woodard,  Mrs.  Harriet  Levey 1032 

Woodard,  Loren 1030 

Wright,  Burton,    1034 

Wright,  Huldah  Coon 1036 


Biography  and   Genealogy. 


The  verdict  of  mankind  has  awarded  to  the 
Muse  of  History  the  highest  place  among  the 
Classic  Nine.  The  extent  of  her  office,  however, 
appears  to  he,  by  many  minds,  hut  imperfectly 
understood.  The  task  of  the  biographer  is 
comprehensive  and  exacting.  True,  history 
reaches  beyond  the  doings  of  court  or  camp, 
beyond  the  issues  of  battles  or  the  effects  of 
treaties,  and  records  the  trials  and  the 
triumphs,  the  failures  and  the  successes  of  the 
men  and  women  who  make  history.  It  is  but 
an  imperfect  conception  of  the  philosophy  of 
events  that  fails  to  accord  to  protraiture  and 
biography  its  rightful  position  as  a  most  im- 
portant part  of  historical  narrative.  Behind 
and  beneath  the  activities  of  outward  life  the 
motive  power  lies  out  of  sight,  just  as  the 
furnace  fires  that  work  the  piston  and  keep  the 
ponderous  screw  revolving  are  down  in  the 
darkness  of  the  hold.  So,  the  impulse  power 
which  shapes  the  course  of  communities  may 
be  found  in  the  molding  influences  which  form 
its  citizens. 

It  is  no  mere  idle  curiosity  that  prompts  men 
to  wish  to  learn  the  private  as  well  as  the  pub- 
lic lives  of  their  fellows.  Rather  is  it  true  that 
such  desires  tend  to  prove  universal  brother- 
hood; and  the  interest  in  personality  and  bi- 
ography is  not  confined  to  mere  individuals  of 
any  particular  caste  or  avocation. 

The  list  of  those  to  whose  lot  it  falls  to  play 
a  conspicuous  part  in  the  great  drama  of  life 
is  comparatively  short;  yet  communities  are 
made  up  ol  individuals,  and  the  aggregate  of 
achievements — no  less  than  the  sum  total  of 
human  happiness — is  made  up  of  the  deeds  of 
those«  men  and  women  whose  primary  aim 
through  life  is  faithfully  to  perform  the  duty 
that  comes  nearest  to  hand.  Individual  influ- 
ence  upon   human   affairs    will   be   considered 


potent  or  insignificant  according  to  the  stand- 
point from  which  it  is  viewed.  To  him  who, 
standing  upon  the  seashore,  notes  the  ebb  and 
flow  of  the  tides  and  listens  to  the  sullen  roar 
of  the  waves,  as  they  break  upon  the  beach  in 
seething  foam,  seemingly  chafing  at  their  limit- 
ation, the  ocean  appears  so  vast  as  to  need  no 
tributaries.  Yet,  without  the  smallest  rill  that 
helps  to  swell  the  "Father  of  Waters,"  the 
mighty  torrent  of  the  Mississippi  would  be 
lessened,  and  the  beneficent  influence  of  the 
Gulf  Stream  diminished.  Countless  streams, 
currents  and  counter-currents  —  sometimes 
mingling,  sometimes  counteracting  each  other 
— collectively  combine  to  give  motion  to  the 
accumulated  mass  of  waters.  So  is  it  in  the 
ocean  of  human  action,  which  is  formed  by  the 
blending  and  repulsion  of  currents  of  thought, 
of  influence  and  of  life  yet  more  numerous  and 
more  tortuous  than  those  which  form  "the 
fountains  of  the  deep." 

In  the  following  pages  are  traced  the  lives 
and  careers  of  citizens  of  McHenry  County, 
and  incidentally,  in  the  experience  of  its  early 
settlers,  the  history  of  its  growth  and  develop- 
ment. The  acts  and  characters  of  men  and 
women,  like  the  several  faces  that  constitute 
a  composite  picture,  are  wrought  together  into 
a  compact  or  heterogeneous  whole.  History  is 
condensed  biography;  "biography  is  history 
teaching  by  example." 

It  is  both  interesting  and  instructive  to  rise 
above  the  generalization  of  history  and  trace, 
in  the  personality  and  careers  of  those  from 
whom  it  sprang,  the  principles  and  influences, 
the  impulses  and  ambitions,  the  labors,  strug- 
gles and  triumphs  that  engrossed  their  lives. 

In  the  pages  that  follow  are  gathered  up, 
with  as  much  detail  as  the  limits  of  the  work 
allow,  the  personal  record  of  many  of  the  citi- 


639 


640 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


zens  who  have  made  McHenry  County  what  it 
is.  In  each  record  may  be  traced  some  feature 
which  influenced,  or  has  been  stamped  upon, 
the  civic  life. 

Here  are  pioneers,  who  "when  the  fullness  of 
time  had  come,"  came  from,  widely  scattered 
sources,  some  from  beyond  the  sea,  impelled 
by  diverse  motives,  little  conscious  of  the  im- 
port of  their  acts,  and  but  dimly  anticipating 
the  harvest  which  would  spring  from  their 
sowing.  They  built  their  little  cabins,  toiling 
for  a  present  subsistence  while  laying  the 
foundations  of  private  fortunes  and  future  ad- 
vancement. 

Most  have  passed  away,  but  not  before  they 
beheld  a  development  of  business  and  popula- 
tion surpassing  the  wildest  dreams  of  fancy. 
A  few  yet  remain,  whose  years  have  passed  the 
allotted  three  score  and  ten,  and  who  love  to 
recount,  among  the  cherished  memories  of 
their  lives,  their  reminiscences  of  early  days 
in  McHenry  County. 

'Among  these  early,  hardy  settlers  and  those 
who  followed  them,  may  be  found  the  names  of 
many  who  imparted  the  first  impulse  to  the 
county's  growth  and  home-likeness;  the  many 
who,  through  their  identification  with  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  aided  in  her  material  progress; 
of  skilled  mechanics,  who  first  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  beautiful  homes,  and  many  productive 
industries;  and  of  the  members  of  the  learned 
professions — clergymen,  physicians,  educators, 
lawyers,  heads  of  families  and  leaders  in  social 
life — whose  influence  upon  the  intellectual  life 
and  development  of  a  community  it  is  difficult 
to  over-estimate. 

Municipal  institutions  arise,  commerce 
spreads  her  sails  and  prepares  the  way  for  the 
magic  of  science  that  drives  the  locomotive  en- 
gine over  iron  rails.  Trade  is  organized, 
stretching  its  arms  across  the  prairie  to  gather 
in  and  distribute  the  products  of  the  soil. 
Church  spires  rise  to  express,  in  architectural 
form,  the  faith  and  aspirations  of  the  people, 
while  schools,  public  and  private,  elevate  the 
standards  of  education  and  of  artistic  taste. 

Here  are  many  of  the  men  and  women 
through  whose  labors,  faith  and  thought,  these 
magnificent  results  have  been  achieved.  To 
them  and  to  their  co-laborers,  the  McHenry 
County  of  today  stands  an  enduring  monu- 
ment, attesting  their  faith,  their  energy,  their 
courage  and  their  self-sacrifice. 


COL.  WILLIAM  AVERY. 

When  the  integrity  of  a  country  is  at  stake 
and  the  life  of  the  nation  is  threatened,  it  is 
scarcely  surprising  to  see  its  patriotic  young 
men,  without  families,  animated  by  a  spirit 
of  enthusiasm  and  love  of  adventure,  rushing 
to  its  defense  and  showing  their  readiness  to 
battle  for  public  good.  But  when  a  man,  with 
wife  and  children  about  him  and  enjoying  a 
settled  position  in  life,  breaks  those  ties  which 
bind  him  to  home,  family  and  friends,  in  order 
that  he  may  risk  his  own  life  for  that  of  the 
nation,  it  gives  evidence  of  a  lofty  and  unself- 
ish patriotism,  than  which  nothing  can  be 
grander   or   more  inspiring   in   human   affairs. 

Such  was  the  patriotism  which  inspired 
Lieut.  Col.  William  Avery,  of  whose  service 
during  our  Civil  War  the  following  sketch  can 
give  but  a  brief  outline.  Patriot  soldier  as 
he  was,  his  life  as  a  husband  and  father  was 
not  less  devoted,  and  his  value  as  a  public- 
spirited  citizen  is  well  remembered.  Colonel 
Avery  was  born  at  North  East,  Erie  County, 
Penn.,  July  10,  1825,  the  son  of  Ira  and  Mary 
(Belknap)  Avery.  Both  his  father's  and  his 
mother's  family  were  descended  from  English- 
Puritan  ancestors.  Ira  Avery,  who  was  born 
in  Vermont,  came  from  Colonial  and  Revolu- 
tionary ancestry.  At  an  early  day  he  was  a 
Civil  Engineer  and  a  contractor  on  the  Erie 
Canal.  He  was  prominently  identified  with 
many  public  improvements  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  also  wielded  a  strong  po- 
litical influence.  He  settled  at  North  East, 
Penn.,  where  he  remained  a  number  of  years, 
but  finally  moved  to  Meadville,  Penn.,  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  educational  advantages  for 
his  children.  Later  in  life  he  removed  to  Af- 
ton,  Wis.,  where  he  died,  aged  about  seventy 
years.  His  children  were:  Alvah  W.,  William, 
Catherine  and  Eunice.  He  was  a  Methodist 
in  religion  and  widely  known  and  highly  es- 
teemed for  his  integrity  of  character. 

William  Avery  was  educated  at  Allegheny 
College,  Meadville,  Penn.,  graduating  in  1843, 
Prof.  Matthew  Simpson,  afterwards  a  Bish- 
op of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  being 
one  of  his  instructors.  While  still  a  young 
man  Mr.  Avery  engaged  in  the  railroad  busi- 
ness as  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Pittsburg 
&  Fort  Wayne  Railroad  at  Cleveland,  'Ohio, 
and  here  he  was  married  on  Jan.  16,  1856,  to 
Mary   (Palmer)   Camp.     In  December,  1857  he 


. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


641 


moved  to  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  where  he 
was  station  agent  until  the  call  of  President 
Lincoln  calling  for  300,000  volunteers,  issued 
Aug.  5,  1862.  Mr.  Avery  promptly  responded 
to  this  call,  and  leaving  the  service  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad,  enrolled  his 
name  as  a  member  of  the  Ninety-fifth  Regi- 
ment Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  which  was 
made  up  of  enlistments  from  McHenry  and 
Boone  Counties.  On  the  organization  of  Com- 
pany A,  of  this  regiment,  he  was  chosen  Cap- 
tain and  mustered  in  at  Rockford,  September 
4th  following;  on  Jan.  24,  1863,  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  Major  and  after  the  death  of 
Col.  Thomas  W.  Humphrey,  at  the  battle  of 
Guntown,  Miss.,  on  June  10,  1864,  was  advanced 
to  the  position  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the 
regiment.  Among  the  more  notable  engage- 
ments in  which  Colonel  Avery  participated 
with  his  regiment,  may  be  mentioned  the  battle 
of  Champion  Hills,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  the 
Red  River  expedition,  the  campaign  against 
Price  in  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  the  battle  of 
Nashville,  and  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort 
and  Fort  Blakely,  which  preceded  the  fall  of 
Mobile.  In  the  charge  on  Vicksburg,  of  May 
22,  1863,  he  was  severely  wounded,  was  taken 
by  a  hospital  boat  to  Memphis  where  he  re- 
mained in  hospital  for  sometime,  and  visited 
his  home  on  furlough,  but  sometime  after  the 
surrender  of  Vicksburg  rejoined  his  regiment 
at  Natchez.  After  this  he  remained  with  his 
regiment  until  the  close  of  the  war.  On  the 
consolidation  of  his  regiment  with  the  Forty- 
seventh  Illinois  in  August.  1865,  he  was  mus- 
tered out  and,  returning  to  his  home  at  Maren- 
go, resumed  the  position  which  he  had  left  as 
Station  Agent  three  years  before. 

In  1882  Colonel  Avery  was  elected  County 
Clerk  of  McHenry  County  and  removed  to 
Woodstock,  and,  by  successive  re-elections, 
served  three  terms — a  total  of  twelve  years. 
Fraternally  he  was  in  early  life  an  Odd  Fellow 
and  later  a  Mason,  being  a  member  of  the 
Woodstock  Comimandery  Knights  Templar.  He 
was  also  identified  with  several  patriotic  or- 
ganizations, including  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  in  which  he  served  as  Junior  Post 
Commander  for  the  Department  of  Illinois,  the 
Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  the 
Union  Veteran  League  and  the  Loyal  Legion — 
the  latter  composed  exclusively  of  officers  of 
the  Civil  War. 


Colonel  Avery  was  eminently  social,  genial 
and  generous.  Always  popular  in  the  army, 
he  was  at  the  same  time  dignified, 
soldierly,  courageous  and  chivalrous  towards 
all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact  either  in 
official  or  personal  relations,  commanding  the 
confidence  and  respect  alike  of  his  superior 
officers  and  of  the  rank  and  file.  He  was  a 
father  to  the  "boys,"  always  looking  after  their 
comfort  and  welfare — always  their  friend.  His 
kindness  of  heart,  often  leading  him  to  over- 
look minor  irregularities  in  the  camp  or  on  the 
march,  when  they  did  not  interfere  with  proper 
military  discipline,  won  from,  his  subordinates 
the  appellation  of  "Pap  Avery,"  and  the  boys 
were  ever  ready  to  do  cheerfully  for  him  what 
they  would  have  been  reluctant  to  do  for 
others.  Brave,  true-hearted,  large-brained, 
soldierly,  he  was  a  comrade  in  arms,  like 
Chevalier  Bayard — "A  knight  without  fear  and 
without  reproach".  After  his  death  his  com- 
rades mourned  him  as  a  leader  gone,  a  wise 
counsellor  whose  hand-clasp  as  a  friend  they 
would  miss  through  all  the  future. 

Colonel  and  Mrs.  Avery  were  the  parents  of 
two  daughters,  Ella  and  Kate,  the  latter  of 
whom  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years.  He  and 
his  family  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  His  death  occurred  at  Woodstock, 
Nov.  16,  1896,  at  the  age  of  over  seventy-one 
years. 

Mrs.  Avery  was  born  May  4,  1826,  in  Wayne, 
Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  Cyrus 
Tallmage  and  Amauret  (Cook)  Camp.  Amaur- 
et  Cook,  was  a  native  of  Williamsfield,  Ashta- 
bula County,  born  Dec.  16,  1808,  the  daughter 
of  John  L.  and  Eunice  (Morgan)  Cook.  Cyrus 
T.  Camp  was  born  at  Norwalk,  Conn.,  May  16, 
1795,  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Nash) 
Camp.  Isaac  Camp  was  the  son  of  Isaac  (1) 
and  of  Rhoda  (Keeler)  Camp,  and  the  grand- 
son of  Jonathan  and  Ann  Camp.  Isaac  Camp 
(2),  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Avery,  was  born 
in  1770,  and  belonged  to  a  family  of  farmers 
at  Norwalk,  Conn.,  who,  in  later  life,  moved  to 
New  York  State  and  settled  near  Poughkeep- 
sie.  The  children  of  Isaac  Camp  (2)  and 
wife  were:  David,  born  in  1789;  Susannah, 
born  in  1791;  Jacob,  born  in  1793;  Cyrus  T., 
born  in  1795;  Elizabeth,  born  in  1789;  Mary 
Ann,  born  in  1800;  William  E.,  born  in 
1802;  Charles  and  Rachael  (twins),  born 
in  1805;  Seth    Keeler,    born     in    1809 — all    of 


642 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


whom  lived  to  years  of  maturity.  Cyrus  T. 
Camp  was  a  farmer  and,  when  a  young  man, 
went  to  Williamsfield,  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
where,  two  years  later,  on  March  8,  1825,  ho 
married  Amauret  Cook.  They  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Wayne,  Ashtabula  County,  which  Mr. 
Camp  bought  from  Ephraim  T.  Woodruff,  a 
Presbyterian  minister  who  was  the  original 
settler.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Camp  were  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  he  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  enlisting  when 
about  eighteen  years  of  age.  One  of  his  sons 
was  an  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  United  States 
army  during  the  Spanish-American  War,  serv- 
ing at  Camp  Wycoff,  or  Red  Hook  Landing,  on 
the  eastern  end  of  Long  Island,  where  his 
father  had  seen  service  during  the  war  of 
1812.  Mrs.  Amauret  (Cook)  Camp  having 
died  Feb.  25,  1837,  on  April  21,  1839,  he  mar- 
ried Delilah  Forbes,  who  was  born  July  9. 
1809.  The  children  by  the  first  marriage  were: 
Mary  Palmer,  born  May  4,  1826;  Cyrus  Tal- 
mage,  born  Sept.  16,  1828;  Elizabeth  Nash, 
born  June  2,  1832;  Isaac  Watts,  born  Sept.  5, 
1835,  and  those  by  the  second  marriage: 
Amauret  F.,  born  March  1,  1840;  William  E., 
born  Aug.  24,  1843;  Charles  David,  born  Nov- 
25,  1844;  Rachel  L.,  born  Dec.  5,  1846;  George 
R.,  born  April  7,  1848;  Sarah  A.,  born,  1850; 
Laura  A.,  born,  1852.  Mr.  Camp  was  a  man  of 
unsullied  character  and  reared  an  excellent 
family. 

Resuming  the  personal  sketch  of  Mrs.  Avery, 
it  should  he  noted  that  when  her  husband 
entered  the  army  for  the  defense  of  the  Union, 
he  left  behind  him  his  faithful  wife  and  two 
small  children.  Like  other  wives,  she  watched 
with  bated  breath  the  daily  reports  of  the  dead 
and  wounded  sent  from  the  field  of  carnage, 
fearing  that  every  succeeding  list  might  con- 
tain the  name  of  the  one  with  whom  her  own 
life  was  so  intimately  associated.  Such  wo- 
men deserve  the  gratitude  of  the  American 
people,  for  the  courage  and  self-sacrifice  with 
which  they  passed  through  this  terrible  ordeal. 
Colonel  Avery  had  entered  the  army  with  her 
full  consent,  as  she  had  patriotically  declared, 
if  she  were  a  man,  she  would  do  the  same.  So 
when  he  was  brought  home  wounded  from  the 
field  of  Vicksburg,  with  true  courage  and  de- 
votion, she  nursed  him  back  to  health  and  fit- 
ness for  the  return  to  duty.  Thus  it  was  that 
she,  and  thousands  of  other  American  women 


like  her,  gave  evidence  of  the  same  self-denial 
and  patriotic  devotion  to  public  duty,  which 
inspired  the  soldier  as  he  risked  his  life  for 
Liberty  and  Union  on  the  field  of  battle. 


DR.  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 
Dr.  John  Quincy  Adams,  Dental  Surgeon, 
veteran  of  the  Civil  War  and  Postmaster,  Mar- 
engo, III.,  is  the  oldest  dentist,  in  point  of 
practice,  in  McHenry  County.  The  Doctor 
springs  from  Puritan  New  England  ancestry, 
being  descended  from  the  Adams  family  of 
Massachusetts,  so  famous  in  Colonial  and  Revo- 
lutionary  history,  of  which  Samuel  and  John 
Adams  were  members.  The  founder  of  the 
family  in  America  was  Henry  Adams,  who 
came  from  England  to  Massachusetts  Bay  Col- 
ony about  1635.  Daniel  Adams,  the  great- 
grandfather of  Dr.  John  Quincy  Adams,  was  a 
farmer,  and  his  son  Timothy,  who  was  born  at 
Barre,  Mass.,  Nov.  7,  1771,  was  a  singing  mas- 
ter in  early  life  and  also  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  his  father  as  a  farmer.  In  1793  he 
married  Deidamia  Hemmenway,  who  was  born 
at  Barre,  Mass.,  and  belonged  to  an  old  New 
England  family  of  that  name.  He  lived  at 
Dublin,  N.  H.,  for  a  time,  later  resided  at 
Barre,  Mass.,  but  finally  moved  to  Athol,  Mass., 
where  he  bought  a  farm  and  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  dying  there  Oct.  6.  1815. 
at  the  age  of  forty-four  years.  His  wife  died  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  7,  1849.  The  children  of 
Timothy  and  Deidamia  Adams,  with  dates  of 
birth  were:  Dexter,  Jan.  5,  1794;  Martin,  Oct. 
9,  1795;  Roland,  July  12,  1797;  Millie,  July  2, 
1799;  Achsah,  April  30,  1801;  Melvin,  Jan.  1, 
1804;  Polly,  Oct.  19.  1805;  Gilman,  July  10, 
1807;  Gustin.  Jan.  15,  1810"  Sylvia,  Feb.  10, 
1812 — all  born  in  Barre,  Mass.,  except  Melvin, 
who  was   born  in  Dublin,   N.   H. 

Melvin  Adams,  the  son  of  Timothy  Adams, 
and  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  born 
as  stated  above,  near  Dublin.  N.  H.,  received  a 
common-school  education  and,  at  North  Orange, 
Mass.,  married  Mary  Marble,  who  was  born  at 
that  place  June  8,  1805,  the  daughter  of  Abijah 
and  Submit  (Taylor)  Marble.  Her  father, 
Abijah  Marble,  was  of  old  New  England  stock, 
the  son  of  Silas  and  Catherine  (Newton)  Mar- 
ble, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Marlboro. 
Mass..  the  former  being  the  son  of  Jonathan 
and    Rebecca    Marble.     Jonathan    Marble    was 


wijJtvn  ^hi-md 


/V^^w    CndcvrvKi 


BNWEftSJTY  Of  ILLINOIS. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


643 


one  of  the  first  settlers  at  Orange,  Mass.,  in 
1736,  and  for  three  generations,  the  old  home- 
stead remained  in  the  hands  of  the  family. 
He  also  built  a  mill  at  Petershami  on  the  Swift 
River.  Two  of  his  sons  were  Silas  and  Robert, 
and  the  former  spent  his  life  on  the  ancestral 
homestead.  The  farm  was  a  large  one  and,  in 
common  with  most  New  England  farmers,  the 
family  were  in  comfortable  circumstances. 
Aibijah  Marble  was  born  on  the  old  farm,  where 
he  spent  all  his  days.  His  wife,  Submit  Tay- 
lor, was  the  daughter  of  Mary  (Goddard)  Tay- 
lor. Her  father  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
as  attested  by  the  following  official  record 
from  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  for 
the   State  of  Massachusetts: 

"COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS," 
"Office  of  the  Secretary." 

"REVOLUTIONARY  WAR  SERVICE :  Rufus 
Taylor  appears  in  a  list  of  men  mustered  in 
Worcester  County  to  serve  in  Capt.  Blanchard's 
Company,  Col.  Wesson's  Regiment,  by  a  return 
made  by  Thomas  Newhall,  Mustermaster. 
Term  of  enlistment  three  years,  mustered  June 
13,  1777.— Vol.  53,  p.  195  C.) 

"Rufus  Taylor,  appears  with  rank  of  private 
in  Continental  Army  Pay  Accounts  of  Capt. 
Blanchard's  Company,  Col.  Wesson's  Regiment, 
for  service  from  May  14,  1777,  to  May  1.  1778. 
Residence  Athol:  reported:  furlough  to  May  1, 
1778,  and  did  not  l'eturn  on  account  of  sick- 
ness.— (Vol.  9,  Part  II.,  p.  81.) 

"Rufus  Taylor  appears  in  a  Return  of.  Men 
enlisted  into  Continental  Army  from  Capt.  John 
Oliver's  Company,  dated  February  17,  1780. 
Residence  Athol:  Term  of  enlistment  ending 
January  10,  1785,  joined  Capt.  Blanchard's  Com- 
pany, Col  Wesson's  Regiment.  (Vol.  41,  p. 
221.)" 

The  above  record  is  certified  to  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  as  follows: 

"Boston,  October  1,  1897. 
"I  certify  the  foregoing  to  be  true  abstracts 
from   the   Record   Index  to   the   Revolutionary 
War  Archives,  deposited  in  this  office. 

"Witness  the  seal  of  the  Commonwealth. 
"WM.  M.  OLIN, 

"Secretary." 

Dr.  Adams  visited  the  old  Taylor  homestead 
at  Athol,  Mass.,  in  1900,  and  saw  the  old  apple 
trees  set  out  by  Rufus  Taylor,  some  of  them 
being  about  forty  feet  in  height.  The  old  Wal- 
lingford  farm  adjoining  the  Taylor  homestead, 
where  Abijah  Marble  was  born,  is  now  a  past- 
ure and  has  not  been  cultivated  since  a  very 
early  period.  Tradition  says  that,  at  the  time  of 
an  Indian  attack  at  this  place,  a  man  named 


Ezekiel  Wallingford,  was  killed  by  the  Indians 
while  hoeing  corn  in  the  field,  and  that,  al- 
though the  land  has  never  been  cultivated 
since,  the  marks  of  the  cornhills  still  stand  as 
perfect  as  they  did  when  that  early  Yankee 
farmer  was  shot  down  150  years  ago. 

Melvin  Adams  moved  from  his  home  in 
Athol,  Mass.,  in  1856,  to  Jackson,  Mich.,  where 
he  became  a  foreman  of  the  shoe  department 
of  the  Michigan  State  Prison  at  that  place,  but 
two  years  later  came  to  Greenwood,  McHenry 
County,  where  he  arrived  April  10.  1858.  and 
there  engaged  in  business  as  an  insurance 
agent.  The  children  of  Melvin  Adams  and 
wife  were:  Mary,  born  July  14,  1826;  Sylvia 
Levice,  born  Feb.  3,  1828,  died  Sept.  15,  1844; 
Melvin  Alonzo,  born  Dec.  30,  1829;  Lucy 
Melissa,  born  March  15,  1832;  Melvina  Deida- 
mia,  born  March  19,  1834;  Rosette  Alzina,  born 
March  18,  1836;  John  Quincy,  born  June  17, 
1839,  died  July  23,  1841;  John  Quincy  (2), 
born  Feb.  4.  1842;  Gustin  Edgar,  born  May  11, 
1844;  Sylvia  Levice,  born  Jan.  9,  1847;  Martin 
Jerome,  born  Oct.  9,  1848 — all  born  at  Orange, 
Mass.,  except  Rosette  A.,  who  was  born  in 
Royalston,  Mass.  Mr.  Adams  was  a  Republican 
in  politics  and,  for  a  time,  served  as  Justice  of 
the  Peace.  He  died  in  Greenwood,  July  15, 
1858,  and  his  wife,  Mary  (Marble)  Adams,  Jan. 
23,  1874. 

Dr.  John  Quincy  Adams,  born  at  Orange, 
Mass.,  Feb.  4,  1842,  attended  the  common 
school  in  his  native  town  and  at  Athol,  Mass., 
where  his  parents  resided.  He  was  sixteen 
years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed 
to  Greenwood,  McHenry  County,  where  he  at- 
tended the  district  school,  his  first  teacher  be- 
ing the  Rev.  William  Nickel.  He  was  also  a 
pupil  for  a  time  of  Charles  Herrington — as  a 
rule,  working  upon  the  farm  in  the  summer  and 
attending  school  in  the  winter.  On  Aug.  9, 
1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  H, 
Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  the  full  term  of  three  years,  being 
finally  discharged  at  Springfield,  111.,  Aug.  17, 
1865.  Among  the  battles  in  which  he  took  part 
in  1863,  were  those  of  Raymond  and  Champion 
Hills,  Miss.  During  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
on  May  19,  1863,  he  was  selected  as  a  sharp- 
shooter and  was  shot  through  the  left 
foot,  which  resulted  in  his  being  detained  in 
hospital  for  the  next  three  months — first  in  the 
general  hospital  at  Vicksburg,  then  at  Webster 


644 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


General  Hospital,  Memphis,  when,  receiving  a 
home  furlough,  he  spent  some  time  in  hospital 
at  Chicago.  On  Dec.  6,  1863.  he  rejoined  his 
regiment  and  later  took  part  in  the  Red  River 
expedition,  the  Guntown  (Miss.)  affair,  the  bat- 
tle of  Nashville  and  the  siege  and  capture  of 
Spanish  Fort.  Fort  Blakely  and  the  city  of  Mo- 
bile— events  which  marked  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  received  a  silver  mledal  for  gallantry 
during  the  memorable  assault  upon  the  rebel 
works  at  Vioksburg  on  May  19,  1863,  when  he 
received  his  wound  already  referred  to.  He 
was  never  a  prisoner  during  his  term  of 
service. 

After  his  return  from  the  war  Dr.  Adams  be- 
gan the  study  of  dentistry  (1866)  at  Richmond, 
111.,  in  the  office  of  Dr.  C.  N.  Kendall,  afterwards 
of  Woodstock.  In  the  fall  of  1868  he  established 
a  dental  office  at  Marengo,  where  he  has  con- 
ducted a  successful  business,  and  has  acquired 
a  reputation  as  one  of  the  ablest  practitioners 
in  the  branch  of  dental  surgery  in  McHenry 
County.  During  the  years  1874  and  '75  he  at- 
tended the  Philadelphia  Dental  College,  Penn., 
in  the  latter  year  receiving  his  diploma 
as  Dental  Surgeon.  „ 

Dr.  Adams  was  married,  May  2,  1867,  in 
Greenwood,  111.,  to  Olive  Permilla  Watson,  who 
was  born  in  Greenwood,  Oct.  3,  1847,  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Louisa  (Button)  Wat- 
son. (See  sketches  elsewhere  in  this  volume 
of  Watson  and  Button  families.) 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  have  had  the  following 
named  children: 

Olive  Lione,  born  at  Richmond,  111.,  July  26, 
1868;  married  Sept.  27,  1893,  Charles  Bigelow 
Whittemore,  who  is  an  attorney-at-law  in 
Marengo. 

Ada  Elizabeth,  born  in  Marengo,  111..  April  9, 
1870;  married  June  14,  1893,  Walter  D.  Joslyn. 
at  present  cashier  of  the  N.  P.  Express 
Company,  Chicago.  They  have  two  children — 
Walter  Roland  and  Raymond  Oliver. 

Nellie  Winifred,  born  in  Marengo,  Aug.  25, 
1873;   died  Aug.  27,  1877. 

Mary  Louisa,  born  in  Marengo,  Feb.  2,  1876; 
married  Aug.  8, 1897,  Frederick  Clement  Lagen, 
who  is  an  employe  of  the  N.  P.  Express 
Company,  Chicago,  and  they  have  two  children 
— George  Frederick  and  Olive  Mildred. 

Luella  Gertrude,  born  in  Marengo,  July  6, 
1878;  died  Jan.  4,  1879. 

Mildred,  born  in  Marengo,  Jan.  4,  1881,  is  a 


teacher  in  the  public  school  at  Park  Ridge, 
Cook  County,  and  makes  her  home  with 
her  parents. 

John  Melvin,  born  in  Marengo,  Oct.  23,  1885, 
is  at  present  a  pupil  in  the  Marengo  High 
School. 

Mrs.  Adams  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Fraternally  Dr.  Adams  is  a  member 
of  the  American  Order  of  United  Workmen 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Harley  Wayne 
Post,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Marengo.  In  politics  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican  and  is  the  present  Post- 
master of  Marengo,  having  held  the  office  un- 
der various  appointments  for  more  than  thir- 
teen years — first  under  President  Arthur,  later 
under  President  Harrison,  and  for  his  third 
term  under  Presidents  McKinley  and  Roose- 
velt. Dr.  Adams'  official  record  has  been  a 
notable  one,  furnishing  evidence  of  the  high 
estimation  in  which  he  is  held  in  the  com- 
munity as  a  business  man  and  popular  leader. 


GILBERT   L.   AVERY. 

Gilbert  LaFayette  Avery,  a  resident  of  Mar- 
engo Township,  McHenry  County,  is  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Marengo  Township  and  a  man  well 
known  to  the  people  of  his  community  for  hon- 
esty, reliability  and  straightforward  character. 
Born  at  Auburn,  Susquehanna  County,  Penn., 
Feb.  11,  1827,  he  is  a  son  of  David  and  Diantha 
(Meacham)  Avery. 

David  Avery,  the  father  of  Gilbert  L,  is  of 
Puritan  English  stock  and  descends  from  an 
old  colonial  family  of  Groton,  Conn.,  who  came 
from  England  as  early  as  1630.  He  was  born 
near  Norwich,  Conn.,  in  1790,  the  son  of 
Ezekiel  and   a  grandson  of  Robert  Avery. 

Ezekiel  Avery  was  a  patriot  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  enlisting  in  Washington's 
army  when  but  sixteen  years  of  age,  serving 
one  year  and  afterwards  being  drafted  for  one 
year  longer.  He  married  Miss  Lucinda  Rog- 
ers, and  their  children  were  named  David, 
George,  Lydia  and  Lucinda.  He  settled  near 
Norwich,  Conn.,  but  in  1800,  moved  to  Penn- 
sylvania and  cleared  up  a  farm  from  the  wood- 
lands of  Susquehanna  County,  where  he  lived 
to  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-five  years. 

When  ten  years  of  age  David  Avery  came 
with  his  father  to  Susquehanna  County,  Penn., 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  married  in 
Bridgewater,      Susquehanna      County,      Penn., 


^  9s  aAzw/j^, 


* 


7tu<.  fy£ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


645 


Diantha  Meacham,  born  in  Litchfield  County, 
Conn..  1792.  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Mollie 
(Bartholomew)  Meacham.  Jeremiah  moved  to 
Susquehanna  County,  Penn.,  in  1800,  when  that 
country  was  a  veritable  wilderness,  and  there 
became  a  well-to-do  farmer,  and,  for  that  time, 
was  considered  wealthy.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church  and  an 
earnest  abolitionist.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meacham 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Jeremiah,  Sheldon,  Diantha,  Marilla  and  Rhoda 
(Mrs.  Frink). 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Avery 
settled  on  unimproved  land  adjoining  that 
owned  by  his  father  in  Susquehanna  County, 
Penn.  He  made  substantial  improvements 
upon  his  farm  and  became  a  well-to-do  citizen, 
owning  about  400  acres  of  land  improved  with 
good  buildings  and  was  credited  as  being  the 
highest  tax  payer  in  his  township.  Mr.  Avery 
was  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church  at  Auburn 
for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Avery  were  the 
parents  of  Jeremiah,  Polly,  George.  Gilbert  L.. 
Ezekiel,  Orrin  and  Marilla.  Of  their  children, 
Orrin  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  and  set- 
tled at  Waverly,  Iowa,  where  he.  served  as 
County  Judge  for  several  years.  He  was  cap- 
tain of  a  company  of  infantry  in  the  Civil  War, 
taking  part  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and 
many  other  engagements;  he  was  also  Judge 
Advocate  and  presided  at  court  martials  in  the 
State  of  Missouri.  After  the  close  of  the  war 
he  returned  to  Waverly,  Iowa,  where  he  was 
elected  County  Judge,  but  later  died  at  Colo- 
rado Springs,  Colo.,  and  his  remains  were 
brought  to  Waverly  for  burial. 

Gilbert  L.  Avery,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  re- 
ceived the  usual  common-school  education. 
He  came  to  Marengo,  111.,  in  1844.  being  then 
seventeen  years  old,  and  on  May  17,  1850,  was 
married  in  Belvidere,  111.,  to  Sally  A.  Sponable, 
who  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1834,  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Susan  (Holmes)  Sponable,  natives 
of  Ohio  and  Vermont,  respectively.  Mr.  Spon- 
able came  to  Marengo  Township  about  1836 
and  became  a  well-to-do  citizen.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sponable  were:  William,  who 
died  in  the  Mexican  War;  Alva,  a  soldier  of 
the  Mexican  War,  and  now  a  resident  of 
Maiysville,  Cal.;  Adelia,  who  married  John 
Woodruff  and  is  living  in  Southern  California; 
Caroline    (Mrs.   Jacob  Hiner),  and   Sally   Ann. 


Several  other  of  their  children  died  in  child- 
hood. Mr.  Sponable  lived  to  be  forty-five  years 
of  age,  and  died  at  his  homestead  about  one 
mile  west  of  Marengo. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and.  Mrs.  Gilbert  Avery 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Garden  Prairie,  where 
they  lived  for  about  six  years  and  then  moved 
to  Marengo  Township  and  purchased  100  acres 
of  their  present  farm,  which  was  then  but  part- 
ly improved.  By  hard  work,  good  manage- 
ment and  economical  methods,  Mr.  Avery 
made  subsequent  additions  to  his  farm  until  he 
now  owns  460  acres  of  excellent  land  in  Mc- 
Henry  County,  besides  considerable  valuable 
property  in  Omaha,  Neb.  In  politics  he  is  one 
of  the  original  Republicans,  casting  his  vote 
for  John  C.  Fremont,  Abraham  Lincoln  and 
■every  Republican  candidate  for  the  Presidency 
since  the  organization  of  the  party.  He  has 
never  been  an  office  seeker,  his  time  being  too 
fully  occupied  with  his  farming  interests.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Avery  are  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children:  Marilla,  who  married  "Vernon  D. 
Glass  of  Spokane,  Wash.;  Sadie  E.,  married 
William  C.  Miller,  of  Marengo  Township  and 
they  have  one  child,  Floyd;  Mary  E.,  married 
Joseph  Frank  Carpenter,  a  stockholder  in  a 
large  wholesale  paper  house  of  Omaha,  Neb., 
and  they  have  children  named  Gilbert  C, 
Harry,  Marion  and  Eleanor;  Charles  E.,  mar- 
ried Carrie  Poyer,  resides  at  Shell  Rock,  Iowa, 
and  their  children  are  Guy,  George,  Marion, 
Dee,  Clark,  Earnie,  Earl  and  Glen;  George  mar- 
ried Louie  Prey,  and  they  have  a  daughter 
Hazel. 

Mr.  Gilbert  L.  Avery  is  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  in  which  he  has  held  the  office  of 
deacon.  A  man  of  good  moral  character  and 
temperate  habits,  he  has  never  been  addicted 
to  the  use  of  tobacco  or  intoxicating  liquors, 
and  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-five  years, 
enjoys  perfect  physical  health  and  retains  to  a 
remarkable  degree  the  rugged  constitution  of 
his  earlier  manhood. 


ISAIAH  A.  AUSTIN. 

Isaiah  A.  Austin,  who  was  one  of  the  prom- 
inent pioneer  citizens  and  a  skilled  veterina- 
rian, of  McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Otsego 
County,  N.  Y.,  May  5,  1828,  son  of  Pasco  and 
Polly  (Collins)  Austin.  In  early  life  he  was 
left  an  orphan  and,  when  still  a  boy,  came  with 


646 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  mother,  his  brother  John  and  other  mem- 
hers  of  the  family  to  Waukegan,  111.  Young 
Austin  was  brought  up  among  the  pioneers, 
and  spent  his  youth  with  his  brothers,  Rufus 
and  John,  after  they  had  settled  on  Highland 
Prairie,  and  came  with  them  to  Woodstock 
about  1848-49.  Shortly  afterwards  he  crossed 
the  plains,  with  Alvin  Judd's  party,  to  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  engaged  in  gold  mining  and 
various  other  occupations,  finally  settling  in 
Portland,  Oregon,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
livery  business.  In  1856  he  married  Sarah 
Burke,  and  their  children  were  William  H., 
Emorette,  James  A.  and  Edward  L.  Mrs. 
Austin  died  in  Portland,  Oregon,  in  1865.  Mr. 
Austin  then  returned  to  Woodstock  where,  in 
company  with  Eben  E.  Sherwood,  he  engaged 
in  the  live-stock  and  mercantile  business,  after- 
wards engaging  in  the  livery  business,  at 
which  he  continued  until  his  death.  Feb.  9, 
1866,  he  married  Mary  E.  Judd,  who  was  born 
near  Woodstock,  Feb.  10,  1840,  daughter  of 
Alvin  and  Eliza   (White)    Judd. 

Alvin  Judd  was  born  in  Chester,  Mass., 
March  29,  1799,  son  of  Salathiel  and  Irene 
(Day)  Judd.  His  father,  Salathiel  Judd,  was 
a  farmer  and  a  native  of  England.  His  children 
were  Harvey,  Salalhiel,  Alfred,  Alvin,  Quarnis, 
James,  Theodosia,  Elizabeth,  Lucy  and  Irene. 
He  died  in  North  Chester,  Mass.  Alvin  Judd 
received  a  common-school  education  and  mar- 
ried Eliza  White,  born  at  South  Hadley  Falls, 
Mass.,  Oct.  10,  1801,  daughter  of  Noadiah  and 
Sarah  White.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judd  settled  at  South  Hadley  Falls,  and  later 
at  Hartford,  Conn.  In  1835  they  removed  to 
Massillon,  Ohio,  in  1836,  to  Blacknut  Grove, 
111.,  and  in  1837,  to  McHenry  County,  Ill- 
settling  two  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of 
Woodstock,  where  Mr.  Judd  purchased  and  en- 
tered land  of  the  United  States  Government. 
Mr.  Judd  was  one  of  the  early  postmasters 
of  McHenry  County,  and  kept  the  office  at  his 
house.  He  moved  to  Woodstock  in  1842,  and, 
where  John  J.  Murphy's  business  block  now 
stands,  he  built  the  first  frame  house  in  the 
village.  Mr.  Judd  owned  part  of  the  land 
comprised  within  the  present  limits  of  the 
village  of  Woodstock,  and  assisted  in  platting 
the  town,  which  he  did  according  to  the  plat 
of  South  Hadley  Falls,  Mass.  He  was  one 
of  the  organizers   of  the  town   and   named  it 


"Centerville,"  which  was  afterwards  changed 
by  Joel  H.  Johnson,  Esq.,  to  "Woodstock." 
Mr.  Judd  used  his  fine  dwelling  house  in  Wood- 
stock as  a  place  of  entertainment  for  travelers, 
but  afterwards  kept  the  first  hotel  in  the  vil- 
lage, which  was  built  by  a  Mr,  Hutchings. 
Mr.  Judd,  with  a  party  from  Woodstock,  con- 
sisting of  Isaiah  Austin,  Luke  Belcher,  Lew 
Kelly,  William  Stowell,  Bradford  Burbank  and 
Dr.  King,  went  to  California  in  the  spring  of 
1849.  Thirteen  months  later,  Mr.  Judd  re- 
turned to  Woodstock,  and  for  several  years 
operated  a  stage  line  from  Woodstock  to  Elgin, 
Geneva  Lake  and  Union,  later  engaging  in  the 
mercantile  business.  Politically  he  was  a 
Democrat,  and  as  a  representative  of  his  party 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  after 
Woodstock  was  incorporated,  was  one  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen.  His  children  were  Royal 
O..  Everett.  Adelaide,  Helen,  two  who  died 
in  infancy,  Alvin,  Dwight,  Harriet,  Whitney, 
Lucy  and  Mary.  Mr.  Judd  lived  to  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years  and  died  Oct.  4,  1881.  His 
wife  died  June  20,  1883. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaiah  Austin 
resided  in  Woodstock.  Their  children  were 
Alvin  J.,  Jesse  M.,  Estelle  O,  Aubert  V.,  Em- 
ery B.,  Gertrude  (who  died  an  infant),  Edythe 
M.  and  Ethel  F.    (twins). 

In  political  opinions  Mr.  Austin  believed  in 
the  principles  advocated  by  the  Democratic 
party.  He  was  always  a  very  active  man, 
upright  and  prosperous  in  business.  His  liv- 
ery business,  the  leading  one  in  Woodstock,  is 
now  conducted  by  his  son,  Alvin  J.  Austin. 


PASCO  AUSTIN. 

Prominent  among  the  early  settlers  of  Mc- 
Henry County  is  the  name  of  Pasco  Austin, 
a  member  of  a  pioneer  French  family  that 
lived    in  the   State   of  New  York. 

Pasco  Austin,  Sr.,  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  probably  born  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  where  he  resided  and  owned  a 
farm  in  Broome  County  and  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  a  farmer.  He  married  Polly  Collins, 
a  native  of  New  York  State,  but  of  Irish  parent- 
age, and  their  children  were  John,  Rufus, 
Priscilla,  Samantha,  Jerome  L.,  Pasco,  Isaiah. 
Sarah  A.,  Polly  and  Elisha.  There  is  a  tra- 
dition in  the  Austin  family  that  three  brothers 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


641 


came  from  France  in  colonial  times,  and  that 
the  grandfather  of  Pasco  Austin,  Jr.,  and  proo- 
ably  two  of  his  brothers,  served  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary army.  Pasco  Austin,  Sr.,  was  killed 
by  accident  about  1832. 

Pasco  Austin,  Jr.,  subject  of  this  article,  was 
born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  27,  1826. 
When  six  years  old  his  father  died  and  he 
lived  nine  years  with  Nahum  Smith,  a  farmer, 
where  he  immediately  began  to  work  on  the 
farm,  and  thus  his  advantages  for  obtaining 
an  education  were  limited.  In  1840  he  came 
with  his  mother  and  her  family  to  Chicago, 
arriving  there  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  on 
the  tenth  day  of  May.  Their  point  of  des- 
tination had  been  Kenosha,  but  a  severe  storm 
had  driven  them  by  this  point,  and  therefore 
they  landed  in  Chicago.  After  landing  in  Chi- 
cago, his  brother,  John  Austin,  bought  two 
cows  and  a  yoke  of  oxen.  He  and  Pasco 
undertook  to  drive  the  cattle  across  the  Chi- 
cago River  at  a  point  where  the  Lake  Street 
bridge  now  stands,  and  after  experiencing  con- 
siderable trouble  in  getting  them  started,  Pasco 
AusLin  caught  hold  of  the  tail  of  one  of  the 
oxen  and,  by  a  free  use  of  the  lash,  immediately 
forced  him  into  the  deep  water.  Mr.  Austin 
could  not  swim  and  the  only  means  he  had 
to  save  himself  from  drowning  was  to  hold 
firmly  to  the  tail  of  the  ox,  which  he  did 
and  generously  applied  the  whip,  until  the  ox 
landed  safely  in  port  on  the  opposite  bank  with 
Pasco  clinging  to  his  tail.  He  and  his  brother, 
J.  L.,  drove  the  cattle  to  the  Wisconsin  State 
line,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  and  in  crossing 
the  Des  Plaines  River  had  a  similar  experience. 
They  made  the  journey  in  about  one  day  and 
arrived  in  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  near  where 
their  brother  Rufus  had  settled,  and  entered 
land.  The  family  lived  here  about  one  year 
when  the  mother  died.  She  was  about  forty- 
one  years  of  age,  and  the  mother  of  fourteen 
children,  four  of  whom  died  when  young. 
Pasco  Austin  lived  one  year  with  a  farmer  by 
the  name  of  Samuel  Ransom,  and  then  made 
his  home  with  a  hotel  keeper  by  the  name  of 
Payne.  In  the  spring  of  1843  he  came  to 
Hebron,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  his 
brother  John  had  settled,  and  here  worked  on 
a  farm  for  six  months,  but  afterwards  bought 
four  yoke  of  oxen  and  then  engaged  in  breaking 
prairie  land,  a  business  he  followed  four  years, 


and  then  began  buying  stock,  continuing  along 
this  line  for  ten  years.  He  married  in  Wood- 
stock, Oct.  7,  1848,  Harriet  Judd,  daughter  of 
Alvin  Judd. 

Mr.  Judd,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in 
Woodstock,  was  from  New  England,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1843,  hauled  the  first  sawe  i  pine  boards 
and  shingles  that  were  brought  to  Woodstock. 
Pasco  Austin  accompanied  him  and  drove  a 
team  (two  yoke  of  oxen).  Mr.  Judd  and  his 
brother,  James,  George  Dean  and  Bradford  Bur- 
bank  owned  the  land  that  now  includes  the 
present  site  of  Woodstock,  and  this  lumber 
Mr.  Judd  used  in  building  a  hotel,  wnich  was 
the  first  frame  residence  built  in  that  city. 
Alvin  Judd,  James  Judd  and  George  Dean 
platted  the  city  of  Woodstock.  In  1850  Alvin 
.  Judd  went  to  California,  returned  in  1852  and 
lived  to  be  about  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 
His  children  were  Alvin,  Dwight,  Whitney, 
Mary,  Lucy,  Oscar,  Harriet  and  Everett. 

Before  his  marriage  (about  1845)  Mr.  Austin 
had  worked  in  a  hotel  for  a  Mr.  Martin  Thrall, 
proprietor  of  the  "American,"  which  was  the 
first  hotel  conducted  in  Woodstock  and  is 
now  a  part  of  the  American  House.  It  for- 
merly occupied  the  space  where  John  C.  Mur- 
phy's block  is  now  located.  Mr.  Austin 
worked  in  Woodstock  six  months,  then  at- 
tended school  in  Hartland  Township  one  win- 
ter and  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  land  the 
summer  following.  In  1847  he  worked  in  a 
hotel  kept  by  George  Griffin.  The  hotel  stood 
on  the  site  of  the  present  McHenry  County 
Court  House,  and  Alvin  Judd  became  proprie- 
tor previous  to  his  trip  to  California,  when  Mrs. 
Judd  assumed  the  management  during  his  ab- 
sence. Mr.  Austin  was  married  in  this  hotel, 
and  afterwards  lived  with  the  Judd  family  for 
two  years,  conducting  a  livery  stable,  which 
was  operated  in  connection  with  a  stage  line 
from  Woodstock  to  Marengo,  Elgin,  Barring- 
ton  and  Beioit,  the  line  being  owned  by  Alvin 
Judd.  Mr.  Austin  continued  in  the  livery 
business  for  about  five  years  and  then  engaged 
in  buying  and  selling  cattle  and  horses,  at 
which  he  continued  for  ten  years,  afterwards 
purchasing  170  acres  of  land  in  Hartland  Town- 
ship, and  later,  180  acres  four  miles  north- 
west of  Woodstock.  He  invested  in  property 
in  Irving  Park,  111.,  more  than  thirty  years  ago, 
and  also  owns  valuable  property  in  Woodstock. 


648 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


His  children  by  his  first  marriage  were:  Cere- 
thia  and  Adelbert  L.  Mrs.  Austin  died  April 
7,  1893,  aged  about  fifty-six  years.  Mr.  Austin 
was  married  a  second  time  in  Joliet,  111.,  Sept. 
11,  1894,  to  Emily  Wilson,  a  widow,  nee  Rich, 
bom  at  Malone,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  11,  1862,  daughter 
of  Sherman  and  Clarissa    (Mitchell)   Rich. 

Sherman  Rich  was  a  farmer,  born  at  East 
Fairfield,  Vt.,  son  of  Samuel  and  Lydia  (Mitch- 
ell) Rich,  of  English  ancestry.  He  moved 
to  Ohio  when  about  twenty-one  years  old,  mar- 
ried in  Kingsville,  Ashtabula  County,  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  which  his  father  had  given  him. 
A  few  years  later  he  moved  to  Moline,  N.  Y., 
lived  there  one  year  and  then  moved  to  Ver- 
mont, settling  at  Colchester,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
about  fifty-two  years  of  age.  His  wife  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years.  Mr.  Rich 
was  twice  married,  the  second  time  to  a  widow, 
Josephine  Groves,  nee  Dixon.  The  children 
by  his  first  wife  were,  Bradley  B.  (deceased), 
Lydia  J.,  and  Thomas  H.  (deceased).  There 
was  but  one  child,  a  daughter,  by  his  second 
wife,  Almina  A.  Mr.  Rich  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church-  and  his  second  wife  was 
a  Baptist. 

After  Mr.  Austin  retired  from  farming  he 
kept  a  livery  stable  in  Chicago  (1871-73),  but 
since  that  time  has  made  his  home  in  Wood- 
stock, where  he  has  recently  built  an  attractive 
residence  in  a  modern  style  of  architecture. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Austin  have  one  child,  Pasco  Rich 
Austin.  They  are  both  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Austin  was 
originally  an  old  line  Whig,  but  afterwards 
became  a  Republican.  He  has  served  on  the 
Board  of  Supervisors.  He  is  entirely  a  self- 
made  man  and  has  accumulated  a  handsome 
property  by  his  own  unaided  efforts  and  good 
management. 


HENRY   C.   ALLEN. 


Like  many  others  of  McHenry  County's  early 
settlers,  this  respected  citizen  of  Ringwood 
traces  his  lineage  back  to  the  rugged  colonists 
of  Furitan  faith,  who  have  made  their  mental 
and  moral  influence  felt  across  a  continent. 
He  came  of  the  same  stock  as  did  Ethan  Allen, 
the  hero  of  Ticonderoga.  His  grandfather, 
Samuel,  served  under  General  Israel  Putnam, 


and  did  gallant  service  in  the  battle  of  Ben- 
nington under  General  Stark.  His  son,  Samuel, 
the  father  of  Henry  C.  Allen,  was  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  but  removed  to  New  Fane,  Vt., 
where  he  led  the  life  of  a  hard-working  farmer] 
and  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight 
years.  His  industry  and  his  integrity  com- 
mended him  to  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors, 
and  his  death  was  deeply  mourned.  His  wife 
was  Betsy  Hill,  who  was  of  early  Rhode  Island 
stock.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren: William,  Bethania,  Henry  C,  Charles 
F.,  Martin,  Leander,  Jane  and  Mary. 

Mr.  Henry  C.  Allen,  the  third  of  this  large 
family  in  order  of  birth,  was  born  at  New 
Fane,  Vt.,  April  24,  1820.  Attendance  at  the 
common  school  in  boyhood  gave  him  the  rudi- 
ments of  a  good  English  education,  which  he 
enlarged  and  extended  in  later  years,  through 
reading  and  observation.  Life's  battle  began 
for  him  when,  as  a  youth  of  twenty  years,  he 
commenced  working  as  a  laborer  on  the  Bos- 
ton &  Lowell  Railroad,  the  first  line  to  be  con- 
structed in  New  England.  He  aided  in  the 
grading,  laid  ties  and  spiked  rails;  and,  for 
several  years  thereafter,  did  similar  work  on 
roads  in  the  Bay  State.  Industry,  Intelligently 
directed,  finally  secured  for  him  the  position  of 
"boss"  of  a  gang  of  125  newly  landed  Irish  im- 
migrants. For  so  young  a  man  the  position 
was  a  trying  one,  but  natural  tact,  joined  to 
youth  and  a  hardy  constitution,  enabled  him  to 
fill  it  admirably.  For  nearly  fifteen  years  he 
followed  this  line  of  work,  and  on  July  5,  1848, 
he  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Holmes,  who  was 
born  April  10,  1820,  at  Hopkinsville,  N.  H. 
She  was  the  youngest  daughter  of  John  Holmes 
and  Betsy  Flanders,  whose  other  children  were 
named  Harrison,  Eliza,  Ira,  Hannah,  Lydia, 
Still  man  and  Julia.  Mr.  Holmes  was  the  owner 
of  a  well-cultivated  farm,  and  his  personal  char- 
acter caused  him  to  be  honored  by  all  who 
knew  his  worth.  Toward  the  close  of  his  life 
he  removed  to  Groton,  Mass.,  where  he  died  in 
his  sixty-sixth  year. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen 
li^ed  at  various  points  in  New  Hampshire  and 
Massachusetts,  as  his  work  upon  the  railroad 
called  him  here  and  there.  In  1854  he  re- 
solved to  "go  West,"  and  with  his  wife  and 
son,  Pulaski  K.,  set  out  for  Illinois.  The  jour- 
ney from  New  York  to  Chicago  was  made  by 
rail,  and  from  Chicago  to  Ringwood,  the  point 


y&c  cah^ 


%u.z6.e,Al£^. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


649 


of  destination,  by  stage.  Ringwood  was 
reached  May  1,  1854.  Mr.  Allen's  capital  was 
small  and  his  first  purchase  of  land  was  con- 
fined to  a  single  acre.  On  this  he  built  a 
frame  house,  which  is  still  standing  opposite 
the  Ringwood  creamery.  Necessity  prompted 
him  to  labor  at  any  honest  task  which  offered. 
In  1855  he  was  appointed  station  agent  on  the 
newly  constructed  line,  the  first  to  run  through 
the  village.  For  seven  years  he  held  this  posi- 
tion, and  then  he  found  himself  able,  through 
industry  and  thrift,  to  buy  a  farm  of  fifty  acres, 
which  constituted  a  part  of  his  late  holdings 
of  279  acres,  in  the  town  of  McHenry.  For  ten 
years  Mr.  Allen,  in  partnership  with  S.  H. 
Walker,  a  pioneer  settler  of  Ringwood,  was  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  shipping  wheat  from 
Ringwood.  In  his  early  struggle  for  a  com- 
petence his  devoted  wife  was  his  counsellor 
and  aid.  Together  they  labored,  and,  in  later 
years — as  they  descended  life's  hill,  hand  in 
hand — they  looked  hack  upon  their  early  trials 
with  a  smile.  Mutual  confidence  and  mutual 
effort  brought  them  a  rich  reward.  On  Tues- 
day, July  5,  1898,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding  at  the  residence  of  their 
son,  Herbert  W.,  in  Ringwood,  at  which  time 
they  were  the  recipients  of  many  beautiful 
presents.  A.bout  125  persons  were  present,  and 
dinner  and  supper  were  served  on  the  lawn, 
the  tables  being  spread  under  the  stately  trees. 
Mr.  Allen  died  at  Ringwood,  Oct.  7,  1901;  his 
wife  dying  on  January  26th  of  the  same  year, 
both  being  deeply  lamented  by  their  family 
and  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 

Mr.  Allen  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat  of  an 
uncompromising  type.  From  1855  until  1861 
he  held  the  office  of  postmaster,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  he  was  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  In  every  relation  of  life — domestic,  so- 
cial and  public — he  showed  himself  worthy  of 
the  confidence  which  came  to  him  as  though 
it  were  his  birthright.  Mrs.  Allen  was  a  de- 
vout member  of  the  Baptist  church.  They 
were  the  parents  of  two  sons,  Pulaski  K.  and 
Herbert  W. 

Herbert  W„  son  of  Henry  C.  and  Mary  E. 
(Holmes)  Allen,  was  born  in  Ringwood,  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  Oct.  3,  1860.  He  received 
a  good  common-school  education  attending 
the  school  of  the  veteran  instructor,  William 
Nickel.  He  always  resided  on  the  home  farm, 
and   on  Dec.   1,  1886,   was   married   at  Nunda, 


111.,  to  Libbie  C.  Parks,  who  was  born  in  Nun- 
da  Township,  Dec.  8,  1857,  the  daughter  of 
George  E.  and  Charlotte  (Kimball)  Parks. 
(See  sketch  of  George  E.  Parks  in  this  vol- 
ume.) After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  set- 
tled on  the  old  homestead,  where  they  still  re- 
side. Mr.  Allen  is  a  Democrat  in  political 
opinions,  and  during  President  Cleveland's  sec- 
ond administration,  served  his  fellow-citizens 
as  postmaster  of  Ringwood  and  proved  himself 
an  efficient  official.  He  has  also  held  the  office 
of  Road  Commissioner.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  are 
members  of  the  Universalist  church. 


JOHN    AYLSWORTH. 

John  Aylsworth  (deceased),  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  one  of  the  most  venerable  and  high- 
ly respected  pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  was 
born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  Feb.  1,  1800,  the  son 
of  John  and  Hannah  (Bacon)  Aylsworth,  on 
the  paternal  side  being  of  English  and  old 
colonial  ancestry.  Anthony  Alworth,  as  the 
name  was  originally  spelled,  settled  at  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  here  the  progenitor  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  family  was  married  to 
Mary  Brown.  The  next  in  line  of  descent  was 
their  son  John,  and  he  was  followed  by  a  son 
named  Anthony,  who  was  a  citizen  of  East 
Greenwich,  R.  I.,  and  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  John  Aylsworth,  as  the  name 
had  then  come  to  be  written,  who  was 
the  son  of  Anthony,  was  born  at  East 
Greenwich,  R.  I.,  June  14,  1748,  and  pur- 
sued the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  being  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  farm  at  Foster,  R.  I.  He  is  re- 
puted to  have  adopted  the  change  in  the  spell- 
ing of  the  family  patronymic  just  given, 
which  has  since  been  changed  by  "gradual  de- 
velopment" to  the  present  form.  His  first  wife 
was  Bethenia  Fry,  and  she  bore  him  tour  chil- 
dren, named  Thomas,  Martha,  Mary  and  John. 
He  became  a  Quaker  and  the  "Friends"  meet- 
ing house  was  located  on  his  farm.  He  died 
at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

John  (.3),  the  youngest  son  of  this  family  and 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  horn 
in  Rhode  Island,  June  4.  1771,  and,  like  many 
youths  of  that  period,  having  a  passion  for  the 
sea,  ran  away  from  home  and  became  a  sailor. 
During  his  sea-faring  life  he  was  "impressed," 
and  served  for  a  time  on  the  old  "Constitution" 


650 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


(also  known  as  "Old  Ironsides")  under  Commo- 
dore Bainbridge,  took  part  in  an  action  which 
resulted  in  the  capture  of  a  British  war-ship, 
and  was  detailed  as  one  of  the  prize-crew  to 
take  the  vessel  to  port.  Before  reaching  their 
destination,  the  vessel  and  crew  were  captured 
by  another  British  vessel,  and  Ayls worth  was 
detained  in  a  British  prison  until  six  months 
after  peace  was  declared.  His  later  years 
were  spent  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  was 
married  to  Hannah  Bacon,  and  they  had  six 
children:  Thomas,  John,  Bethenia  Fry,  Eliza- 
beth, Hannah  and  Mary.  His  wife  having  died, 
he  was  married  to  Hulda  Norton,  who  bore 
him  one  daughter,  Abby,  who  died  young.  He 
was  a  member  of  "The  Roger  Williams"  Bap- 
tist church  at  Providence,  and  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy- seven,  years. 

John  Aylsworth — the  sixth  of  the  name  in 
America  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch — was 
born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  Feb.  1,  1800.  His 
father  being  poor  and  his  mother  having  died 
when  he  was  ten  years  of  age,  he  was  com- 
pelled while  quite  young  to  labor  for  his  own 
support.  Without  educational  advantages  he 
still  had  an  eager  desire  to  gain  an  education, 
learned  to  read  and  write  and,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years,  entered  the  office  of  the 
"Providence  Journal"  as  "office  boy"  under  the 
proprietorship  of  John  Miller,  to  whom  (being 
an  orphan)  he  was  "bound  out"  as  an  ap- 
prentice to  learn  the  printer's  trade.  Here  he 
remained  several  years,  becoming  a  skillful 
compositor  and  an  expert  manipulator  of  the 
old-fashioned  Franklin  press.  He  thus  acquired 
a  practical  education  to  which,  by  the  reading 
of  books  and  newspapers,  he  added  a  large 
fund  of  general  information,  making  him  a 
well-informed  man.  In  1836  he  went  by  steam- 
boat to  New  York,  and  thence  to  Albany  and 
Schenectady  and  by  the  Erie  Canal  .to  Buffalo, 
and  by  lake  to  Detroit.  The  lake  journey  was 
made  on  the  old  steamer  "United  States," 
which  was  the  last  trip  it  ever  made,  as  on  the 
next  voyage  it  was  sunk.  From  Detroit  he 
made  the  journey  partly  by  stage  and  partly 
on  foot,  crossed  Lake  Michigan  by  schooner, 
and,  on  the  first  of  May,  reached  Chicago,  then 
so  small  a  village  that  he  was  compelled  to 
ask  where  he  was.  Fort  Dearborn  was  occu- 
pied by  United  States  soldiers,  this  being  the 
year  the  fort  was  finally  evacuated.  There 
were    several    thousand    Indians    encamped    in 


the  vicinity,  probably  awaiting  their  payment 
I'rom  the  Government.  Mr.  Aylsworth  visited 
their  camp,  but,  as  he  was  about  to  leave,  was 
confronted  by  a  big  Indian  who  addressed  him 
with  something  which  sounded  like  "Schoon- 
law-good  me-tass."  This  was  interpreted  as  a 
demand  for  money  to  buy  whisky  with,  but  Mr. 
Aylsworth  succeeded  in  getting  away  by  run- 
ning. Early  in  June  he  attended  the  launch- 
ing of  the  steamboat  "Chicago,"  and,  on  the 
4th  of  July  following,  was  present  at  the  in- 
auguration of  work  on  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal,  when  Governor  Duncan  celebrated 
the  event  by  throwing  out  the  first  spade-full 
of  earth  at  Bridgeport.  "Fire-water"  was 
abundant  and  many  of  the  Irish  laborers  were 
intoxicated.  At  this  time  Mr.  Aylsworth 
bearded  in  a  log-house  with  a  Mr.  Aikens,  and 
went  to  'the  celebration  in  company  with  two 
fellow-boarders,  the  party  paying  one  dollar 
fare  each  for  their  passage  by  boat  both  ways. 
On  the  return  the  Captain  of  the  boat  on 
which  the  party  had  taken  passage,  got  into  a 
fight  with  the  Captain  of  another  boat,  and 
they  also  witnessed  a  fight  among  a  number  of 
Irish  laborers.  Thinking  he  had  seen  enough 
of  the  celebration,  Mr.  Aylsworth  walked 
home. 

In  June  of  this  year  Mr.  Aylsworth  obtained 
employment  in  the  office  of  "The  Chicago 
American,"  the  second  paper  established  in 
Chicago.  Here  he  remained  some  two  years 
as  a  journeyman  printer,  for  a  part  of  the  time 
being  head  press-man.  In  his  later  years  Mr. 
Aylsworth  recalled  meeting,  in  the  office 
of  "The  American,"  "Long"  John  Went- 
worth  about  the  time  he  became  editor 
of  "The  Chicago  Democrat,"  the  first 
paper  established  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Davis, 
the  publisher  of  "The  American,"  having 
become  financially  embarrassed,  trans- 
ferred the  paper  to  a  number  of  printers,  of 
whom  Mr.  Aylsworth  was  one,  the  new  firm 
taking  the  name  of  William  Stuart  &  Co..  with 
Mr.  Stuart  as  editor.  In  the  fall  of  1836  Mr. 
Aylsworth  united  with  the  First  Baptist  church 
of  Chicago,  being  immersed  In  the  lake  by 
Rev.  J.  T.  Hinton.  The  assassination  of  Elijah 
P.  Lovejoy  by  a  pro-slavery  mob  at  Alton,  111., 
occurred  in  the  following  year,  and,  as  an 
enemy  of  human  slavery,  he  stood  ready  to  of- 
fer his  services  to  establish  a  new  paper  there 
if  this  seemed  advisable.    Originally  an  old  line 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


651 


Whig,  he  became  a  stanch  Abolitionist,  voting 
for  James  G.  Birney  in  1844,  and,  in  after 
years,  as  a  Republican,  voted  for  John  C.  Fre- 
mont and  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  a  zealous 
champion  of  temperance  and,  in  1884,  voted  for 
the  Prohibition  candidate  for  President. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  Mr.  Aylsworth  settled  on  a 
claim  in  what  is  now  Cobb  Township,  Lake 
County,  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  to  which 
he  added  forty  acres  more  by  purchase,  which 
he  cleared  and  improved,  finally  becoming 
owner  of  a  farm  of  130  acres  on  which  he 
erected  substantial  farm  buildings.  Selling  his 
farm  in  1868,  he  located  at  Barrington,  111.,  in- 
vesting his  money  in  real  estate,  but  about 
1875-6  removed  to  Nunda,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  invested  his  means  in  valuable  town 
property,  and  where  he  continued  to  reside 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  death 
occurred  May  15,  1901,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
one  years,  three  months  and  fifteen  days. 

Mr.  Aylsworth  was  married  Oct.  28,  1838,  to 
Anna  Frances  Foreman,  born  in  Schoharie 
County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  26,  1811,  the  daughter  of 
N.  V.  and  Lucretia  (Babcock)  Foreman — the 
latter  a  native  of  Oswego,  N.  Y.  Two  sons 
were  born  of  this  marriage:  Nicholas  J.  and 
William  Prince  Aylsworth.  The  former 
graduated  at  the  old  Chicago  University  at 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  became  a  minister  of 
the  Christian  church,  and  is  now  traveling  in 
Europe.  The  younger  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Bethany  College,  W.  Va.,  also  became  a  Chris- 
tian minister  and  resides  at  Bethany,  Neb. 
Mrs.  Aylsworth  died  Feb.  12,  1885.  and  Mr. 
Aylsworth  afterwards  married  Martha  E.  Cone, 
of  Lake  County,  111.,  who  still  survives  him. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 


FRANK   F.  AXTELL. 

According  to  well-established  family  tradi- 
tion, Mr.  Frank  F.  Axtell,  one  of  the  leading 
bankers  of  Harvard,  111.,  is  descended  from 
sterling  Scotch  ancestry.  The  earliest  ap- 
pearance of  the  name  Axtell,  which  has  come 
to  the  knowledge  of  those  who  have  made  the 
family  genealogy  a  subject  of  study,  dates  back 
to  the  year  1535,  when  the  "Bonhommes" 
(Good  Men)  order  of  monks  in  a  monastery  at 
Gaddesden,  an  old  town  in  Hertfordshire, 
England,  made  over  their  property  to  King 
Henry     VIII.        The     original     "Bonhommes" 


were  an  order  of  hermits,  or  recluses,  who 
are  described  as  leading  "gentle  and  simple 
lives,"  first  appearing  in  France  about  the 
year  1217,  and  in  England  in  1283.  Among 
the  Hertfordshire  order  who  joined  in  signing 
the  deed  transferring  their  property  to  the 
English  King  in  1535,  appears  the  name  of 
John  Axstyle.  A  few  years  later  (about  1538) 
began  the  registration  of  births  in  the  parent 
churches  of  England,  and  in  the  records  of 
St.  Peter's  church,  at  Berkhamp^tead,  a  town 
of  Hertfordshire  about  twenty  miles  north  of 
London— for  the  year  1539,  appears  the  bap- 
tismal record  of  John  Axtell,  the  son  of  John, 
and  in  1541  that  of  William,  also  a  son  of  John. 
The  same  church  record,  three-quarters  of  a 
century  later,  contains  the  name  of  Thomas 
Axtell,  the  son  of  William  Axtell,  as  a  sub- 
ject of  the  baptismal  ceremony,  Jan.  15,  1619. 
It  is  believed  that  this  Thomas  Axtell  was 
the  progenitor  of  the  Axtell  family  in  America. 
Daniel  Axtell,  also  born  at  Berkhampstead  in 
1622,  and  who  became  one  of  the  Judges — after- 
wards known  as  "The  Regicides" — who  con- 
demned Charles  I.  of  England  to  death  in  1449, 
was  a  brother  of  Thomas,  and  paid  the  penalty 
of  his  act  by  suffering  execution  after  the  ac- 
cession of  Charles  II.  to  the  tnrone.  Thomas 
Axtell  had  a  wife  named  Mary  and  they  had 
a  daughter  Mary,  who  was  baptized  in  the  old 
St.  Peter's  church,  Berkhampstead,  Sept.  23, 
1639,  while  the  name  of  their  son  Henry  ap- 
pears on  the  record  as  baptized  at  the  same 
place  Oct.  15,  1641.  The  family  left  England 
in  1642,  and  finally  settled  in  Sudbury,  Mass. 
In  1643  this  Thomas  Axtell  bought  land  in 
Sudbury  and  here,  on  June  1,  1644,  his  daughter 
Lydia  was  born.  He  died  in  Sudbury,  Aug.  1, 
1646,  and  was  buried  there.  Henry  Axtell, 
the  son  of  Thomas,  already  mentioned  as 
having  been  born  in  England  in  1641,  was 
five  years  old  when  his  father  died,  and  in 
1660 — he  being  then  nineteen  years  of  age — a 
tract  of  land  south-west  of  Sudbury  was  in- 
corporated as  a  town  by  the  name  of  Marl- 
boro, of  which  he  became  one  of  the  proprie- 
tors, receiving  for  his  portion  fifteen  acres  in 
the  central  portion  of  the  town,  as  a  home  lot. 
Besides  this  he  was  probably  the  owner  of  a 
portion  of  meadow  and  other  outlying  lands. 
June  14,  1665,  he  was  married  to  Hannah  Mer- 
riam.     During  the  raid   upon  the  white  settle- 


652 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ments  of  Massachusetts  led  by  King  Philip, 
the  famous  Indian  Chief,  in  the  spring  of  1676, 
in  which  many  towns  were  almost  entirely 
destroyed,  Marlboro  suffered  severely  and, 
among  those  who  fell  at  the  hands  of  the  mur- 
derous savages,  was  Henry  Axtell.  An  inven- 
tory of  his  property  is  dated  April  1,  1676. 
The  children  of  Henry  and  Hannah  Axtell 
were:  Samuel,  born  March  27,  1666,  probably 
died  in  childhood;  Hannah,  born  Nov.  18,  1667, 
life  record  not  traced;  Mary,  born  Aug.  8,  1670, 
married  Zachariah  Newton;  Thomas,  born 
April  16,  1672;  Daniel,  born  Nov.  4,  1673;  Sarah, 
born  Sept.  18,  1675,  untraced.  Hannah,  the 
widow  of  Henry  Axtell,  married  Will  Taylor, 
July   5,   1679. 

To  this  point  there  have  been  traced  four 
generations  of  the  Axtell  family  in  regular 
lineal  descent,  whose  respective  heads  were  all 
natives  of  Berkhampstead,  in  Hertfordshire, 
England,  viz.:  John  Axtell  (1),  John  Axtell 
(2)  born  1539,  and  William,  son  of  John  Axtell 
tell  (1),  born  1541;  Thomas  Axtell,  born  Jan. 
15,  1619,  and  Henry,  born  Oct.  15,  1641,  died 
at  Marlboro,  Mass.  Of  their  descendants  born 
after  the  migration  of  the  family  to  America, 
were  the  following:  Thomas,  born  at  Marl- 
boro, Mass.,  in  1672,  and  moved  to  Grafton, 
Mass.,  in  1730;  Joseph,  born  at  Marlboro,  1705, 
and  moved  to  Weston,  Mass.;  Daniel,  born  at 
Marlboro,  1734,  moved  to  Weston,  Mass.  The 
sons  of  Daniel  were:  Moses,  born  1755;  Aaron, 
born  1757;  Daniel  (2),  born  1759;  Joseph,  Alex- 
ander and  Daughton.  Of  these  Daniel  (2), 
who  was  eighth  in  lineal  descent,  counting 
John  Axtell  (1)  as  the  first,  had  children  named 
Chauncey,  Daniel  and  William  by  a  first  mar- 
raige,  and  Joseph  D.,  Hodah  and  Sally.  He 
lived  in  Unadilla,  N.  Y.,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and,  according  to  family 
tradition,  a  member  of  Gen.  Washington's  body- 
guard. Joseph  D.  Axtell,  the  son  of  Daniel, 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1802,  became  a 
merchant  and  settled  near  Geneseo,  N.  Y. 
He  was  married  in  his  native  State  to  Eliza 
Osman,  who  died  in  1883.  Their  children  were: 
Alonzo  E.,  born  Feb.  6,  1825;  Laura  E.,  born 
June  17,  1827;  Mary  F.,  born  March  16,  1830; 
Peter  W.,  born  July  2,  1832;  Hannah  A.,  born 
Sept.  25,  1836,  and  Marion,  born  Nov.  6,  1842. 
Joseph  D.  Axtell  was  a  Major  of  militia  in  New 
York    and    conducted    a    successful   mercantile 


business  at  Geneseo.  About  1852  he  came  to 
Genoa,  111.,  where  he  remained  seven  or  eight 
years,  when  he  moved  to  Juda,  Wis.,  and  was 
there  engaged  in  the  stock  business.  He  died 
in  his  Wisconsin  home  in  1873. 

Alonzo  E.  Axtell,  the  son  of  John  D.,  was 
born  in  Massachusetts,  where  he  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  later  attended  an 
academy  at  Olean,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  was  employed  for  a  time  in  this 
line  at  Friendship,  Allegany  County,  N.  Y., 
but  afterwards  engaged  in  merchandising.  He 
resided  here  until  1851,  when  he  removed  to 
Russellville,  Boone  County,  111.,  where  he  again 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business.  Remov- 
ing to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  in  1858,  he 
continued  in  the  same  business  until  1877, 
when  he  entered  into  the  banking  business, 
continuing  until  his  death,  March  31,  1889. 
Alonzo  E.  Axtell  was  married  at  Friendship, 
N.  Y.,  to  Mary  M.  Lambert,  who  was  born  on 
Dec.  12,  1826,  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Sally  (Porter)  Lambert.  He  and  bis  wife  were 
the  parents  of  one  son,  Frank  F.  Axtell,  of 
Harvard,  111.,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch. 
Alonzo  E.  Axtell  was  a  capable  and  successful 
business  man,  in  addition  to  his  banking  in- 
terests being,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  the 
owner  of  600  acres  of  land  in  McHenry  County, 
besides  valuable  real  estate  in  Harvard.  Orig- 
inally an  old  line  Whig,  he  became  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Republican  party  in  McHenry 
County,  supporting  John  C.  Fremont  for  Pres- 
ident in  1856,  and  was  a  zealous  Union  man 
during  the  Civil  War.  Fraternally  he  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  Harvard  Lodge,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M. 

Frank  F.  Axtell,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  son  of  Alonzo  E.  Axtell,  was  born 
in  Friendship,  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct. 
29,  1847,  and  was  four  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Illinois,  as  stated  in  the 
preceding  paragraph.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Russellville  and  Harvard  public 
schools,  and,  at  an  early  age,  became  a  clerk 
in  his  father's  store.  Removing  to  Chicago  in 
1872,  he  there  became  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Board  of  Trade  and  was  successfully  engaged 
in  the  grain  trade  for  over  fifteen  years.  Dur- 
ing a  part  of  this  time — 1882,  1883  and  a  part 
of  1884 — he  was  engaged  in  the  grain  and  ele- 
vator business  in  Omaha,  Neb.,  but  during  the 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


653 


latter  year  returned  to  Chicago.  Early  in  1889, 
owing  to  his  father's  failing  health,  he  returned 
to  Harvard  to  take  charge  of  the  banking 
business  of  the  latter,  to  which  he  succeeded 
on  his  father's  death,  continuing  to  the  present 
time.  In  politics  Mr.  Axtell,  following  the  ex- 
ample of  his  father,  is  a  stanch  Republican; 
for  six  years  was  Supervisor  of  Chemung 
Township,  for  several  years  served  as  City 
Treasurer  of  Harvard,  and  in  1898  was  elected 
Treasurer  of  McHenry  County,  filling  the  office 
four  years. 

On  May  24,  1871,  Mr.  Axtell  was  married  at 
Woodstock,  111.,  to  Cerethia  A.  Austin,  the 
daughter  of  Pasco  Austin.  (See  sketch  of 
Pasco  Austin  in  this  volume).  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Axtell  have  two  children;  E.  Lyle,  born  in 
Chicago,  and  Darlene  D.,  born  in  Omaha.  The 
latter  is  a  student  in  Vassar  College,  N.  Y., 
and  E.  Lyle  is  cashier  of  his  father's  bank, 
for  which  position  he  has  been  especially  well 
qualified  by  his  careful  business  training.  By 
his  successful  business  career  and  probity  of 
character,  Mr.  Frank  F.  Axtell  has  won  an  en- 
viable reputation  among  the  business  men  and 
the  general  public  of  McHenry  County. 


GEORGE.   W.  AMES. 

George  W.  Ames,  veteran  of  the  Civil  War 
and  farmer,  Terra  Cotta,  McHenry  County,  was 
born  in  Fremont,  Lake  County,  111.,  April  12, 
1845,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Cooper) 
Ames.  By  the  death  of  his  father  he  was  left 
an  orphan  in  infancy  and  was  brought  up  by 
strangers.  Until  1857  he  lived  with  Daniel 
Kingsley  a  farmer  of  Lake  County,  at  an  early 
age  began  working  on  the  farm,  meanwhile 
attending  school  during  the  winter  season, 
thus  gaining  a  common-school  education.  Dur- 
ing the  year  just  named,  having  reached  the 
age  of  about  twelve  years,  he  came  to  McHenry 
County  and  there  found  employment  on  the 
farm  with  Darius  C.  Reynolds,  with  whom  he 
remained  several  years. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  Civil  War  (Sept. 
11,  1861),  in  his  seventeenth  year,  Mr.  Ames 
enlisted  at  Geneva,  Kane  County,  as  a  private 
in  Company  I  (Captain  Brown),  Ninety-fifth 
Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  until  April  22,  1865,  when  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged  on   a  surgeon's   certificate  of 


physical  disability.  While  in  the  service  he 
took  part  in  the  battles  of  Black-Snake  Gap 
and  Resaca  and  the  Atlanta  campaign,  besides 
numerous  skirmishes.  He  performed  his  full 
duty  as  a  soldier,  but  was  never  wounded  and 
is  not  a  pensioner.  He  suffered  much  from 
chronic  diarrhoea  in  the  field  and,  after  the 
battle  of  Shiloh,  spent  some  time  in  the  hos- 
pital at  Benton  Barracks,  near  St.  Louis,  on 
his  partial  recovery  being  detailed  on  duty  as 
a  nurse,  serving  in  this  capacity  one  year, 
when  he  rejoined  his  regiment.  Having  been 
again  taken  sick  after  the  battle  of  Resaca, 
he  remained  in  the  hospital  for  a  time  at 
Chattanooga  and  Rome,  Ga.,  and  still  later  at 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,  and  Mound  City,  111.  It  was 
while  in  hospital  at  the  latter  place  that  he 
received  his  discharge  in  April,  1865,  as  al- 
ready stated.  At  that  time  he  was  in  a 
seriously  emaciated  condition,  his  weight  hav- 
ing been  reduced  to  eighty-four  pounds.  After 
his  discharge  Mr.  Ames  returned  to  McHenry 
County,  but  was  too  feeble  to  undertake  any 
employment  for  a  period  of  about  six  months, 
when  he  resumed  farm  work,  in  which  he  con- 
tinued for  some  years. 

On  Oct.  12,  1870,  Mr.  Ames  was  married  in 
McHenry  County,  to  Eliza  McMillan,  who  was 
born  on  her  father's  farm  in  the  neighborhood 
of  her  present  home,  Nov.  12,  1848,  the  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Jane  (Wilson)  McMillan.  After 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ames  settled  on  a  farm 
one  mile  north  of  their  present  residence, 
where  they  remained  three  years.  In  1873  they 
removed  to  their  present  location  settling  on 
a  farm  originally  consisting  of  sixty-three 
acres,  to  which  he  has  made  additions  until  he 
is  now  the  owner  of  145  acres.  This  land, 
when  it  first  came  into  possession  of  Mr.  Ames, 
was  without  improvements,  but  has  since  had 
erected  upon  it  a  good  two-story  frame  dwell- 
ing, with  large  barn  and  other  farm  buildings. 
The  children  of  Mr.  Ames  are:  William  H., 
born  Aug.  14,  1871;  Thomas  W.,  born  Dec.  17, 
1872;  Mary  J.,  born  Jan.  10,  1875;  Lizzie,  born 
May  3,  1879.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ames  are  among 
the  most  respected  citizens  of  McHenry 
County,  have  by  their  own  unaided  exertions 
accumulated  a  handsome  property  and  estab- 
lished for  themselves  a  pleasant  home.  In 
political  opinions  Mr.  Ames  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, and,  by  his  service  during  the  Civil 


654 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


War,  won  for  himself  the  reputation  of  a  good 
soldier  and  a  patriotic  citizen. 

Henry  Ames,  toe  father  ofl  George  W.,  was  a 
resident  of  the  State  of  New  York,  where  he 
married  Mary  Cooper,  and  they  had  children 
named:  Charlotte  L.,  Abbie  A.,  Sophronia  K., 
Amelius  C,  and  George  W.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  and  died  in  Lake  County,  111.,  the 
year  his  son  George  W.  was  born.  The  two 
sons  of  this  family  became  soldiers  of  the 
Civil  War,  Amelius  C,  the  older,  as  a  member 
of  Company  C,  Ninety-sixth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  George  W..  in  the  Fifty-second 
Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteers,  as  already  ex- 
plained in  his  military  history.  (For  sketch 
of  Samuel  McMillan,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ames, 
see  biography  of  his  son,  Andrew  Thomas  Mc- 
Millan, in  this  volume). 


FRANK  ADAMEK. 

The  Adamek  family  came  from  Bohemia, 
where  John  Adamek,  the  father  of  Frank,  was 
born  in  1808.  John  Adamek  was  a  farmer 
and  married  in  Bohemia,  Anna  Carmak,  who 
was  born  in  Bohemia,  April  19,  1811.  After 
marriage,  Mr.  Adamek  lived  in  his  native 
country  for  several  years,  and  then  came  to 
America  with  his  family.  They  sailed  from 
Hamburg  in  May,  1856,  in  a  large  English  sail- 
ing vessel,  to  Hull,  England,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded by  railroad  to  Liverpool,  where  they 
boarded  a  sailing  vessel  for  New  York,  landing 
at  the  latter  place  after  a  voyage  of  twenty- 
eight  days.  They  immediately  came  by  rail- 
road to  Chicago,  arriving  July  7,  1856,  where 
they  resided  for  one  year.  Mr.  Adamek  worked 
in  Peter  Schuttler's  wagon  factory,  where  his 
son  Joseph,  who  came  to  America  in  1851,  had 
previously  engaged  as  a  factory  hand.  July  8, 
1857,  he  bought  a  farm  consisting  of  120  acres 
on  the  line  of  Cook  and  McHenry  Counties, 
forty  acres  being  in  Cook  and  eighty  acres  in 
McHenry  County.  Mr.  Adamek  lived  on  this 
farm  until  his  death  in  1872,  being  then  sixty- 
six  years  of  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  church,  and  an  industrious,  hard-work- 
ing man,  highly  respected  by  all  of  his  acquaint- 
ances. The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adamek 
were  John,  who  died  in  Bohemia,  aged  fifty- 
five  years,  leaving  a  family  of  several  children, 
two    of    whom,    Francis    and    Frank,    came   to 


America;  Joseph,  who  came  to  America  in 
1851;  Anna,  who  came  to  America  with  her 
family,  and  Frank. 

Frank  Adamek,  subject  of  this  article,  was 
born  in  Bohemia,  May  18,  1845.  being  about 
ten  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America 
with  his  parents,  and  remembers  all  the  inci- 
dents of  the  voyage  across  the  ocean.  He  came 
to  McHenry  County,  in  July,  1857.  Mr.  Adamek 
has  a  good  common-school  education,  which 
he  gained  partly  in  Bohemia,  where  he  learned 
the  rudiments  of  arithmetic  and  reading,  and 
partly  in  the  United  States,  having  attended 
the  public  school  in  Chicago  one  year  and  af- 
terwards, when  he  came  to  Algonquin  Town- 
ship, attended  the  district  school  for  three 
winters.  Mr.  Adamek  made  a  special  study 
of  United  States  History,  and  still  preserves 
his  school  text-books  on  that  subject.  He  be- 
gan to  work  on  a  farm  at  an  early  age,  and 
when  about  twenty  years  old,  engaged  to  work 
for  his  brother,  who  conducted  a  farm  and  feed 
store  and  was  also  interested  in  the  ice  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Adamek  afterwards  remained  on 
the  home  farm  and  cared  for  his  aged  parents 
until  he  was  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
when  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Mc- 
Henry County  adjoining  the  old  homestead. 
He  married  in  Chicago,  Feb.  22,  1874,  Annie 
Kvidera,  born  in  Bohemia,  July  29,  1855, 
daughter  of  Vaclav  and   Lydia  Kvidera. 

Vaclav  Kvidera  was  a  Bohemian,  who  mar- 
ried in  Bohemia  and  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  crockery.  He  came  to  America  in  1860 
and  lived  in  Chicago  one  year,  but  in  1861,  re- 
moved to  Algonquin  Township  and  bought  a 
farm  of  ninety  acres  of  unimproved  land,  which 
he  converted  into  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  erected  good  farm  buildings.  Seven  years 
later,  he  went  to  Chicago  and  worked  in  a 
crockery  factory,  but  in  his  old  age  returned  to 
Algonquin  Township,  where  he  died  in  1900, 
aged  about  eighty-four  years.  His  wife  died 
when  about  seventy-seven  years  of  age.  Their 
children  were:  Mary,  Teresa,  James,  Lydia, 
Anna,  Frances  and  Prokop.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kvidera  were   Catholics  in  religion. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adamek 
settled  on  the  homestead  and  by  his  industry 
and  good  management  added  to  its  original 
holding  until  they  owned  132  acres  of  excellent 
farming  land,   which  is  still  in  Mr.  Adamek's 


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11BRABY 

OuS. 


LIBRARY 
■**¥BI$ITY  OF  iumiit 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


655 


possession.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adamek  moved  to 
Algonquin  in  1890  and  bought  a  pleasant  home. 
In  politics  Mr.  Adamek  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  has  served  as  Constable  four  years,  Vil- 
lage Clerk  two  years  and  Justice  of  the  Peace 
four  years,  being  at  the  present  time  (1903) 
an  incumbent  of  the  latter  office.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Cary  Sta- 
tion, also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  Amreica,  in  which  organization  he  has  held 
the  office  of  clerk  for  three  years.  He  was  at 
one  time  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge ,  of 
Algonquin,  but  that  organization  is  now  dis- 
continued. He  is  a  member  of  the  Bohemia 
Society,  C.  S.  P.  S.,  which  consists  entirely  of 
Bohemians.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adamek  are  the 
parents  of  Antoinette  P.,  Amelia,  Frank  J., 
Anna,  Elsie  L.,  George  E.,  and  Isabel  G.  Mrs. 
Adamek  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Neighbors. 
Mr.  Adamek  is  a  well-known,  straightforward 
citizen  and  his  father's  family  were  the  first 
Bohemians  to  settle  in  Algonquin  Township. 
In  1883  Mr.  Adamek  moved  to  Elgin,  where 
he  lived  for  three  years  as  an  agent  for  a  land 
company. 


THE    BUNKER    FAMILY. 

George  Bunker,  of  French  Huguenot  descent, 
came  from  France  to  Charlestown,  Mass.,  in 
1634,  and  was  admitted  into  the  church  at 
Charlestown,  Feb.  21,  1634-5.  He  married 
Judith,  whose  family  name  is  not  known.  She 
was  admitted  into  the  church  April  17,  1636, 
and  died  Oct.  10,  1646.  His  second  marriage 
was  in  1647  with  Margaret  Howe,  who  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  church  July  18,  1658,  and  died 
in  1660.  George  Bunker  died  at  Maiden,  Mass., 
in  1664.  His  children  were:  Mary;  Martha, 
who  married  John  Starr;  Elizabeth,  who  mar- 
ried Edward  Punt;  John;  Benjamin,  and  Jon- 
athan, who  married  Mary  Howard.  The  follow- 
ing genealogy  is  given  in  lineal  descent  down 
to  the  Bunker  family  of  Woodstock,  111. 

John,  the  son  of  George  Bunker  (the  founder 
of  the  American  branch  of  the  family),  married 
Hannah  Millons  at  Maiden,  Mass., April  7,  1655. 
Their  children  were:  Hannah,  born  in  October, 
1656;  Mary,  born  Dec.  9,  1658,  married  Jonathan 
Sprague;  John,  born  Dec.  16,  1660,  died  in 
childhood;  John,  born  in  Cambridge,  May, 
1662;  Joseph,  born  in  Boston,  February,  1665-6. 


and  followed  the  trade  of  a  felt-maker;  Ed- 
ward, a  mariner  and  served  in  the  army  in 
Canada.  Benjamin,  the  son  of  John,  graduated 
at  "Herald  College"  in  1658,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  church  April  27,  1660.  He  preached  as 
a  colleague  with  the  distinguished  Wiggles- 
worth  until  1663,  and  then  became  pastor  of  a 
church  at  Maiden.  He  died  Feb.  3,  1668-70. 
The  son  Jonathan,  who  was  the  first  owner  of 
Bunker  Hill,  was  baptized  April  8,  1638,  and 
married  Mary  Howard,  Jan.  30,  1662-3.  Their 
children  were:  twins,  born  and  died  Jan.  1, 
1664-5;  Jonathan,  born  Feb.  1,  1666-7;  Mary, 
born  Feb.  27,  1668-9;  Benjamin,  born  Feb.  20, 
1670-71,  died  in  childhood;  Benjamin,  born 
March  30,  1672,  aner-  Elizabeth,  who  married  J. 
W.  Howard,  Jr.  Jonathan  Bunker,  Sr.,  died 
of  smallpox  June  2,  1678.  Jonathan,  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Mary  (Howard)  Bunker,  was 
baptized  at  the  old  South  Church,  Boston,  June 
20,  1686,  being  then  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  mariner,  having  sailed  with  Capt 
Foster,  and  died  while  on  a  voyage. 

Captain  Benjamin  Bunker,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Mary  (Howard)  Bunker,  was  an  inn-keeper 
and  married  Abigail  Fowler  in  1698.  Their 
children  were:  Benjamin,  born  July  8,  1702, 
and  died  in  infancy;  Benjamin,  born  April  12, 
1708;  Abigail,  born  Dec.  8,  1710,  died  in  in- 
fancy; John,  born  Jan.  4,  1714;  Jonathan,  born 
March  14.  1716,  died  Nov.  25,  1721;  George, 
born  April  8,  1717,  died  Nov.  9,  1721. 

Benjamin,  son  of  Capt.  Benjamin  and  Abi- 
gail (Fowler)  Bunker,  was  a  tin-plate  worker, 
married  Martha  Chamberlain,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  Abigail,  born  July  29,  1730;  Benja- 
min Chamberlain,  born  Jan.  5,  1732;  Martha, 
born  Sept.  23,  1733;  Jonathan,  born  March  29, 
1736. 

Benjamin  Chamberlain  Bunker,  son  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Martha  (Chamberlain)  Bunker,  was 
the  grandfather  of  George  K.  Bunker,  of  Wood- 
stock, and  the  last  owner  of  Bunker  Hill. 
He  was  by  trade  a  japanner  and  married  Aug. 
11,  1766,  Hannah  Frothingham,  a  widow,  nee 
Hannah  Breed.  Their  children  were:  Martha, 
born  Feb.  10,  1768,  married  Edward  Hall; 
Hannah,  born  Aug.  10,  1769,  married  Micah 
Lawrence;  John  Frothingham,  born  Nov.  1, 
1803,  married  Urania  Tuttle;  Mary,  born  Jan. 
14,  1806,  married  Luth'er  Morley;  Susannah, 
born  Nov.  21,   1809,  married  Orville  B.  Hitch- 


656 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


cock;  Eliza,  born  Aug.  21,  1812,  married  'T>r.  F. 
Andros;  David,  born  June  14,  1815,  died  in 
childhood;  Hannah,  born  Sept.  11,  1818,  died 
in  childhood;  Harriet,  born  April  30,  1821, 
married  Dennis  B.  Gregory. 

John  Frothingham,  son  of  Benjamin  Cham- 
berlain and  Hannah  (Frothingham)  Bunker, 
was  born  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  1,  1803, 
and  married  at  Smyrna,  Chenango  County,  N. 
Y„  Sept.  18,  1825,  to  Urania  Tuttle,  who  was 
born  at  Norwich,  Conn.,  Nov.  25,  1806,  and 
died  in  Woodstock  111.,  June  20,  1884,  aged 
seventy-seven  years  and  seven  months.  The 
children  of  the  family- — of  whom  the  last  three 
were  born  in  Illinois — were:  George  K.,  born 
Nov.  1,  1826,  married  Martha  Cottle,  Oct.  25, 
1849;  Lucia  L.  and  Lucy  A.  (twins),  born 
Jan.  10,  1829;  Lucia,  married  William  Ormsby, 
and  died  June  17,  1885;  Lucy  married  George 
Young;  Ezekiel  H.,  born  March  10,  1831; 
Dwight,  born  Oct.  15,  1832;  Jane,  born  Dec. 
25.  1834,  died  Dec.  8,  1848;  Melvin,  born  March 
17,  1837,  married  Mary  Honey;  Clarissa,  born 
July  5,  1839,  married  John  D.  Hamilton;  Alvin 
S.,  born  Feb.  22,  1842;  Harriet  M.,  born  Dec. 
29,  1843;  Amos  K.,  born  March  1,  1846,  married 
Adell  Sherman;  Susan,  born  April  30,  1848, 
married  Dr.  George  Williamson;  Mary,  born 
Feb.  27,  1852,  married  Albert  B.  Bourne.  All 
grew  up  to  maturity  except  Jane,  and  all  the 
rest  reared  families  except  Alvin,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  Tenn.,  Dec. 
31,  1862,  aged  twenty-one  years,  ten  months 
and   nine   days. 


GEORGE   K.   BUNKER. 

There  is  no  more  deservedly  historic  name 
in  McIIenry  County  than  that  of  George  K. 
Bunker.  He  is  descended  from  sterling  colo- 
nial stock  through  the  Massachusetts  family, 
who,  in  colonial  times,  were  the  owners  of 
Bunker  Hill,  in  the  (then)  suburb  of  Boston, 
from  which  the  famous  battle  fought  in  the 
first  year  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  took 
its  name.  John  Bunker,  the  father  of  George 
K.,  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  Bunker,  and  born 
at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  1,  1803.  He  re- 
ceived the  ordinary  common-school  education 
of  that  day,  but,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  met 
with  an  accident,  in    consequence    of    a    tree 


falling  on  him,  which  compelled  the  amputation 
of  one  of  his  legs.  Having  thus  been  lamed 
for  life,  he  learned  the  tailor's  trade  and  after- 
wards removed  to  Smyrna,  N.  Y.,  where,  on 
Sept.  18,  1825,  he  married  Eurania  Tuttle, 
born  in  Norwich,  Conn.,. Nov.  25,  1806.  From 
Smyrna  Mr.  Bunker  moved  in  1836  to  Erie 
County,  Penn.,  and  there  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile business  and  the  manufacture  of  potash 
at  Beaver  Dam.  After  remaining  there  seven 
years,  in  the  early  part  of  1844,  he  came  to 
Illinois,  arriving  on  April  5th  in  what  is  now 
Dorr  Township,  three  miles  east  of  the  pres- 
ent site  of  the  town  of  Woodstock,  making 
the  journey  with  a  two-horse  team  in  five 
weeks,  of  which  five  days  were  spent  between 
Chicago  and  McHenry  County.  Here  he  bought 
forty  acres  of  Government  land  paying  fifty 
dollars  for  it,  later  buying  a  claim  of  forty 
acres  more  upon  which  a  log-cabin  had  been 
built.  This  cabin  had  an  ordinary  puncheon 
floor,  stick  chimney  and  "shake"  roof,  the 
whole  constructed  without  the  use  of  nails. 
Mr.  Bunker  brought  with  him  his  family,  then 
consisting  of  his  wife  and  nine  children.  Be- 
ing lame,  he  cound  do  little  towards  improving 
his  land,  consequently  much  of  the  work  of  de- 
veloping the  new  homestead  fell  upon  the 
older  son,  George  K.,  then  a  tall  and  vigorous 
youth  of  a  little  over  seventeen  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Bunker  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  1848,  and  there  being  much  business  for  this 
officer,  removed  to  Woodstock,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  trade  to  which,  in  the 
spring  of  1854,  he  added  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness in  partnership  with  his  son  George  K. 
The  latter  having  retired  the  next  year,  the 
mercantile  branch  of  the  business  was  con- 
tinued in  partnership  with  his  son  Amos.  Be- 
sides acquiring  a  wide  reputation  as  one  of 
the  early  business  men  of  Woodstock,  Mr. 
Bunker  held  the  office  of  Township  Treasurer 
for  some  thirty  years  as  well  as  that  of  Asses- 
sor for  a  considerable  period.  He  was  highly 
respected  for  his  business  integrity  and  as  a 
public-spirited  citizen. 

George  K.  Bunker,  was  born  at  Smyrna, 
N.  Y.,  Nov.  1,  1826— his  father  being  then 
just  twenty-three  years  old.  At  ten  years 
of  age  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Erie 
County,  Penn.,  and,  in  1844,  to  McHenry 
County,  111.     He  received  a  common-school  ed- 


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yniv- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


657 


ucation  in  his  native  State  and  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, learned  to  rive  and  shave  shingles  in 
his  boyhood,  using  the  shavings  and  pitch-pine 
knots  to  make  a  light  by  which  he  studied  at 
night.  In  this  way  he  qualified  himself  to 
teach  and,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  began 
teaching  his  first  school  at  Beaver  Dam,  Penn. 
The  school  was  taught  in  a  house  built  of  hem- 
lock logs  with  the  ordinary  old-fashioned  fire- 
place and  stick  chimney,  and  was  well  at- 
tended, many  pupils  coming  a  distance  of  two 
or  three  miles.  Some  were  grown  men  and 
women,  a  few  reaching  the  age  of  twenty-two 
to  twenty-four  years.  Although  several  years 
their  junior,  Mr.  Bunker's  mental  acquirements 
and  powerful  physique — being  over  six  feet 
in  height — commanded  the  respect  of  his  pu- 
pils, and  enabled  him  to  control  the  school 
with  little  difficulty  in  spite  of  his  youth.  The 
removal  to  Illinois  was  made  early  the  next 
spring  (1844),  Mr.  Bunker  having  a  wagon 
and  three  horses,  while  Titus  Brown,  a  neigh- 
bor who  accompanied  them,  had  one  horse  and 
a  wagon.  The  women  and  small  children  usu- 
ally slept  in  the  house  of  some  friendly  settler, 
while  the  men  and  older  boys  slept  in  the 
wagons — their  food  being  prepared  at  the  set- 
tler's fireside.  The  roads  were  bad — in  many 
cases  no  roads  at  all — and  on  one  of  the  flats 
north  of  Chicago  Mr.  Bunker  repeatedly  had 
to  wade  into  the  slough  and  hold  up  the  horses' 
heads  to  keep  them  from  drowning.  In  some 
places  signs  had  been  stuck  up — "No  Bottom." 
The  first  year  Mr.  Bunker  helped  his  father 
upon  the  new  farm  in  Illinois,  and  the  year 
following  hired  out,  receiving  twelve  dollars 
per  month,  thereby  earning  enough  to  buy 
eighty  acres  of  land  from  their  old  neighbor, 
Titus  Brown,  who  removed  to  Wisconsin.  Mr. 
Bunker  improved  his  land  and  built  upon  it  a 
frame  house,  riving  the  shingles  out  of  oak 
logs,  thus  putting  to  use  the  art  which  he 
had  before  acquired  in  Pennsylvania.  The  next 
winter  (1844-5)  he  taught  near  the  present 
site  of  the  town  of  Ridgefield,  receiving  ten 
dollars  per  month — teaching  twenty-four  days 
for  a  month — and  "boarding  "round"  among 
his  pupils.  He  had  forty-six  pupils,  many  of 
tbem  young  men  and  women — some  of  whom 
are  now  well-known  citizens  of  McHenry 
County.  The  directors  were  Uriah  Cottle, 
Jesse    Slavin    and    Henry    Jewett.      The    next 


winter  he  taught  on  the  edge  of  Queen  Ann 
Prairie  near  Woodstock,  receiving  twelve  dol- 
lars per  month  and  board  as  before.  The  di- 
rectors of  this  school  were  John  Dickerson, 
Andrew  Scott  and  Clinton  Murphy,  only  one  of 
whom  (Mr.  Scott)  now  survives,  a  resident  of 
Kansas.  The  control  of  these  pioneer  schools 
often  depended  upon  the  physical  strength  of 
the  teacher,  especially  when  there  were  large 
boys  and  grown  men  in  the  school.  This 
was  considered  a  hard  school  to  manage,  the 
"big  boys"  having  previously  "put  out"  two 
teachers,  and  the  Directors,  in  engaging  Mr. 
Bunker,  proposed  that  one  of  their  number 
should  always  be  present  to  assist  him  to  pre- 
serve order.  This  Mr.  Bunker  declined,  de- 
claring that  he  would  "teach  the  school  or 
quit" — and  this  he  did  successfully.  The 
next  winter  was  also  spent  in  teaching.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  Mr.  Bunker  worked  upon  the 
farm,  using  the  old-fashioned  farm  implements 
of  the  time — has  cut  grain  with  an  old-fash- 
ioned cradle  and  turned  the  soil  with  a  plow 
furnished  with  a  wooden  mould-board  and  its 
sheet-iron    covering. 

On  Oct.  25.  1849,  Mr.  Bunker  was  married 
at  Marengo,  111.,  to  Martha  A.  Cottle,  the 
daughter  of  Uriah  Cottle,  a  pioneer  settler  of 
McHenry  County.  After  marriage  he  spent 
the  next  five  years  in  improving  his  farm, 
which  he  traded  at  the  end  of  this  period  for 
property  in  Woodstock,  to  which  he  removed 
and  engaged  in  mercantile  business  with  his 
father.  Having  sold  out  his  interest  in  the 
store  at  Woodstock  a  year  later,  he  went  to 
Ridgefield  and  became  the  first  station  agent 
and  express  agent  there  on  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railroad,  which  had  just  been 
built  to  that  point,  becoming  the  first  settler 
at  Ridgefield,  which  is  now  a  thriving  village. 
He  also  served  as  Postmaster  and  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  managed  a  general  store  and  a  farm 
of  seventy  acres,  to  which  he  added  until  it 
amounted  to  136  acres,  which  he  still  owns. 
After  residing  at  Ridgefield  fifteen  years,  Mr. 
Bunker  returned  to  Woodstock  and  again  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  with  his 
brother  Amos,  which  has  been  continued  to 
the  present  time.  In  politics  he  is  an  earnest 
Republican  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
party  in  McHenry  County — having  cast  his 
vote  for  Fremont  and  later  for  Lincoln.     While 


658 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


he  has  often  had  the  opportunity  of  securing 
office,  he  has  evinced  no  desire  to  do  so,  though 
never  evading  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen — 
having  been  elected  Mayor  of  Woodstock  (two 
terms  in  succession),  has  been  Justice  of  the 
Peace  three  terms,  several  times  member  of 
the  Board  of  Education  and  always  an  advocate 
of  good  schools  and  public  improvements.  He 
has  prospered  in  business,  besides  his  mercan- 
tile interest  being  a  large  holder  of  real  estate, 
including  six  farms  in  McHenry  County  (over 
1,000  acres),  together  with  several  valuable 
residences  and  other  real  estate  in  Woodstock. 
He  was  one  of  the  early  stockholders  in  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  and  was  one 
of  the  founders  and  is  one  of  the  Directors 
of  the  State  Bank  of  Woodstock,  besides  being 
one  of  the  founders  and  principal  stockholders 
in  the  Bank  at  Nunda,  of  which  he  is  at  the 
present  time  President.  He  was  one  of  the 
largest  contributors  to  the  stock  of  the  Oliver 
Typewriter  Company,  in  order  to  secure  that 
valuable  plant  as  an  addition  to  the  industries 
of  Woodstock.  Mr.  Bunker  is  essentially  what 
may  be  called  a  "self-made  man,"  having 
gained  his  present  position  by  industry,  econ- 
omy, integrity  and  sound  judgment,  and  in  his 
long  and  successful  career  has  ever  received 
the  efficient  aid  of  his  faithful  wife.  Although 
advanced  in  life,  his  erect,  vigorous  and  well- 
preserved  physique,  united  with  a  clear  and 
alert  intellect,  which  has  been  broadened  by 
study  and  good  reading,  marks  him  as  one 
of  the  best  specimens  of  the  early  pioneers  ot 
McHenry  County,  and,  at  his  present  advanced 
age,  he  daily  attends  to  business  with  as  much 
promptness  and  regularity  as  he  did  in  his 
younger  days.  A  man  of  friendly  disposition, 
he  has  a  great  love  of  simple  home  life,  and 
takes  great  pleasure  in  relating  reminiscences 
of  pioneer  days. 

MRS.  GEORGE  K.  BUNKER  is  the  daughter 
of  Uriah  and  Martha  (McClure)  Cottle,  one  of 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  be- 
ing the  first  settler  in  Dorr  Township  and  the 
second  in  McHenry  County.  Mr.  Cottle  was 
born  in  Nicholas  County,  Va.  (now  West  Vir- 
ginia), June  22,  1800 — the  son  of  William  and 
Martha  Cottle.  His  father  was  of  English 
and  Scotch  descent,  was  a  frontier  farmer  in 
Virginia,  and  died  on  his  farm  in  Nicholas 
County.       Two  of  his  sons  serve  1  in  the  War 


of  1812,  one  of  them  being  killed  in  battle. 
Uriah  received  the  education  common  in  his 
day,  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  was 
married  in  his  native  county  to  Martha  Mc- 
Clure, daughter  of  Charles  and  Martha  McClure, 
born  July  13,  1801.  Charles  McClure  was  of 
Scotch  ancestry,  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  in  1835,  and  spent  the  remnant  of  his  days 
there,  dying  at  the  home  of  his  son  John,  in 
Dorr  Township,  in  1844. 

After  their  marriage  Uriah  Cottle  and  wife 
settled  on  a  farm  adjoining  that  of  his  father 
in  Nicholas  County,  Va.,  but  in  1832  he  re- 
moved to  LaPorte,  Ind.  In  the  fall  of  1834  he 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  selected  a  claim 
on  the  edge  of  Pleasant  Prairie  in  what  is  now 
Dorr  Township,  indicating  his  title  by  arrang- 
ing the  trunks  of  four  small  trees  in  the  form 
of  the  foundation  of  a  house,  as  notice  that  the 
claim  was  taken.  He  was  accompanied  by 
Calvin  Spencer,  with  whom  he  went  twelve 
miles  southwest  where  Mr.  Spencer  located  a 
claim  on  what  is  now  the  site  of  the  town  of 
Marengo.  The  next  spring  Mr.  Cottle  brought 
out  his  family,  arriving  at  his  destination  April 
7,  1835.  The  location  selected  by  Mr.  Spencer 
took  the  name  of  Pleasant  Grove,  and  Mr. 
Cottle's  "The  Virginia  Settlement."  The  latter 
was  the  second  white  settler  in  McHenry 
County,  James  Gillian,  who  also  came  from 
West  Virginia  and  settled  in  Algonquin 
Township,  Nov.  18,  1834,  being  the  first.  (See 
sketch  of  James  Gillian).  Mr.  Cottle  left  Vir- 
ginia with  the  Gillians  but  returned  to  LaPorte 
for  his  family.  Mrs.  Gillian,  who  was  an  aunt 
of  Uriah  Cottle,  was  the  first  white  woman  to 
reside  permanently  in  McHenry  County,  while 
Mrs.  Uriah  Cottle  was  the  second.  The  Cottle 
family  spent  the  first  summer  in  a  log  pen, 
without  roof  or  door,  and  with  dirt  floor,  but 
in  the  fall  Mr.  Cottle  covered  it  with  "oak 
shakes"  and  put  in  a  puncheon  floor.  Indians 
were  still  numerous  thereabout,  and  frequently 
came  to  the  house  to  trade  or  beg  food,  but 
were  peaceable  and  made  no  trouble.  Mr.  Cottle 
was  one  of  the  early  Methodists  in  his  section, 
and  his  house  became  the  home  of  the  early 
itinerants  of  that  denomination,  cne  of  whom, 
Rev.  William  Royal,  in  the  summer  of  1835, 
preached  in  the  Cottle  cabin  the  first  sermon 
preached  in  McHenry  County.  The  first  relig- 
ious organization  was  formed  here  in  1836.    Mr. 


"frla^e^'iTst  clcuWvflAowia  <y^  XW^C,  SeT^;,  V^3^. 


fou^.  7^-i^U^  (3^&3o; 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


659 


Cottle  was  a  class  leader  and  an  excellent 
singer,  and  these  ea,rly  meetings  were  greatly 
enjoyed.  He  afterwards  built  a  log  barn  with  a 
threshing  floor  in  the  middle,  in  which  Metho- 
dist meetings  were  regularly  held,  and  the  barn 
is  still  standing  where  first  built.  Mr.  Cottle's 
children  were  Sarah  M.  D.,  born  in  West  Vir- 
ginia, Nov.  25,  1824;  Martha  A.  (Mrs.  Bunker), 
born  Oct.  1,  1826;  Cyrus  W.,  bom  Jan  21,  1829, 
died  in  Virginia;  Margaret  R.  L.,  born  Dec. 
23,  1833,  (died  in  September,  1836 — the  second 
death  of  a  white  person  in  McHenry  County — 
that  of  one  of  the  Gillian  children  believed  to 
have  been  the  first) ;  Charles  W.,  born  June 
25,  1827;  John  C,  born  Jan.  1,  1839;  Libbie 
C,  born  Oct.  25,  1841,  and  now  the  only  living 
sister  of  Mrs.  George  K.  Bunker.  She  married 
Hiram  N.  Wayne,  a  merchant  of  Center  Point, 
Iowa,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War,  serv- 
ing in  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Mr. 
Cottle  died  at  the  age  of  about  sixty-two  years. 
The  first  school  in  McHenry  County  was  taught 
during  the  winter  of  1836,  in  the  Cottle  home, 
by  Alvira  Cornish,  who  came  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  present  town  of  Algonquin.  There  were 
seven  pupils — Sarah  and  Martha  Cottle,  Jean- 
nette,  Sabina  and  William  Walkup,  and  Lewis 
and  George  Boone.  Mrs.  Bunker,  then  nine 
years  old,  well  remembers  this  school.  It 
was  customary  for  the  boys  and  girls  in  those 
pioneer  days  to  drop  corn  in  the  corn-planting 
season,  and  Mrs.  Bunker,  in  1835.  then  eight 
years  of  age,  went  with  Charles  McClure,  her 
uncle,  to  James  Gillian's,  near  the  present  site 
of  Algonquin,  and  dropped  corn  after  a  team 
of  oxen  breaking  prairie,  and  this  was  done 
for  others  of  the  neighbors  for  several  weeks. 
The  team  used  in  breaking  prairie  consisted 
of  four  yoke  of  cattle  made  up  from  the  neigh- 
borhood. She  enjoyed  this  work  and,  as  she 
had  no  older  brothers,  frequently  assisted  her 
father  in  this  and  "father  out-door  work.  While 
a  young  girl  she  became  accustomed  to  horse- 
back exercise  and  could  ride  a  horse  on  the 
run  across  the  prairie.  Mrs.  Bunker,  in  her 
later  years,  has  retained  the  energy  and 
vivacity  of  which  she  laid  the  foundation  by 
her  out-door  exercise  in  early  life.  The  old 
Cottle  farm  is  now  the  property  of  George  K. 
Bunker. 

FRANCIS  M.  BUNKER,  son  of  George  K.  and 


Martha  (Cottle)  Bunker,  was  born  at  Ridgefield, 
111.,  Dec.  7,  1852.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  Woodstock  schools  and  in  a  Business 
College  of  Chicago.  After  leaving  school,  he 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Wood- 
stock, and  is  now  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  the  city.  At  Woodstock,  111.,  June  28, 
1876,  he  married  Lizzie  E.  Johnson,  born  in 
Woodstock,  June  28,  1855,  daughter  of  Dr.  Orvis 
S.  and  Esther  (Powers)  Johnson. 

Dr.  Johnson  was  born  in  Vermont  and  de- 
scended from  a  line  of  Puritan  ancestors  who 
had  long  been  residents  of  that  State.  His 
brother,  Joel  H.  Johnson,  was  a  well-known 
pioneer  of  Woodstock.  Dr.  Johnson  received 
his  medical  training  in  the  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago.  He  married  in  Richmond, 
McHenry  County,  111.,  Esther  Powers,  a  native 
of  New  York  State  and  a  daughter  of  E.  and 
Mary  Powers,  who  were  early  settlers  of  Rich- 
mond, 111.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  the 
parents  of  Ida,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years,  and  Lizzie  E.  (Mrs.  Francis  M.  Bunker). 
Mrs.  Johnson  died  in  Woodstock  when  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  Dr.  Johnson  married  a 
second  time,  and  of  this  marriage  there  were 
children  named  Park  L.  and  Orvis  Lisle  (died 
in  childhood).  Immediately  after  completing 
his  course  in  the  medical  college,  Dr.  Johnson 
established  himself  in  the  drug  business  and 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Woodstock.  He 
was  a  man  of  high  moral  character,  was 
highly  respected  and  a  strong  advocate  of  tem- 
perance. He  died  in  middle  life,  being  but  forty- 
four  years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  M.  Bunker  became  the 
parents  of  children  named  George  Tracy,  born 
June  21,  1877;  Blanche  Caroline,  born  April 
22,  1879;  Parke  Johnson,  born  Feb.  16,  1881; 
Alice  Martha,  born  Sept.  12,  1885;  Eugene 
Francis,  born  Feb.  4,  1888  ,and  Donald  Colum- 
bus, born  June  28,  1892,  and  died  April  20, 
1897,  aged  four  years  and  ten  months. 

FLORENCE  M.  BUNKER,  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  K.  Bunker,  was  educated  in  the 
high  school  at  Woodstock  and  Oberlin  Col- 
lege, Oberlin,  Ohio.  Immediately  after  grad- 
uating from  college,  she  spent  one  year  with  • 
twenty-five  of  her  class  traveling  in  Europe. 
They  were  in  charge  of  one  of  the  college  pro- 
fessors, and  devoted  much  of  their  time,  which 
was   spent   in  Paris,   to   the  study   of   French. 


660 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


In  Woodstock,  May  16,  1894,  Miss  Bunker  was 
married  to  Charles  B.  Wright,  a  graduate  of 
the  Northwestern  University  at  Evanston,  111. 
They  have  a  pleasant  residence  in  Woodstock, 
and  Mr.  Wright  is  Cashier  of  the  Citizens' 
Bank  at  Nunda,  111. 

AMOS  K.  BUNKER,  a  well-known  citizen  of 
McHenry  County  and  a  merchant  of  Woodstock, 
was  born  in  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  County, 
March  1,  1846,  a  son  of  John  Frothingbam  and 
Urania  (Tuttle)  Bunker.  He  received  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools,  and  after  his 
father  removed  to  Woodstock  in  1852,  he  at- 
tended the  early  schools  of  that  city  and  also 
a  seminary  kept  by  the  Rev.  R.  K.  Todd.  When 
a  boy,  he  became  a  clerk  in  his  father's  mercan- 
tile establishment  in  Woodstock,  and  served 
in  this  capacity  until  he  became  a  partner  with 
his  father,  who  later  was  succeeded  by  W.  B. 
Austin,  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Bunker.  Later 
Mr.  Bunker  purchased  the  entire  business,  but 
in  1889  was  joined  by  his  brother,  Mr.  George 
K.  Bunker,  and  the  partnersnip  became  the 
well-known  firm  of  Bunker  Brothers,  which  is 
now  one  of  the  largest  establishments  of  its 
kind  in  McHenry  County.  On  the  day  of  the 
great  Chicago  fire,  Oct.  9,  1871,  the  old  Bunker 
store,  then  standing  on  the  site  of  the  present 
City  Hall,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Immediately 
afterwards  the  firm  bought  the  old  Patty  House, 
a  four  story  brick  building,  at  No.  3 — 4  Phoenix 
Block,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Public  Square, 
and  at  this  stand  they  have  since  conducted  an 
extensive  business  in  groceries  and  hardware 
under  the  firm  name  of  the  Bunker  Brothers. 

Mr.  Bunker  was  married  to  Adell,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Jewett)  Sherman,  and 
they  have  two  daughters,  Neva  B.  and  Letah. 
Politically  Mr.  Bunker  is  a  Republican  and  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
of  Woodstock  eight  years,  and  School  Treas- 
urer of  Dorr  Township,  fifteen  years.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Calvary  Commandery,  K.  T. 
Mr.  Bunker  is  a  man  of  excellent  business  qual- 
ifications and  a  citizen  highly  esteemed  for 
his  integrity. 

JOEL  H.  JOHNSON,  a  pioneer  of  Woodstock, 
111.,  was  born  in  Woodstock,  Windsor  County, 
Vt.  His  ancestors  were  of  Puritan  stock  and 
among  the  first  immigrants  to  New  England. 
Mr.  Johnson  lived  on  the  farm  near  Woodstock, 
"Vt.,  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  his 


educational  advantages  consisted  of  three 
months'  attendance  each  winter  at  the  district 
school  and  one  year  at  a  seminary  in  Newbury, 
Vt.  He  removed  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Chi- 
cago, September,  1836,  and  from  there  came  to 
and  located  in  a  portion  of  what  was  then  Cook 
County,  but  which,  in  1836-7,  was  detached  and 
named  McHenry  County,  being  fully  organized 
as  a  county  in  June,  1837.  He  attended  and 
cast  his  first  vote  at  the  first  McHenry  County 
election,  and  at  that  time  helped  to  organize 
the  Democratic  party,  of  which  he  has  since 
continued  to  be  an  active  member.  In  1838 
he  was  appointed  Deputy  Clerk  of  the  Circuit 
and  County  Commissioner's  Courts,  and,  on  July 
4,  1849,  received  the  appointment  as  Clerk  of 
the  Circuit  Court,  an  office  he  held  for  fifteen 
years.  Besides  serving  his  fellcw  citizens  in 
the  various  offices  mentioned,  he  filled  the  of- 
fice of  County  Commissioner's  Clerk,  four 
years,  and  Probate  Justice  of  the  Peace,  one 
term.  In  June,  1849,  the  subject  of  building  a 
railroad  began  to  be  discussed,  and  Mr.  John- 
son and  several  other  prominent  men  of  Wood- 
stock secured  the  location  of  the  line  from  Chi- 
cago to  Janesville,  Wis.,  now  owned  by  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company. 
Having  been  elected  a  Director  of  the  company 
in  October,  1854,  he  was  immediately  placed 
upon  the  line  to  obtain  the  right-of-way,  attend 
to  the  settlement  of  land  damages,  and  solicit 
subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock.  He  was 
largely  instrumental  in  increasing  the  latter 
to  over  two  million  dollars.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  stockholders,  held  in  1867,  Mr.  Johnson 
declined  a  re-election,  and  retired  from  the 
company  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law 
at  Woodstock,  continuing  until  1878,  when  he 
was  elected  Police  Magistrate  for  the  city  of 
Woodstock,  an  office  he  has  held  continuously 
to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Johnson  gave  to  his 
home  city  the  name  of  Woodstock,  from  his 
native  village  of  Woodstock,  Vt. 


JOSEPH    CLARK    BUTTON. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  McHenry  County 
few  have  occupied  a  more  prominent  position 
than  Joseph  Clark  Button,  whose  name  heads 
this  article.  The  American  branch  of  the 
Button  family  was  of  English  origin,  according 
to  tradition,  being  descended  from  two  broth- 


£,<£,    Scctt^ 


( 


V)        £  t  SQ>  ,      &B  u^tv^i. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


661 


ers  who  came  to  America  in  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  New  England  States.  Gideon 
Button,  who  was  a  prominent  pioneer  and 
farmer,  of  Hebron,  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
is  believed  to  have  emigrated  from  one  of  the 
New  England  States.  He  married  and  raised 
a  family  of  thirteen  children,  all  torn  in  Wash- 
ington County,  N.  Y.,  their  names  and  dates  of 
birth  being  as  follows:  David,  born  Aug.  19, 
1792;  Hannah,  born  April  17,  1794;  Putnam, 
born  July  10,  1796;  Hadasah,  born  Nov.  27, 
1797;  Gideon  S.,  born  Jan.  29,  1800;  Polly, 
born  Nov  19,  1801;  James,  born  June  27,  1803; 
Susannah,  born  Dec.  8,  1804;  Delia,  born  Nov. 
IS,  1806;  Jerusha,  born  March  4,  1809;  Belinda, 
born  Nov.  11,  1810;  Charles,  born  May  27, 
1813;  Eunice,  born  Sept.  25,  1815.  Belinda 
(born  in  1810)  is  the  only  one  (1903)  still 
living.  The  senior  Button  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and,  in  his  later  years, 
a  Whig  in  politics. 

David,  the  oldest  son,  received  an  ordinary 
common-school  education,  became  a  farmer, 
and  on  Jan.  20,  1814,  was  married  at  Brim- 
field,  Mass.,  by  the  Rev.  Vail,  to  Permilla 
Lumbard,  born  at  that  place,  the  daughter  of 
Aaron  and  Lucy  Lumbard.  Mr.  Lumbard  was 
of  Puritan  New  England  stock  aDd  of  English 
descent,  and  a  farmer  by  profession.  His 
children  were:  Ruth,  born  Feb.  20,  1776;  Luce- 
ba,  born  March  27,  1781;  Zelotis,  born  Feb. 
15,  1783;  Abiram,  born  May  10,  1784;  Orpha, 
born  Jan.  17  1787;  Erastus,  born  Sept.  20, 
1788;  Darius,  born  May  12,  1791;  Permilla, 
born  Dec.  8,  1794 ;  Elijah,  born  March  23,  1799 ; 
Eliza,  born  Sept.  7,  1801;  Zelotis,  born  July  7, 
1804.  Aaron  Lumbard,  the  father,  who  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
and  died  on  the  family  homestead  at  Brimfield, 
which  he  bequeathed  to  his  children.  His 
wife,  Lucy  Lumbard,  survived  him  some  years, 
during  which  she  drew  a  pension  as  a  soldier's 
widow. 

After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Lumbard,  David 
Button,  settled  first  at  Pawlet,  Vt.,  where  they 
lived  four  years,  and  then  at  Nunda,  N.  Y., 
where  he  located  with  his  family  and  cleared 
up  a  farm  in  the  wilderness.  This  farm  he 
subsequently  sold  and  opened  a  new  one  in 
Portage,  in  the  same  county.  The  children  of 
this  marriage  were:  Luceba,  born  at  Pawlet, 
Vt.,  March  18,  1816;   Lucretia,  born  at  Pawlet, 


Vt.,  July  4,  1818;  Joseph  Clark,  born  in  Nunda, 
N.  Y.,  June  14,  1820;  Louisa,  born  at  Nunda, 
N.  Y.,  April  19,  1823;  Fannie,  born  at  Portage, 
N.  Y.,  Sept.  20,  1827;  Permilla,  born  at  Portage, 
N.  Y.,  Feb.  17,  1829 ;  Belva  M.,  born  at  Portage, 
N.  Y.,  April  2,  1832.  David  Button  proved  him- 
self a  successful  farmer  for  his  day.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Button  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  he  assisted  to  organize  the  first 
Sunday  School  at  Hunt's  Hollow,  N.  Y.,  of 
which  he  was  the  first  Superintendent,  and 
was  also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  at  the  same  place.  In  politics 
he  was  an  old-line  Whig.  He  died  Sept.  7, 
1833,  a  little  over  forty-one  years  of  age. 
About  1836  Mrs.  David  Button  married  as  her 
second  husband  Edward  Doty,  of  Allegany 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  they  soon  after  settled  on 
the  old  Button  homestead,  but  in  18'62,  removed 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  settling  near  Ridge- 
field.  Two  children  were  born  to  them,  viz.: 
Helen,  born  at  Portage,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  25,  1838, 
now  the  widow  of  Gilbert  Yule,  of  Elgin,  111.; 
and  Kitty  Alvira,  born  at  Portage,  N.  Y.,  April 
1,  1842,  now  the  widow  of  the  late  Hon.  H.  L. 
Humphrey  of  Hudson,  Wis. 

Joseph  Clark  Button,  as  previously  stated, 
was  a  native  of  Nunda,  N.  Y.,  born  June  14, 
1820.  Having  lost  his  father  by  death  at 
thirteen  years  of  age,  and  being  an  only  son 
in  a  family  of  seven  shildren,  he  was  early 
initiated  into  the  hardships  of  farm  life,  and 
the  care  of  the  family  having  largely  devolved 
upon  him,  his  chances  of  acquiring  an  educa- 
tion were  meager.  When  about  seventeen 
years  old  he  spent  one  winter's  term  in  a  dis- 
trict school,  after  which  he  got  a  few  weeks' 
instruction  in  a  select  school  taught  by  Dr. 
Z.  Joslin,  and,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  on  the 
advice  of  his  tutor,  began  teaching  a  winter 
school  in  the  town  of  Allen,  Allegany  County, 
N.  Y.  Having  spent  the  next  winter  in  an 
academy  at  Nunda,  he  thereafter  combined 
teaching  during  the  winter  with  farm- work  dur- 
ing the  summer,  until  he  had  reached  the  age 
of  twenty-four  years.  April  4,  1844,  he  was 
married  by  the  Rev.  Hamilton,  to  Roxana 
Thompson,  born  at  Colerain,  near  Springfield, 
Mass.,  Aug.  3,  1820,  the  daughter  of  Robert  W. 
and  Fannie  (Bruffee)  Thompson.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son (the  father  of  Mrs.  Button)  was  of  Massa- 
chusetts Puritan  stock,  and  the  son  of  Wilson 


662 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Thompson,  a  substantial  farmer  who  died  at 
the  age  of  ninety-six  years.  The  wife  of  the 
latter  was  a  Miss  Wilson,  who  was  born  in 
Scotland.  Their  children  were  Joseph  Calvin, 
Jonathan,  Margaret,  Mary,  Nancy,  Electa, 
Luther  and  Robert  W.  Robert  W.  Thompson 
adopted  his  father's  vocation  as  a  farmer,  and 
he  and  his  wife,  Fannie  Bruffee  (who  was  a 
member  of  a  colonial  Massachusetts  family), 
after  their  marriage,  settled  in  Nunda,  Liv- 
ingston County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  opened  up  a 
farm  in  the  woods.  He  is  described  as  a  very 
capable  man,  skillful  with  all  kinds  of  tools, 
whether  as  a  carpenter  or  a  blacksmith,  and 
capable  of  making  all  sorts  of  implements 
needed  by  the  pioneers.  He  made  Mrs.  Joseph 
C.  Button  a  set  of  cherry  furniture,  which  she 
still  uses  and  which  is  now  in  a  fine  state  of 
preservation.  He  improved  his  farm,  erected 
substantial  buildings,  and  made  a  good  pioneer 
home  where  he  died  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and,  as  a  prominent  and  re- 
spected citizen,  he  held  a  number  of  town 
offices.  In  politics  he  was  an  earnest  opponent 
of  slavery.  The  children  of  this  family  were: 
Nancy,  Roxana  (who  became  Mrs.  Button), 
Robert,  William,  Edwin,  Eliza  A.  and  Melissa. 

In  May,  1844,  a  few  weeks  after  his  marriage, 
Mr.  Joseph  C.  Button  made  a  trip  to  Illinois 
to  look  up  a  new  home  for  himself  and  wife, 
coming  by  way  of  the  lakes  from  Buffalo,  N. 
Y.,  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  thence  across  the 
country,  looking  at  land  as  he  went,  until  he 
reached  Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County. 
Here  he  decided  to  settle,  and  proceeded  to  the 
land  office  at  Chicago  to  secure  his  patent  for 
the  land  selected,  but  found  it  had  already  been 
entered  by  some  one  else.  Returning  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  he  met  with  Christopher  Walk- 
up,  by  whom  he  was  most  hospitably  enter- 
tained at  his  home  in  what  he  called  "the  Vir- 
ginia Settlement,"  and  was  finally  induced  to 
locate  in  Dorr  Township.  Mr.  Walkup  sold  him 
ninety  acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land,  and 
allowed  him  to  enter  forty  acres  more  upon 
which  he  (Mr.  Walkup)  had  made  a  claim. 
Having  returned  to  New  York,  in  August  fol- 
lowing Mr.  Button  brought  out  his  wife,  land- 
ing, as  before,  at  Kenosha,  and  making  the  re- 
mainder of  the  journey  by  wagons  in  company 
with  his   uncle,   Gideon  Button.     They  settled 


in  a  log  cabin,  provided  with  the  ordinary  stick 
chimney  and  a  large  fireplace  with  a  stone 
back.  The  space  left  by  cutting  out  a  section 
of  a  log  answered  the  purpose  of  a  window, 
and  a  wooden  latch,  lifted  by  a  string  passed 
to  the  outside  of  the  door,  served  as  a  lock. 
The  floor  was  of  puncheons  and  the  cabin  had 
a  shake  roof.  Here  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Button's  first 
two  children  were  born.  During  the  next  win- 
ter Mr.  Button  taught  school  in  the  first  log 
school  house  erected  in  Dorr  Township — a 
structure  twenty  feet  square — near  the  Walkup 
farm.  This  house  (which  was  in  District  No. 
1)  was  a  very  primitive  affair,  although  several 
winter  schools  had  previously  been  taught 
there.  It  had  the  ordinary  stick  chimney  and  a 
fireplace  of  stone,  but  Mr.  Button  induced 
the  directors  to  put  up  a  cast-iron  stove,  and 
this  was  the  first  stove  in  a  school  house  in 
Dorr  Township.  During  the  winter  seventy 
pupils  were  enrolled,  the  average  attendance 
being  about  sixty.  Among  his  pupils  were 
George  K.  Bunker,  then  fitting  himself  as  a 
teacher,  who  attended  a  short  time  to  "brush 
up  a  little,"  the  Hartman  family  and  Elisha 
Austin,  now  of  Woodstock.  Here  Mr.  Button 
taught  two  winters,  and  later  In  the  new  meet- 
ing house  erected  by  the  Presbyterians,  alter- 
nating for  several  terms  with  Eleazer  Smith. 
By  industry  and  economy  Mr.  Button  succeeded 
in  improving  his  farm,  built  a  frame  house 
some  six  years  after  locating  in  McHenry 
County,  and  his  present  residence  in  1859.  In 
this  he  had  the  efficient  aid  of  his  wife,  and 
has  a  fine  farm  property  of  about  380  acres, 
which  is  now  divided  into  three  dairy  farms, 
giving  homes  to  three  tenant  families.  Their 
children  were:  Emma  L.,  born  June  23,  1845; 
David,  born  April  7,  1847,  (died  in  infancy) ; 
Fannie  Augusta,  born  Aug.  19,  1848;  Edwin  D., 
born  March  3,  1851  (died  in  infancy) ;  Charles 
Jason,  born  Nov.  2,  1852;  Ida  Eliza,  born  Nov. 
17,  1856;  Ruby  Florence,  born  Oct.  9,  1864 — all 
born  in  the  "Virginia  Settlement,"  except  Ruby 
Florence,  who  is  the  wife  of  Prof.  Spencer  R. 
Smith,  of  Austin,  111.,  and  the  only  one  now 
living.  Mr.  Button  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  over  sixty  years,  having 
joined  at  Hunt's  Hollow,  N.  Y.,  when  he  was 
seventeen  years  old  and  his  wife  at  thirteen, 
he  becoming  an  elder  in  this  church  when 
about  twenty-one.   Soon  after  their  arrival  in 


CAj&Sz^C^t7% 


RESIDENCE   OF   MR.   C.    P.   BARNES,   WOODSTOCK,   ILL. 


^hej 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


663 


McHenry  County  they  united  with  the  church 
in  the  "Virginia  Settlement,"  which  is  now  the 
Presbyterian  church  of  Ridgefield,  111.,  and  he 
has  been  an  elder  there  since  1845.  The 
church  at  Ridgefield  was  the  first  Presbyterian 
church  in  this  part  of  the  State.  It  was  organ- 
ized Feb.  6,  1839,  and  the  first  settled  pastor 
was  the  Rev.  James  H.  Baldwin,  ordained  and 
installed,  Feb.  10,  1847.  In  politics  Mr.  Button 
was  originally  an  old-time  Whig,  but  became  a 
Republican  on  the  organization  of  that  party 
and  was  a  supporter  of  Fremont  and  Lincoln. 
His  sterling  traits  of  character  are  indicated 
by  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  in  the 
community  in  which  he  resides. 


CHARLES   P.   BARNES. 

Charles  P.  Barnes,  a  son  of  McHenry  County, 
is  now  a  prominent  attorney  practicing  at  the 
McHenry  County  bar.  and  widely  known 
throughout  Northern  Illinois  for  his  success  in 
his  profession,  especially  in  connection  with 
criminal  cases.  Mr.  Barnes  was  born  at  Nunda, 
McHenry  County,  Feb.  14,  1862,  the  son  of 
Charles  C.  and  Lydia  (Sayles)  Barnes.  The 
family  is  of  English  descent,  but  for  genera- 
tions identified  with  New  England  history 
Charles  C.  Barnes,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War  who 
was  killed  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  in  1863. 
bravely  fighting  for  the  Union  cause,  leaving 
a  wife  and  three  small  children  in  humble  cir- 
cumstances. Charles  P.  was  but  an  infant 
when  his  father  fell  in  his  country's  service, 
and  was  reared  by  his  widowed  mother  in  the 
face  of  many  difficulties.  He  attended  the  dis- 
trict school  in  his  boyhood  and.  at  the  early 
age  of  eleven  years,  found  employment  at  such 
farm  work  as  he  was  able  to  do,  and  from 
that  time  on  provided  for  himself  and  assisted 
in  the  support  of  his  widowed  mother  and  his 
two  sisters.  This  he  continued  for  a  number 
of  years,  in  the  meantime  attending  school  at 
such  times  as  he  was  able  to  do  so.  Among 
his  teachers  was  the  Rev.  William  Nickel,  now 
a  venerable  man  and  one  of  the  oldest  teachers 
of  McHenry  County  still  living.  In  speaking 
of  his  former  pupils,  who  have  become  suc- 
cessful in  business  or  professional  life,  Rev. 
Nickel,  alludes  to  "Charlie  Barnes"  as  a  "bright 


little  scholar."  In  1880,  when  about  eighteen 
years  of  age,  young  Barnes  became  a  station- 
ary engineer  for  the  Clayson  Drying  Factory 
near  Nunda,  learning  the  business  in  ten  days 
from  a  practical  engineer  from  Chicago,  when 
he  took  charge  of  a  plant  embracing  several 
boilers  and  engines.  He  managed  this  busi- 
ness successfully  for  one  year,  not  having  a 
single  accident  during  all  that  time. 

From  boyhood  Mr.  Barnes  had  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  the  trial  of  legal  cases  before  the 
Justices  of  the  Peace  in  his  village,  and  thus 
gained  some  knowledge  of  the  order  and 
manner  of  procedure  in  a  Justice's  court.  Be- 
fore reaching  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  had 
conducted  five  trials  of  cases  before  Justices 
of  the  Peace  and  had  won  four  of  them  He 
thus,  at  the  same  time,  gained  an  insight  into 
the  methods  of  court  procedure  and  a  strong 
incentive  to  the  study  of  law. 

In  March,  1891,  at  nineteen  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Barnes  came  to  Woodstock  and  entered  upon 
the  study  of  law  with  Judge  O.  H.  Gilmore. 
Without  means  and  with  no  financial  backing 
he  worked  for  his  board  on  a  dairy  farm  near 
Woodstock  for  nearly  two  years,  meanwhile 
prosecuting  his  law  studies.  He  also  found  it 
necessary  for  a  time,  to  supplement  his  legal 
studies  with  a  more  thorough  training  in  acad- 
emic branches,  especially  in  language,  thus 
carrying  on  two  branches  of  study  at  the  same 
time.  By  industry  and  perseverance  he  won 
success.  After  remaining  in  Judge  Gilmore's 
office  about  a  year,  he  speut  a  year  with  Judge 
B.  N.  Smith  and,  in  March,  1883,  after  a  two- 
years'  course,  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  was  formally  admitted  to  the  bar.  He 
immediately  began  practice  in  Woodstock  and 
at  the  succeeding  term  cf  the  McHenry  County 
Circuit  Court  in  May  following,  he  had  three 
cases,  two  of  which  he  won.  He  soon  estat* 
lished  himself  in  a  good  practice  and  his  prog- 
ress has  since  been  steadily  forward.  At  that 
period  most  of  the  lawyers  at  the  McHenry 
County  bar  were  old  experienced  attorneys  and 
of  high  legal  attainments.  In  July,  1885.  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  Hon.  Merritt  L.  Jos- 
lyn,  who  was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior during  the  administration  of  President 
Arthur  and  a  lawyer  of  wide  repute.  This 
partnership  was  continued  for  more  than  two 
years   under   the   firm    name    of     "Joslyn     & 


664 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Barnes,"  when  it  was  dissolved.  Later  Mr. 
Barnes  was  associated  successively  with  D.  T. 
Smiley,  of  Woodstock,  and  J.  E.  Barber,  of 
Marengo.  On  Jan.  1,  1903,  he  entered  into 
partnership  with  John  J.  Cooney,  a  graduate 
from  his  office,  under  the  firm  name  of  Barnes 
&  Cooney.  Beginning  while  young  and  gaining 
his  knowledge  of  the  law  largely  in  the  school 
of  experience,  Mr.  Barnes  has  absorbed  the 
legal  usages,  methods  of  procedure  and  a 
sound  knowledge  of  the  great  body  of  the  law, 
not  only  by  the  hard  study  of  law  books,  but 
through  the  counsel  and  advice  of  his  precep- 
tors and  by  his  daily  practice  in  the  courts.  He 
has  thus  gained  the  reputation  of  a  wise  coun- 
sellor and  a  skillful  practitioner.  The  success 
he  has  achieved  in  his  profession  is  attested 
by  the  numerous  applications  he  has  received 
for  positions  in  his  office  from  young  men  de- 
siring to  engage  in  the  study  of  law.  Attorneys 
D.  T.  Smiley,  F.  K.  Jackman,  F.  B.  Bennett  and 
John  J.  Cooney.  now  successfully  practicing 
their  profession  in  Woodstock,  studied  with 
Mr.  Barnes  and  passed  successful  examina- 
tions before  the  Appellate  Court  for  admission 
to  practice.  Attorneys  Robert  G.  Eckert,  of 
Freeport,  Arthur  J.  Mullen,  of  Chicago,  Frank 
Spitzer  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  and  W.  S.  Mc- 
Connell  of  Woodstock,  were  also  students  in 
his  office. 

Mr.  Barnes  has  been  connected  with  a  num- 
ber of  notable  cases  before  the  McHenry 
Circuit  Court,  of  which  the  following  are  es- 
pecially well  remembered:  In  the  famous 
Templeton  murder  case,  he  appeared  for  the 
defense  and,  on  the  third  trial,  secured  an  ac- 
quittal. In  the  Delhanty  case  he  was  attorney 
for  the  State,  but  lost.  In  the  Gainor  murder 
case  he  was  on  the  side  of  the  defense.  In  this 
memorable  case,  the  defense  did  not  dare  to 
rely  upon  the  jury,  but  was  content  to  secure  a 
brief  sentence  in  the  penitentiary  for  man- 
slaughter. Eighteen  months  later  Mr.  Barnes, 
on  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  secured  the  release 
of  the  accused  on  the  ground  of  a  defect  in  the 
record,  and,  in  a  subsequent  trial  on  the  charge 
of  murder,  Gainor  was  acquitted.  In  a  number 
of  important  civil  cases,  Mr.  Barnes  has  been 
equally  successful.  In  the  famous  Sullivan 
whisky  case,  in  which  Mr.  Barnes  appeared 
on  the  side  of  the  defense,  there  were 
eleven  defendants  and  three  trials  in  the  circuit 


court.  These  cases  were  taken  to  the  Ap- 
pellate and  the  Supreme  Courts,  all  the  de- 
fendants except  three  being  finally  acquitted. 
In  the  case  of  Singer  vs.  the  city  of  Harvard, 
Mr.  Barnes  was  counsel  for  the  plaintiff,  for 
whom  he  recovered  judgment  in  the  circuit 
court  for  $1,800.  His  other  successful  cases 
bave  been  too  numerous  to  mention. 

In  the  fall  of  1892  Mr.  Barnes  was  instru- 
mental in  starting  and  organizing  the  McHenry 
County  State  Bank,  of  which  he  has  ever  since 
been  First  Vice-President  and  Attorney,  as 
well  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Politically  Mr.  Barnes  acted  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  previous  to  1900,  when  he  became 
a  Democrat  and  took  the  stump  for  Samuel 
Alschuler  and  William  Jennings  Bryan.  He 
made  a  number  of  able  speeches  and,  although 
supporting  a  losing  cause,  proved  himself  a 
good  campaigner.  He  has  a  reputation  for 
legal  skill  and  ability  and  has  achieved  a  suc- 
cess in  his  profession  to  be  envied  by  any  at- 
torney in  Northern  Illinois.  Possessing  the 
natural  ability,  industry  and  energy  to  work 
his  way  from  a  small  beginning  to  a  prominent 
position  iu  life,  Mr.  Barnes  has  the  desirable 
reputation  of  being  unusually  successful,  even 
in  those  cases  where  the  chances  of  winning 
are  extremely  doubtful.  Persons  having  such 
cases  before  the  courts  are  usually  advised  to 
"see  Charley  Barnes,"  as  there  seems  to  be  an 
impression  that  any  case  he  undertakes  will 
be  ably  handled  and  won  if  within  the  bounds 
of  reason.  The  real  basis  of  every  lawyer's 
reputation  as  a  practitioner  at  the  bar,  is  his 
own  ability;  and  this  fact  furnishes  the  best 
evidence  that  Mr.  Barnes  is  an  unusually  astute 
and  sagacious  legal  counsellor  and  adviser. 

Mr.  Barnes  is  fond  of  fishing,  hunting  and 
boating,  and  has  a  fine  summer  home  at  Pis- 
taqua  Bay,  where  he  spends  the  summer 
months,  being  the  owner  of  a  launch  and  sail- 
boat. 


ELIJAH  A.  BOWER. 

Elijah  A.  Bower  (deceased),  who  was  ^n 
early  resident  of  Chicago,  later  settling  at 
Richmond,  McHenry  County,  was  born  at  Little 
Elm,  Derbyshire,  England,  Jan.  20,  1827,  the 
son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Carlin)  Bower. 
The  Bower  family  had  lived  at  Elkerson,  ad- 


-^    &     An+irv 


ot^o-ey/^.  /5^^-e^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


665 


joining  Little  Elm,  for  generations.  Peter 
Bower,  the  grandfather  of  Elijah  A.,  was  a 
farmer  and  stock-raiser,  and  lived  on  the  place 
at  Little  Elm  afterwards  occupied  by  his  de- 
scendants. His  children  were:  Peter,  Jr.,  Jarvis, 
Thomas,  Elizabeth  and  one  son  whose  name  is 
not  remembered.  The  family  were  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  Peter  Bower 
was  proprietor  of  an  estate  valued  at  55,000 
pounds  sterling. 

Thomas,  Bower,  the  son  of  Peter  and  father 
of  Elijah  A.  Bower,  was  born  at  Elkerson,  the 
old  seat  of  the  Bower  family,  and  received  an 
ordinary  education  for  the  period  in  which  he 
lived.  Having  married  Elizabeth  Carlin,  he 
settled  on  the  farm  called  Little  Elm,  which 
his  father  gave  him.  The  children  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  (Carlin)  Bower  were:  Caroline, 
(who  married  a  Mr.  Morley),  John,  Walter,  Wil- 
liam, Frank,  Thomas,  Elijah  A.  and  Elizabeth. 
Mr.  Bower  passed  the  latter  part  of  his  life  in 
this  vicinity  on  a  farm  called  Stanley,  where 
he  died  in  1859.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  England,  a  prosperous  business  man, 
and  a  member  of  the  "Yeoman  Cavalry" — an 
organization  of  mounted  militia  whose  name 
has  been  much  in  use  of  late  in  connection 
with  the  war  in  South  Africa. 

Elijah  A.  Bower,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  received  his  education  in  a  subscription 
school,  to  which  he  walked  a  distance  of  three 
miles,  and  was  brought  up  to  his  father's  busi- 
ness as  a  farmer  and  stock-dealer.  When 
be  was  about  twelve  years  of  age,  his  father  re- 
moved to  the  farm  known  as  Stanley,  where 
he  remained  until  1846,  when  at  nineteen  years 
of  age  he  embarked  on  an  old-fashioned  mer- 
chant vessel  at  Liverpool  for  America.  The 
vessel  was  bound  for  New  Orleans  and  the  voy- 
age occupied  nine  weeks  and  three  days.  Ar- 
riving at  New  Orleans,  he  proceeded  by  steam- 
er up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Louis  and  thence 
up  the  Illinois  to  Peru,  where  he  took  the 
stage  for  the  remaining  distance  of  100  miles 
to  Chicago.  During  this  part  of  the  trip  he  had 
to  carry  a  rail  a  large  part  of  the  way  to  pry 
the  stage  out  of  the  mud.  He  reached  Chicago, 
March  29,  1846,  and  soon  after  found  employ- 
ment in  driving  a  team.  His  first  stopping 
place  in  Chicago  was  at  the  old  "American 
House"  at  the  corner  of  Canal  and  Randolph 
streets.     During  the  first  year  he  worked  for 


$12  per  month,  but  afterwards  obtained  em- 
ployment at  an  increase  of  wages  in  a  grain- 
store  with  Mr.  Robert  Morley,  with  whom  he 
remained  two  years.  During  his  last  year  with 
Mr.  Morley  he  received  $30  per  month.  He  en- 
gaged in  buying  grain  and  produce  from  the 
farmers  on  his  own  account,  in  which  he  did 
fairly  well.  His  next  venture  was  in  renting  a 
saloon  on  a  lake  steamer,  which  he  ran  two 
years,  meanwhile  being  interested  in  other 
speculations.  The  steamer  Lexington,  on 
which  he  was  employed,  having  been  sunk  in 
Lake  Erie,  off  Conneaut,  Ohio,  he  lost  $1,500 
in  consequence  of  the  disaster.  He  then  re- 
sumed the  teaming  business  in  Chicago  on  his 
own  account. 

On  Feb.  5,  1850,  Mr.  Bower  was  married  in 
the  city  of  Chicago,  to  Elizabeth  Reed,  who  was 
born  in  Leeds,  England,  Feb.  15,  1830,  the 
daughter  of  James  Reed.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Leeds,  England,  who  came  to  Ameri- 
ca, settling  in  McHemy  County,  in  1844,  and 
dying  there  four  years  later.  His  children 
were:  William,  John,  Mary,  Sarah  and  Eliza- 
beth. After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Bower  engaged 
in  the  grocery  business  for  a  year,  after  which 
he  spent  two  years  as  a  manufacturer  of  con- 
fectionery. He  then  took  charge  of  the  old 
"Mansion  House"  on  Kinzie  Street,  which  he 
managed  from  1852  to  1857,  when,  on  Novem- 
ber 5th  of  the  latter  year,  he  went  to  Rich- 
mond, McHenry  County,  and  engaged  in  buy- 
ing hides.  His  next  step  was  to  enter  into  the 
stock  business,  which  he  continued  for  twenty- 
five  years.  In  1860  he  bought  a  farm  of  forty 
acres  in  Richmond  Township,  to  which  he  add- 
ed by  purchase  until  he  became  the  owner  of 
412  acres  of  fine  farming  land.  Here  he  re- 
mained twenty  years,  and  here  his  wife  died, 
Aug.  27,  1885.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Epis- 
copal church  and  a  woman  of  many  virtues. 
The  children  by  this  marriage  were:  James 
Thomas  and  Delia  A. — the  latter  becoming  the 
wife  of  James  Grier. 

On  Oct.  3,  1889,  Mr.  Bower  married  as  his 
second  wife,  at  Reinbeck,  Iowa,  Anna  Broad- 
ley,  who  was  born  at  White  Pigeon,  Mich.,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Burnell)  Broad- 
ley.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Yorkshire, 
England,  and  was  a  carpenter,  contractor  and 
farmer  by  occupation.  Having  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  he  settled  at  White  Pigeon, 


660 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Mich.,  where  he  married  Mary  Burnell.  Here 
he  bought  a  farm  and  kept  a  hotel  for  a  time, 
but  finally  moved  to  Spring  Grove,  McHenry 
County,  111.,  where  he  bought  200  acres  of  land, 
later  buying  eighty-four  acres  in  Lake  County. 
This  land  he  improved  and  became  a  pros- 
perous farmer  and  substantial  citizen.  The 
children  of  the  Broadley  family  were:  Mary  J., 
Ruth,  Anna,  William  H.  and  John  B.  Mr. 
Broadley  was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  in  early  days  the  meet- 
ings of  that  denomination  were  held  in  his 
house.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Black  Hawk 
War,  and  died  in  Waukegan,  aged  eighty-one 
years. 

Mrs.  Anna  Bower  received  a  good  education 
in  an  academy  at  Genoa,  Wis.,  and  at  the  Rich- 
mond High  School,  and  was  a  teacher  in  Bur- 
ton Township,  McHenry  County,  some  three 
years.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  In  1895  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bower  removed 
to  Richmond,  where  he  built  an  attractive 
residence,  residing  there  until  his  death,  Jan. 
25,  1901.  In  his  political  views  he  was  an  earn- 
est Democrat  and  served  nine  years  as  Road 
Commissioner  of  his  township,  in  which  he  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  and 
maintained  a  high  reputation  for  usefulness 
and  integrity  of  character. 

JAMES  THOMAS  BOWER,  son  of  Elijah  A. 
and  Elizabeth  (Reed)  Bower,  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  Dec.  8,  1853,  and,  at  three  years  of 
age,  removed  with  his  father  to  McHenry 
County,  and  received  his  education  in  the  high 
school  at  Richmond,  and  also  attended  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Normal,  111.  In  1868  his 
father  moved  on  to  a  farm  in  Richmond  Town- 
ship, and  he  was  engaged  in  farm  work  until 
nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Fulton, 
111.,  and  was  employed  in  a  hotel  there  two 
years.  Then  returning  to  his  home  in  McHenry 
County,  he  was  associated  with  his  father  for 
some  years  in  the  cattle  trade,  and  was  also 
engaged  some  six  years  in  buying  and  selling 
poultry.  September  3,  1879,  he  was  married  in 
Richmond  to  Mary  E.  Potter,  who  was  a  native 
of  that  place,  born  Oct.  28,  1851,  the  daughter 
of  Edwin  M.  and  Mary  E.  (Gibbs)  Potter.  The 
father,  Edwin  M.  Potter,  was  born  at  Fort 
Ann,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of  Stephen  Potter  (See 
sketch  of  Bodine  McConnell).  Edwin  M.  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  in  his  native 


State,  and,  in  1853,  came  with  his  father  to 
Richmond,  McHenry  County,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  for  many 
years.  Here  he  married  Mary  E.  Gibbs,  born 
in  Pike,  Wyoming  County,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter 
of  Heman  Gibbs,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  New 
York  State  militia.  Col,.  Gibbs  was  an  early 
settler  in  Richmond,  where  he  located  as  early 
as  1845,  and  erected  there  the  first  hotel,  which 
he  managed  for  many  years.  In  his  later  years 
he  became  quite  wealthy,  and  continued  to  re- 
side at  Richmond  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  T. 
Bower  settled  in  Richmond,  where  Mr.  Bower 
served  as  Postmaster  by  appointment  of  Presi- 
dent Cleveland  from  Sept.  11,  1885,  until  1890, 
and  was  again  appointed  to  the  same  position 
during  Cleveland's  second  administration — 
serving  in  all  eight  and  a  half  years.  He  was 
also  engaged  in  the  saddlery  and  harness  trade 
some  twelve  years.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the 
insurance  business  and  looks  after  his  farming 
interests.  He  has  held  a  number  of  town  of- 
fices, was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Village 
Trustees,  for  five  years  being  President  of  the 
Board;  was  Town  Clerk  for  three  years  and 
school  director  twelve  years.  He  is  now  Police 
Magistrate,  having  held  the  office  two  years. 
In  political  affiliation  he  is  a  Democrat,  and 
fraternally  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order, 
belonging  to  Calvary  Commandery,  No.  25,  K. 
T.,  Woodstock,  and  also  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  at  Richmond.  Besides  valu- 
able town  property,  he  is  the  owner  of  412  acres 
of  land  in  Richmond  Township  and  220  acres 
in  Alden  Township;  is  also  a  stockholder  and 
director  in  the  McHenry  County  State  Bank. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bower  have  one  son,  Earl  E., 
born  June  6,  1880,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Richmond  High  School  and  attended  the  Mor- 
gan Park  Preparatory  School.  He  is  now  cash- 
ier of  the  McHenry  County  State  Bank. 

Of  other  members  of  the  Bower  family,  two 
brothers  of  Elijah  A. — Walter  and  William — 
went  to  South  Africa,  married  there  and  left 
numerous  descendants.  Two  other  brothers, 
John  and  Frank,  remained  in  England  and 
reared  families  there.  Still  another  brother, 
Thomas,  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Lake, 
Lake  County,  Indiana. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


667 


GARDNER    E.    BURBANK. 

Gardner  Elijah  Burbank,  a  pioneer  settler 
of  McHenry  County,  now  residing  on  his  150- 
aore  farm  within  a  mile  of  Woodstock,  is  de- 
scended'from  a  good  New  Hampshire  family. 
Henry  Burbank,  the  first  of  whom  we  have 
definite  record,  was  a  life-long  resident  of  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  followed  farming 
throughout  his  active  life.  He  married  Polly 
Johnson,  daughter  of  Col.  Charles  Johnson, 
who,  during  the  Revolution,  raised  a  regiment 
which  he  quartered  for  some  time  upon  his 
own  estate.  Henry  and  Polly  (Johnson)  Bur- 
bank, had  nine  children,  all  of  whom  were  born 
in  New  Hampshire  on  the  following  dates,  viz. : 
Charles  J.,  Jan.  28,  1788;  Abijah,  July  18, 
1790;  Johnson,  Jan.  29,  1793;  Henry,  Jan.  17, 
1795,  (died  young);  Michael,  Jan.  17,  1799; 
Henry,  Dec.  8,  1801;  Elijah,  May  17,  1805,  and 
Mary,  October,  1807. 

Elijah  Burbank,  son  of  Henry,  was  reared  on 
a  New  Hampshire  farm,  and  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  neighborhood,  and  in  a 
fine  old  New  England  academy.  During  his 
early  manhood  he  followed  teaching  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  filling  positions  at  different  times 
in  New  Hampshire,  Vermont  aud  New  York. 
At  Haverhill,  Mass.,  Jan.  11,  1833,  he  married 
Sarah  Hutchins,  who  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, Nov.  13,  1809,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  Hutchins.  Mrs.  Burbank  died  April  14, 
1886.  Seven  children  were  born  of  this  union, 
viz.:  Abigail,  born  Sept.  26, 1833,  now  deceased; 
Sarah  E.  (deceased),  born  April  ,28,  1835;  Emily 
(deceased),  born  Jan.  30,  1839;  Gardner,  born 
Aug.  19,  1842;  George  A.,  horn  May  26,.  1844, 
and  is  now  deceased;  Emily  L.  (deceased), 
born  Feb.  17,  1849,  and  died  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty years;  Mary  Lewella,  born  July  22,  1851. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Burbank  settled  in  New 
Hampshire  for  a  time,  where  he  and  his  wife 
engaged  in  hotel  keeping,  and  where  he  also 
looked  after  a  farm  which  he  owned  there. 
Later  he  moved  to  Cambridgeport,  and  worked 
in  a  pork-packing  establishment  for  some  time, 
and  prior  to  1844  he  also  resided  for  a  time 
in  Walden,  Vt.  Reports  of  the  rapid  settle- 
ment of  Illinois  and  of  fine-  farming  land  to  be 
had  there,  induced  him  in  1843  to  embark  on 
a  flat-boat  and  sail  down  the  Ohio  River  to  that 
State,  where,  in  Perry  County,  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  prairie   land,   and   began   a   home   for 


himself.  After  four  years,  deciding  to  try  his 
luck  further  north,  in  company  with  several 
others,  he  moved  by  ox-team  over  the  poor 
muddy  roads  of  Illinois,  reaching,  in  the  course 
of  four  weeks,  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, June  8,  1847.  Here,  on  an  80-acre  claim — 
proved  the  preceding  spring  and  purchased  of 
William  Ryder — he  erected  a  comfortable  log 
house,  where  he  made  his  home  for  five  years. 
In  the  course  of  time  he  had  learned  the  trade 
of  a  stone-mason  and  plasterer,  and  now  find- 
ing an  excellent  opening  in  that  line  in  Wood- 
stock, he  disposed  of  his  farm  and  moved  there, 
taking  up  his  residence  first  on  Jackson  Street, 
and  later  in  the  brick  house  now  occupied  by 
Daniel  Tripp,  which  he  erected,  and  where  he 
passed  his  remaining  days.  A  good  workman 
he  carried  on  an  extensive  business  in  his  line 
for  many  years.  He  also  continued  to  specu- 
late in  land,  purchasing  a  120-acre  farm  in 
Dorr  Township,  which  he  sold  in  1863,  realizing 
a  good  profit  upon  his  investment.  He  lived  to 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years,  dying  in 
Woodstock,  Feb.  2,  1885.  Mr.  Burbank  pos- 
sessed courage  and  determination,  which  sus- 
tained him  through  many  a  rough  pioneering 
experience.  To  procure  his  McHenry  County 
claim  he  did  not  hesitate  to  ride  horseback  to 
Chicago  and  back  to  hire  .the  money  for  which 
he  had  to  pay  twenty-five  per  cent  interest.  Of 
a  strong  physique,  not  afraid  of  work,  he  was 
an  important  factor  in  the  development  of  Mc- 
Henry County.  With  his  own  hands  he  assist- 
ed in  the  erection  of  the  first  Presbyterian 
church  in  Woodstock,  of  which  he  and  his  wife 
were  devout  members,  he  acting  as  trustee  for 
many  years.  Politically  he  was  at  first  a  Whig, 
and  later  a  Republican,  voting  for  John  C.  Fre- 
mont and  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Gardner  E.  Burbank,  a  worthy  son  of  a  hardy 
pioneer,  was  born  in  Walden,  Vt.,  Aug.  19,  1842, 
and  at  the  age  of  one  and  a  half  years  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Southern  Illinois,  and 
when  five  years  old  to  McHenry  County.  He 
received  his  early  schooling  in  hastily  con- 
structed buildings  in  Woodstock — one  a  small 
frame  house,  another  an  old  granary — number- 
ing among  his  teachers,  Sarah  Weld,  of  Elgin, 
Warren  Waterman,  Charles  Fitch  and  Philinda 
Freeman.  Later  for  three  winters  and  one 
summer,  he  attended  the  old  frame  school 
house  known  as  Todd  Seminary,  and  still  used 


G68 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


as  a  wing  of  the  main  structure  of  that  institu- 
tion, procuring,  in  spite  of  many  drawbacks, 
a  thorough  education.  Accustomed  from  his 
earliest  years  to  farm  work,  upon  reaching 
manhood  he  naturally  turned  to  that  occupation 
and,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  in  company  with 
his  father,  carried  on  the  pursuit  in  Cham- 
paign County,  111.,  where,  in  1865,  they  pur- 
chased an  80-acre  farm,  which  he  worked  for 
one  year.  Returning  to  Woodstock  they  bought 
the  farm  where  he  now  resides. 

In  Alden  Township,  Jan.  17,  1872,  Mr.  Bur- 
Bank  married  Mary  Catherine  McLaren,  who 
was  born  in  Alden  Township,  Aug.  20,  1853, 
daughter  of  James  and  Susannah  (Quilhot) 
McLaren.  Mrs.  Burbank  has  always  been  a 
thrifty  house-keeper,  and  has  in  her  possession 
well-preserved  table  linen  and  towels,  woven 
in  Scotland,  and  brought  to  this  country  by 
her  great-grandmother  Mclntyre.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Burbank  have  five  children,  viz.:  Anna  Eliza- 
beth, born  April  20,  1875,  is  now  attending  the 
Waltham,  Mass.,  Training  School  for  nurses; 
John  McLaren,  born  Nov.  6,  1877,  is  assistant 
buyer  in  the  wholesale  hardware  house  of  Far- 
well,  Ozman,  Kirk  &  Co.,  St.  Paul,  Minn.; 
Harry  Fay,  born  May  12,  1881,  is  now  attend- 
ing the  agricultural  department  of  the  Univers- 
ity of  Illinois;  James  Frank,  born  April  6, 
1884,  is  with  his  brother  John  in  the  whole- 
sale house  in  St  Paul;  Helen  Jeannette,  born 
Dec.  13,  1889,  Is  attending  school  in  Wood- 
stock. 

Since  1868  Mr.  Burbank  has  carried  on  his 
farm  just  outside  of  the  town,  where,  in  1883, 
he  erected  a  handsome  two-story  house,  and 
the  following  year  moved  there  with  his 
family.  Here  he  has  since  resided,  engaged 
in  general  farming,  dairying,  and  fruit  grow- 
ing. He  has  greatly  improved  the  property, 
which  now  embraces  160  acres  and  is  one  of 
the  finest  farms  in  the  county.  Mr.  Burbank 
has  conquered  many  pioneer  drawbacks  in  ris- 
ing to  his  present  prosperous  position.  He  is 
fond  of  reminiscences,  and  tells  how  he  and  his 
father  were  the  first  to  drive  over  the  road 
running  south  of  his  present  farm — then  a 
muddy,  corduroy  highway,  almost  impassable; 
how  his  father,  Mr.  Baker,  Mr.  Gilbert  and 
Thomas  Lindsey  hauled  the  old  granary  down 
to  the  Dodd  farm — now  the  Lindsey  place — and 
made  it.  into  a  school-house,  and  how  his  father 


and  his  wife  went  to  housekeeping  in  a  little, 
leaky,  old  log  hut,  while  he  was  erecting  a 
more  commodious  and  comfortable  log  dwell- 
ing. He  has  long  been  active  in  public  works, 
and  in  1900  served  very  efficiently  as  United 
States  Census  Enumerator  for  Dorr  Township. 
Politically  Mr.  Burbank  affiliates  with  the  Re- 
publicans. Mrs.  Burbank  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  John  McLaren  Burbank, 
the  oldest  son  of  Gardner  E.  Burbank,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Spanish- American  War  and 
served  in  Porto  Rico.  He  was  promoted  to  be 
Sergeant. 

The  McLaren  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Burbank 
is  a  member,  is  of  Scotch  extraction,  and  its 
genealogy  in  Perthshire  is  traced  back  300 
years.  They  belonged  to  the  ancient  clan  of 
McLaren,  their  family  tartan  being  of  a  dark 
green  and  dark  blue  threaded  with  gold.  The 
oldest  branch  of  the  family  of  which  any  record 
has  been  preserved  consisted  of  three  brothers 
and  three  sisters,  who  lived  in  Perthshire, 
viz.:  Alexander,  Duncan,  James,  Christy, 
Peggie  (or  Margaret)  and  Magie.  Alexander, 
the  oldest  son,  married,  reared  a  family  and  re- 
mained in  the  old  home  in  Scotland.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  all  the  other  members  of  this  fam- 
ily came  to  America  before  the  American 
Revolution.  Duncan  married  a  lady  of  good 
family  in  Scotland  and,  after  coming  to  Ameri- 
ca, settled  at  Johnstown,  N.  Y.  His  wife  died 
in  this  country  leaving  no  children,  when  he 
went  to  India,  where  many  Scotch  people  were 
settling  about  that  time.  The  daughter  Christy 
became  Mrs.  Clark  and  also  settled  at  Johns- 
town, N.  Y.  The  name  of  only  one  of  her 
children  is  remembered — viz.:  James  Clark, 
who  removed  to  Galena,  111.,  and  not  long  since 
was  still  living  at  the  patriarchal  age  of  over 
100  years.  Another  daughter,  Margaret,  mar- 
ried in  Scotland  and  had  two  children,  but  hav- 
ing separated  from  her  husband,  came  wTith  her 
youngest  child  to  America.  The  other  daugh- 
ter, Magie,  never  married,  but  came  to  Amer- 
ica with  her  sister  Margaret.  Anabella,  the 
child  of  Margaret,  grew  up  to  be  a  capable 
business  woman,  returned  to  Scotland  and  hav- 
ing found  her  older  sister  married,  induced  her 
to  accompany  her  to  America. 

James  McLaren,  the  first  American  repre- 
sentative of  this  family,  was  born  in  Perth- 
shire,   Scotland,   and   some   time   prior   to   the 


oC\  PUtOtS/Uh&iUA^ 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


669 


Re-volution  came  to  America  and  settled  at 
Fort  Edward,  N.  Y.,  and  later  at  Johnstown. 
His  death  occurred  by  an  accident  at  Albany, 
where  he  had  gone  to  market  some  wheat.  He 
married  Mary  McMartin,  who,  when  about  six- 
teen years  old,  oame  to  America  with  her 
brother.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  McLaren,  she 
married  a  Mr.  Carmichael.  She  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-six  years,  dying  in  the 
summer  of  1854.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McLaren  had 
five  sons:  Daniel  and  Peter,  who  were  born 
prior  to  the  Revolution;  John,  born  in  1783,  and 
Duncan  and  Alexander,  born  after  the  Revolu- 
tion. 

John  McLaren  of  this  family,  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Burbank,  was  born  in  Johnstown,  N.  Y., 
Dec.  1,  1783,  and  married  Nancy  Mclntyre,  who 
was  born  in  Perthshire,  Scotland,  May  18,  1790. 
The  children  of  John  and  Nancy  (Mclntyre) 
McLaren  were:  James,  born  Dec.  27, 1808;  Ann 
Matilda,  born  Feb.  2,  1811;  James  Alexander, 
born  Jan.  21,  1813;  John,  born  April  7,  1815. 

James  McLaren,  father  of  Mrs.  Burbank,  was 
born  in  Johnstown,  Fulton  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan. 
21,  1813,  and  received  a  limited  education.  As 
a  young  man  he  engaged  in  cloth  weaving  for 
some  time  but  later  settled  in  Ephratah,  N.  Y. 
Hoping  to  better  his  prospects  further  west,  in 
1844,  he  moved  to  Michigan,  and  afterward 
resided  for  some  time  at  Otsego,  and  later  at 
Kalamazoo.  Coming  to  Illinois  in  1846,  he 
took  up  a  160-acre  claim  of  prairie  land  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  Alden  Township,  which 
he  improved  and  added  to  its  area  until  it 
finally  embraced  280  acres.  Here  he  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  sheep  raising,  and  be- 
came one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  the 
county.  In  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  July  22,  1840,  Mr. 
McLaren  married  Susannah  Quilhot,  who  was 
born  in  Ephratah,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  27,  1814,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Yanney)  Quilhot. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McLaren  had  nine  children:  Eliz- 
abeth, born  June  12,  1841;  Joseph,  Oct.  15, 
1843,  and  is  now  deceased;  John,  Dec.  25,  1844; 
James,  Sept.  26,  1846;  Ann  Mary,  Dec.  27,  1848, 
and  Catherine,  Dec.  31,  1850  (all  these  except 
Elizabeth  are  now  deceased) ;  Mary  C.  (Mrs. 
Burbank) ;  Martha,  born  Feb.  12,  1856,  but  now 
deceased;  Jeannette,  born  Dec.  26,  1857,  gradu- 
ated from  the  medical  department  of  Ann 
Arbor,  and  is  now  a  practicing  physician  in  St. 
Paul,  Minn.    Mr.  McLaren  was  a  man  of  many 


sterling  qualities,  and  a  substantial  member  of 
the  Linn  and  Hebron  Presbyterian  church,  giv- 
ing freely  for  its  support.  To  this  church  his 
wife  also  belonged.  In  politics  he  was  a 
stanch  Republican. 

Of  the  Quilhots,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Burbank  was  born  in  Bordeaux,  France, 
became  a  surgeon  and  came  to  America  during 
the  French  and  Indian  War,  was  taken  prison- 
er by  the  British  and  released  in  New  York 
City.  Later  he  settled  at  Kinderhook,  Colum- 
bia County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  practiced  medicine 
for  many  years.  He  married  in  the  Van  Der 
Pool  family.  John  Quilhot,  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Burbank,  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  married  Elizabeth  Yanney.  Of  her  family 
Christian  Yanney  was  the  first  American  rep- 
resentative. He  came  to  New  Jersey  among 
the  early  colonists,  selling  his  services  to  pay 
his  passage,  as  was  a  custom  in  those  days. 
He  married  Susannah  Boshart,  who  was  born 
in  Milanberg,  Canton  Zurich,  Switzerland. 


LATHROP    H,   S.    BARROWS. 

Lathrop  Huckens  Storrs  Barrows,  early 
teacher  of  McHenry  County,  Union  soldier  and 
retired  manufacturer,  now  of  Woodstock,  111., 
is  descended  from  early  New  England  and 
Puritan  ancestry,  the  founder  of  the  family  in 
America  being  John  Barrows,  who  left  Yar- 
mouth, England,  for  America  in  company 
with  his  wife  Anne  and  a  brother  named 
Robert,  the  latter  dying  on  the  passage 
across  the  ocean  on  the  ship  Mary 
Ann.  John  Barrows  and  his  wife  settled  in 
Massachusetts  in  1637,  and  in  1665  removed  to 
Salem,  in  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  Their 
children  were:  Robert,  Joshua,  Benjamin  and 
Ebenezer.  Robert  was  married  twice;  first  to 
Ruth  Bowman,  who  left  four  sons — John, 
Eleazer,  George  and  Samuel;  and  the  second 
time,  to  Lydia  Bowman,  who  died  in  1707,  leav- 
ing children  named  Elisha,  Robert  and 
Thomas.  The  son  Robert  of  the  second  mar- 
riage was  born  in  1689,  and  married  Bethea 
Ford.  Later  in  life  they  located  at  Mansfield, 
Conn.,  where  he  died  in  1779.  Their  children 
were:  Jabez,  Lemuel,  Thomas,  Daniel,  and 
Elisha.  The  son  Thomas  of  this  family,  born 
in   1716,   was   married  three   times.     His   first 


670 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


wife  was  Mehitabel  Porter,  who  left  one  daugh- 
ter, Experience.  The  second  wife,  Abigail 
Crane,  had  six  children:  Thomas,  Solomon, 
Experience,  Philip,  Eleazer  and  Lemuel.  The 
third  wife  was  Elizabeth  Turner.  Thomas,  the 
oldest  son  by  the  second  marriage,  married 
Martha  Hall,  May  9,  1776,  was  a  farmer  and 
died  at  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  at  the  home  of  his  son 
Storrs,  March  14,  1844.  He  had  children 
named  Ruth,  Abigail,  Andrew,  Samuel  Storrs, 
Shepard,  Silas,  Martha,  Thomas  and  Patty. 
Mrs.  Thomas  Barrows,  the  mother  of  this  fam- 
ily, died  Dec.  23,  1819.  The  record  of  the  Bar- 
rows family  during  the  Revolutionary  period  is 
very  full.  It  is  estimated  that  there  were 
twenty-five  to  thirty  men  of  the  name  in  Con- 
necticut at  that  time,  most  of  them  members 
of  the  Mansfield  family,  of  whom  at  least 
twelve  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
several  of  them  holding1  the  office  of  Captain. 

Shepard  Barrows,  of  the  last  named  family, 
was  bom  Aug.  14,  1786,  received  a  common- 
school  education  of  that  period  and  married  in 
his  native  town  Olive  Storrs,  who  was  born  in 
that  place.  Shepard  Barrows  and  wife  moved 
soon  after  marriage  to  Columbus,  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y,,  where  he  cleared  up  a  farm  in 
that  heavily  timbered  region,  and  became  a 
substantial  farmer,  also  conducting  a  dairy  of 
about  thirty-five  cows.  He  passed  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  there  among  relatives,  dying 
there  Oct.  17,  1868.  His  children  were  Sarah 
S.,  born  June  2,  1818;  Gardner  Thomas,  born 
Dec.  29,  1820;  Austin,  born  Feb.  20,  1823; 
Lathrop  H.  S.,  born  Oct.  8,  1826;  Avery  Tracy, 
born  in  December,  1830;  Porter  Storrs.  born 
April  1,  1832;  Cornelia,  born  Jan.  3,  1835.  Cor- 
nelia was  a  missionary  and  died  at  Smyrna, 
Turkey.  In  religion  Mr.  and  Mrs..  Sbepard 
Barrows  were  Congregationalists  and!  he  was  a 
deacon  in  his  church  and  one  of  its  liberal  sup- 
porters. His  son  Austin  is  a  deacon  in  the  old 
church  at  Columbus,  N.  Y.,  of  which  his  father 
was  one  of  the  founders. 

Lathrop  H.  S.  Barrows,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Columbus.  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  8,  1826,  received  a  good 
primary  education  in  the  public  schools  ana 
attended  the  Manlius  Acdemy  at  Manlius,  N.  Y 
He  learned  the  carpenter  and  joiner's  trade 
and,  in  the  meantime,  began  teaching  at  New 
Berlin,   N.   Y.,   in   the  winter  of   1846-7,   when 


about  twenty  years  of  age,  also  giving  singing 
lessons  at  the  same  time  in  the  popular  man- 
ner of  that  period.  In  the  following  fall  (1847) 
be  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  traveling  by 
railroad  to  Buffalo  and  thence  by  way  of  tne 
lakes  to  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  where  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Alvin  H.  Parker,  with 
whom  he  rode  to  McHenry  County,  arriving 
there  Oct.  15,  1847.  After  his  arrival  he 
worked  at  his  trade  for  a  time,  and,  in  the  fol- 
lowing winter,  taught  school  in  the  Tryon 
School  House  in  Hebron  Township.  Among 
his  pupils  in  this  school  were  the  six  children 
of  Deacon  Jacob  Gilbert — Cornelia,  Thomas, 
Ann  Eliza,  Henry,  William  and  Piatt;  the  chil- 
dren of  Alvin  H.  Parker — James  F.,  Clara  E., 
Emily  S.,  Louville  M.  and  Ellen  L. ;  Harriet, 
Sidney,  Frances  C.  and  George  Clark;  Charles 
H.  and  George  Tryon,  Edward  Douglass  and 
Wellington  Towne.  The  Gilbert  family  re- 
moved to  California  in  1853,  making  the  journey 
across  the  plains  in  company  with  William 
Raymond  and  wife  and  their  adopted  son,  Jos- 
eph Irving,  now  engaged  in  editorial  work  in 
Chicago.  The  text-books  used  in  those  days  in- 
cluded Sanders'  Readers,  Daboll's  and  Adams' 
Arithmetics,  Kirkham's  Grammar  and  Com- 
stock's  Natural  Philosophy.  Mr.  Barrows  also 
had  classes  in  algebra,  geometry  and 
astronomy,  some  of  his  pupils  being 
twenty-two  to  twenty-three  years  old. 
Webster's  Elementary  Speller  was  the 
standard  for  the  primary  classes,  and 
spelling-matches  were  popular  entertainments 
in  which  the  more  advanced  pupils  took  part. 
The  superiority  of  the  old  system  of  teaching 
orthography  over  that  of  the  present  day  was 
strikingly  illustrated  in  the  greater  accuracy 
in  this  branch  of  education  among  the  pupils 
of  our  common  schools  in  that  day,  as  com- 
pared with  some  of  the  college  and  university- 
bred  students  of  this  latter  period.  After  his 
experience  in  the  Hebron  district  Mr.  Barrows 
taught  three  winters  in  Greenwood  and  one, 
each,  in  the  Queen  Ann  Prairie  and  the  Stewart 
districts,  proving  his  capability  as  a  teacher, 
while  working  at  his  trade  during  the  summer. 
Mr.  Barrows  was  married  Aug.  2,  1852,  at  the 
home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Hebron  Town- 
ship, to  Emny  Saran  Parker,  who  was  born  in 
Bristol,  N.  Y„  Jan.  9,  1833,  the  daughter  of 
Alvin   H.    and   Mary    (Hosford)    Parker.     (See 


ZJUJ    f&Mll,   tf  SaM^iJi 


tJHWl 


.mois. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


671 


sketch  Alvin  H.  Parker.)  In  1853  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Barrows  settled  in  Greenwood  Township  and, 
in  the  fall  of  1858,  they  moved  to  Woodstock, 
where  Mr.  Barrows  bought  a  half-interest  with 
Willard  Salisbury  in  a  sash  and  door  factory. 
A  year  later  he  bought  out  his  partner,  con- 
tinuing the  business  until  1860,  when  he  sold 
out  to  other  parties. 

April  27,  1861,  Mr.  Barrows  enlisted  for  serv- 
ice in  the  Civil  War  as  a  private  soldier  of  the 
Fifteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry — the  first 
Illinois  regiment  to  be  mustered  in  for  the 
three  years'  service — the  muster-in  taking 
place  May  24,  1861.  During  his  first  winter  in 
the  service,  he  was  detailed  for  duty  as  a 
nurse  in  the  hospital  at  Raleigh,  Mo.,  and, 
after  the  hattie  of  Shiloh  in  April,  1862,  in 
which  he  took  part,  was  detailed  for  similar 
duty  on  the  Hospital  Steamer,  City  of  Mem- 
phis, which  carried  1,000  wounded  soldiers  to 
Mound  City,  III.,  where  he  continued  on  hos- 
pital duty  one  month.  Later,  he  rejoined  his 
regiment  at  Corinth,  Miss.,  after  which  he  was 
honorably  discharged  on  account  of  disability 
incurred  in  the  service.  He  was  neither 
wounded  nor  a  prisoner  during  his  connection 
with  the  army,  but  contracted  malaria  which 
disqualified  him  for  active  duty  in  the  field. 

Returning  to  Woodstock,  Mr.  Barrows  pur- 
chased the  sash,  door  and  blind  factory  there 
in  which  he  had  been  previously  interested, 
and  continued  in  this  business  for  the  next  ten 
years.  In  1875  he  purchased  the  foundry  at 
Woodstock,  which  he  managed  for  some  years, 
but,  in  1883,  on  account  of  failing  health,  he 
went  to  Kingsbury  County,  S.  D.,  where,  hav- 
ing purchased  a  half-section  of  land,  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  Here  he  occupied  himself 
improving  his  land,  returning  to  Woodstock 
each  winter  except  one  winter  (1886)  when  he 
remained  in  Dakota  for  the  purpose  of  teach- 
ing school.  Having  finally  sold  his  farm  in 
Kingsbury  County,  he  bought  other  lands  in 
Beadle  and  Hand  Counties,  but  later,  return- 
ing to  Woodstock,  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  artificial  limbs.  For  the  past  six  years  he 
has  been  retired  from  active  business. 

Mr.  Barrows  joined  the  Congregational 
church  at.  Columbus  Center,  N.  Y.,  when  about 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  but  finding  no  church 
of  this  denomination  near  his  new  home  on 
coming  to  McHenry  County,  united  with  the 
Presbyterian    church    at    Greenwood,    and    be- 


came Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School. 
After  removing  to  Woodstock,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church  in  which  he 
held  the  offices  of  steward,  class-leader  and 
Sabbath  School  Superintendent.  In  1865  he 
became  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Woodstock,  and  was  largely 
instrumental  in  erecting  the  church  edifice 
there  for  which  he  was  contractor;  has  also 
served  continuously  as  deacon  of  his  church 
since  its  organization  and  was  made  deacon 
for  life  in  1900.  His  brother,  Gardner  T.,  was 
a  deacon  of  the  same  church  for  many  years 
up  to  his  death  in  1884.  Lathrop  H.  S.  Bar- 
rows has  long  been  the  teacher  of  a  Bible  class 
in  the  Sunday-school  of  which  he  was  the 
Superintendent,  and  also  fills  the  office  of 
church  trustee. 

Mr.  Barrows  is  a  member  of  Woodstock 
Post,  No.  108,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  in 
which  he  holds  the  office  of  Chaplain.  In  polit- 
ical opinions  he  was  originally  an  old-line 
Whig,  but  later  became  a  Free-Soiler  (or 
Abolitionist)  and  finally  a  Republican:  but 
since  President  McKinley's  first  administra- 
tion, he  has  co-operated  with  the  Prohibition 
parly.  He  has  been  School  Trustee  of  Dorr 
Township  for  a  number  of  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barrows  are  the  parents  of  six 
children — the  first  three  born  at  Grenwood, 
and  the  last  three  at  Woodstock — viz.:  Mary 
Olive,  born  June  30,  1853;  Cornelia  Alice,  born 
Feb.  28,  1856;  Charles  Storrs,  born  April  27, 
1858;  Joseph  Eugene,  born  Nov.  15.  1860;  Etta 
Rose  Adelle.  born  Aug.  18,  1863,  and  Sarah 
Elizabeth,  born  Feb.  9,  1868. 

Mary  Olive  married  Capt.  Frank  Landers, 
now  a  banker  of  Webster  City,  Iowa,  June  3, 
1874,  and  they  have  four  children  born  as  fol- 
lows: Leonora,  Sept.  13,  1875;  Lou  Cornelia, 
July  26,  1877;  John  Clement.  Jan.  6,  1879.  and 
Frank  Lathrop,  May  10,  1888. 

Cornelia  Alice  married  Albert  Smith,  a 
farmer  of  Dakota,  March  14,  1875,  and  she  died 
June  4,  1886,  leaving  five  children  with  dates 
of  birth  as  follows :  Lathrop  Herbert,  Nov.  28, 
1876;  Myrtle  Adelle,  Oct.  14,  1878,  died  Nov. 
28,  1900;  Charles  Gardner,  Jan.  29,  1881;  Grace 
Etta,  Feb.  22,  1883;   Clifford,  March  28,  1885. 

Charles  Storrs  (deceased)  was  a  manu- 
facturer in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  married  March 
15,  1888,  Evelyn  Snow,  and  they  had  eight  chil- 
dren whose  names   and   dates  of  birth   were: 


(572 


McHENRY-COUNTY. 


Charles    Storrs,    Jan.    10,    1889;    Ralph    Gillett, 
Aug.   1.   1890;    Emily   Ruth,   May   8,   1892;    Cor- 
nelia  Adelle,    March    22,    1895;    Helen    Parker, 
Nov.  18,  1896,     died     November,     1897;     Alice 
Evelyn,    Sept.   26,    1898;    Richard    Harlan,    May 
19,     1900;     Katharine     Spier,     Nov.     16,     1901. 
Charles  S.  was  educated  in  the  High  School  at 
Woodstock  and  at    the     State     University     at 
Champaign,  having  as  class-mates  the  present 
Gov.  Richard  Yates  and  Prof.  Loredo  Taft,  the 
distinguished  sculptor,  now  of  Chicago  Art  In- 
stitute.    He  became  a  designer  and  student  of 
mechanical  engineering,  and  spent  some  time 
traveling  in  Europe,   after  which  he  was,  for 
some  years,  in  the  employ  of  the  Standard  Oil 
Company.     In  1893  he  purchased  an  interest  in 
the  Snow  wire-works  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and, 
two  years  later,  bought  out  the  entire  plant,  by 
means  of  his   inventions   adding   largely  to  its 
business  and  improving  the  quality  of  its  out- 
put.    He  was  an  artist  in  his  ideals,  and   his 
works  became  the  largest  in  the  country,  pro- 
ducing   every    species    of    metal    office-fixtures 
and  wire-work  appliances,  but  his  career  was 
cut  short  by  his   death,  April   28,    1901.       The 
Rochester  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  which  he 
was  an  honored  member,   adopted   the  follow- 
ing tribute  to  his  memory: 

"In  the  death  of  Charles  Storrs  Barrows,  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  loses  an  influential  and 
enthusiastic  member,  and  Rochester  a  citizen 
of  the  highest  type.  He  was  a  kindly  man  in 
all  his  relations  with  others,  a  faithful  friend, 
clean,  straightforward  and  honorable  in  all  his 
dealings." 

Of  the  other  children  of  Deacon  Barrows  and 
wife,  Joseph  Eugene  died  in  infancy.  Etta 
Rose  Adelle  married  Dr.  Charles  M.  Fosdick, 
now  of  Chicago,  and  Sarah  Elizabeth  died 
Sept.  11,  1886.  at  the  age  of  about  eighteen 
years. 

Deacon  Barrows,  the  principal  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  one  of  the  most  widely-known  and 
highly  respected  of  the  early  settlers  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  of  whom  so  few  are  still  living. 
Of  strict  integrity  in  his  personal  character, 
his  influence  and  example  have  always  been  on 
the  side  of  justice  and  right.  Always  a  friend 
of  sound  morality,  temperance  and  a  pure 
Christianity,  he  has  devoted  his  life  largely  to 
these  causes.  Tender  and  sympathetic  in  char- 
snter,  with  the  experience  acquired  as  a  nurse 
during  his  connection  with  the  army,  he  has 


long  been  depended  upon  by  his  neighbors  for 
miles  around  in  cases  of  sickness,  and  it  is  in 
the  part  of  the  "Good  Samaritan"  that  his 
character  stands  out  in  bright  relief.  The  man 
who  aids  his  neighbor  makes  a  true  success  in 
life,  and  the  friends  of  Deacon  Barrows  justly 
claim  for  him  this  high  honor. 


MRS.    MARGARET    BAGLEY. 

This  interesting  and  highly  intelligent  pio- 
neer lady  was  born  at  Pultney,  N.  Y.,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Mary  (McNally)  Waddell.  Her 
father,  Samuel  Waddell,  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna  River, 
either  in  Northumberland  or  in  Cumberland 
County.  He  was  of  thrifty  -Scotch-Irish  descent 
and  the  son  of  William  and  Margaret  (McAf- 
fee)    Waddell. 

James  McAffee  was  born  in  County  Antrim, 
Ireland,  came  to  America  when  young  and  mar- 
ried and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  near  Milton, 
Cumberland  County,  where  he  was  one  of  the 
early  Sheriffs,  and,  in  colonial  times,  made  his 
official  trips  throughout  that  region  on  horse- 
hack.  He  served  in  a  conflict  against  the  In- 
dians, and  his  daughter  Margaret,  the  grand- 
mother of  Mrs.  Bagley,  remembered  escaping 
from  the  Indians  on  several  occasions. 

William  Waddell  was  born  in  the  North  of 
Ireland  and  came  to  America  with  his  brother 
Samuel.  Samuel  settled  in  the  South,  prob- 
ably in  North  Carolina,  and  was  never  after- 
ward heard  from  directly,  but  a  family  residing 
in  North  Carolina  claimed  their  descent  from 
him.  Mr.  Waddell  settled  on  the  Susquehanna 
and,  after  the  birth  of  his  first  three  children, 
moved  to  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
bought  a  farm  partly  cleared  of  the  timber, 
and,  at  that  time,  known  as  surveyor's  land. 
Here  he  passed  his  remaining  days  and  died 
about  1812,  being  then  in  middle  life.  His 
children  were:  Jane,  Samuel,  James,  William, 
Martha,  Mary,  Fannie,  Nancy,  Isaac  and  Mar- 
garet. William  Waddell  was  a  Scotch  Presby- 
terian in  religious  belief  and  a  man  of  excellent 
character. 

Samuel  Waddell  received  a  common-school 
education,  read  extensively  of  general  litera- 
ture and  possessed  an  active  mind  well  stored 
with  general  information.  He  took  a  deep  in- 
terest in  natural  history,  and,  as  a  student  of 


McHOENRY      COUNTY. 


673 


nature,  became  a  naturalist  of  no  small  ability 
and  imparted  to  his  children  valuable  instruc- 
tion in  this  particular  branch  of  science.  Mr. 
Waddell  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
when  eighteen  years  old  served  eighteen 
months  with  Col.  Swick's  riflemen.  He  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Erie  and  Detroit,  and  was 
one  of  a  party  of  volunteers  in  the  attack  on 
Fort  Walden,  Canada,  where  the  Canadians 
were  defeated  and  driven  from  the  fort.  Mr. 
Waddell  was  sick  at  Fort  Erie  for  three 
months  and  his  mother  received  no  other  news 
from  him,  except  that  he  was  sick.  She  was 
then  a  widow  lady  about  forty  years  of  age, 
with  nine  children,  some  of  whom  were  very 
small.  She  determined  to  visit  her  son,  but 
the  journey  would  seem  impossible  when  we 
consider  that  it  was  through  a  wilderness  with- 
out roads  or  bridges  with  only  narrow  Indian 
trails,  and  tracks  made  by  wild  animals,  as  a 
guide.  The  only  means  of  conveyance  was  on 
horseback,  and  the  long  journey  of  several 
hundred  miles  would  take  her  through  a  coun- 
try then  infested  with  bands  of  hostile  Indians 
and  marauders.  While  most  of  the  hostile  In- 
dians had  been  driven  back,  there  were  yet  a 
great  many  small  straggling  bands,  and  be- 
sides these,  many  desperadoes  scattered 
throughout  the  country.  Nothing  daunted, 
this  brave  woman  mounted  her  horse  with  the 
determination  of  seeing  her  sick  son.  Having 
but  passed  through  one  of  her  own  fields,  at 
the  very  beginning  of  her  journey,  she  heard 
some  one  call,  and  her  son,  who  had  partially 
recovered  from  his  recent  illness,  had  re- 
turned home  on  foot  just  in  time  to  relieve  his 
loving  and  heroic  mother  of  the  hardships  and 
dangers  of  her  perilous  journey  and  fill  her 
heart  with  gladness.  Samuel  Waddell,  when 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  married  at  Ovid, 
N.  Y.,  Mary  McNally,  who  was  horn  in  Phila- 
delphia, daughter  of  John  and  Isabel  (Duncan) 
McNally. 

Isabel  Duncan  was  born  in  Scotland,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Wilson)  Dun- 
can, a  sister  of  the  eminent  Ornilhologist, 
Alexander  Wilson,  and  owing  to  objections 
made  by  her  father  to  her  intended  marriage, 
she  came  to  America  in  charge  of  Dr.  Galla- 
gher, who  became  an  eminent  Philadelphia 
physician.  John  McNally  was  born'  in  the 
North  of  Ireland,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  died  of  sickness  at  Fort  Erie. 
His  children  were  Mary,  William,  James, 
Catherine  and  Isabel. 


After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Wad- 
dell settled  on  a  farm  at  Crooked  Lake,  Steu- 
ben County,  N.  Y.,  and  after  a  residence  there 
of  ten  years,  moved  to  Michigan  and  settled 
on  an  eighty-acre  farm  in  Livingston  County. 
Mr.  Waddell  made  excellent  progress  toward 
improving  his  farm,  but  sixteen  months  later 
he  died  of  malarial  fever,  at  forty  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  in  politics  a  member  oi  the  Whig  party. 
He  was  a  man  of  excellent  moral  character, 
very  careful  and  clear  in  speech.  His  children 
were  Matilda,  Anna,  Margaret,  Mary,  Andrew, 
William  and  Isa~belia.  Mrs.  Waddell  lived  to 
be  nearly  ninety-four  years  of  age  and  died  in 
Steuben  County,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Margaret  (Waddell)  Bagley,  was  about 
ten  years  old  when  she  came  with  her  mother 
and  family  to  Michigan.  The  journey  was 
made  by  canal  and  lake  to  Detroit,  and  thence 
by  wagons  to  Livingston  County.  Mr.  Wad- 
dell had  removed  to  Michigan  a  few  weeks  in 
advance  of  his  family  and  had  built  a  log 
house  for  them  to  occupy  when  they  arrived. 
The  following  year,  after  Mr.  Waddell's  death, 
the  family  returned  to  New  York  State,  and 
Margaret  lived  with  her  grandmother  Waddell 
until  she  married  Mr.  Bagley.  She  had  re- 
ceived a  good  common-school  education  and 
inherited  a  love  of  literature,  having  been  from 
youth  accustomed  to  good  books,  and  her 
father's  instruction  in  zoology,  ornithology  and 
botany  proved  of  great  value  to  her.  She  well 
remembers  the  friendly  Pottawatomie  Indians 
who  often  visited  her  father's  house,  when  the 
family  first  moved  to  Michigan,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  trading  their  trinkets  for  food.  Mr. 
Bagley's  farm  was  on  the  Indian  trail  to  De- 
troit, where  the  Indians  went  for  ammunition 
and  supplies,  and  to  receive  their  annuities 
from  the  Government.  The  Indians  who  visited 
their  house  were  very  courteous,  the  excellent 
conduct  and  good  manners  of  the  Indian  chil- 
dren being  especially  noticeable  and  worthy  of 
mention. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bagley  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Chemung  County,  N.  Y.,  remain- 
ing one  year  and  then  (1851)  came  to  Illinois 
and  settled  at  Marengo,  where  he  engaged  in 
business,  buying  grain  and  produce.  The  fam- 
ily lived  at  Marengo  fourteen  years  and  then 
removed  to  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  where  Mr. 
Bagley  purchased  a  farm,  but  one  year  later 
they   returned   to   Marengo  and    shortly    after- 


674 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


wards  removed  to  Rockford,  where.  Mr.  Bagley 
engaged  in  the  nursery  business.  Eighteen 
months  later  (1874)  Mr.  Bagley  and  his  family 
moved  to  Harvard,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business,  afterwards  transferring  his 
business  to  Woodstock.  Mr.  Bagley  was  a 
highly  respected  citizen  and  a  very  successful 
man  in  business  transactions.  Politically  he 
was  a  Republican  and  held  the  office  of  Town 
Clerk  in  Marengo,  and  was  also  President  of 
the  Town  Board.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  was  a  deacon  in  the  church 
at  Marengo.  Mrs.  Bagley  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Their  children  in  order 
of  birth  were  as  follows:  Lue,  lAinna,  John 
Winslow,  Elmer  E,,  Mary  and  Ethel.  Those 
still  living  are  Anna  (Mrs.  Robert  Hall), 
Elmer  E.,  Mary  (Mrs.  C.  W.  Nims),  and  Ethel 
(Mrs.   Stuart   Saunders). 

Mrs.  Bagley  is  a  lady  of  wonderful  memory 
and  has  a  rich  store  of  knowledge  and  remin- 
iscence from  which  to  draw  upon.  The  his- 
tory of  her  life  is  a  history  of  thousands  of 
others  of  those  remarkable  pioneer  women, 
who  have  had  and  still  have  such  an  influence 
over  the  affairs  of  the  great  Middle  West. 


ELMER    ELLSWORTH     BAGLEY. 

Elmer  E.  Bagley,  one  of  the  prominent  busi- 
ness men  of  Woodstock,  was  born  at  Marengo, 
111.,  June  2,  1861,  son  of  John  Heman  and  Mar- 
garet (Waddell)  Bagley.  John  Bagley,  the 
grandfather,  was  a  farmer  residing  near  El- 
mira,  N.  Y..  and  descended  from  a  family  of 
Puritan  settlers  of  New  England.  In  his  old 
age  he  came  to  Marengo,  111.,  to  visit  his  son, 
John  Heman,  and  here  died  an  aged  man.  John 
Heman  Bagley,  the  father  of  Elmer  E.,  was 
born  in  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  July  27.  1824.  He  re- 
ceived a  limited  common-school  education,  be- 
came a  lumberman,  and  when  a  young  man, 
was  superintendent  of  a  lumber-mill  at  Corn- 
ing, N.  Y.  He  married  at  Paulding,  Steuben 
County.  N.  Y.,  Margaret  Waddell,  who  was 
born  in  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  25,  1826, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (McNally)  Wad- 
dell. Aifter  marriage,  in  1852,  Mr.  Bagley 
came  to  Illinois  and  bought  land  near  Aurora, 
and  in  1853,  settled  in  Marengo,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  grain  and  lumber  business.  In 
1866  he  bought  a  farm  of  200  acres  at  Lake 
Geneva,   Walworth   County,   Wis.    In    1874    he 


engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Harvard, 
111.,  and  two  years  later  opened  a  lumber  yard 
in  Woodstock,  continuing  in  this  business  until 
1883,  when  he  retired  from  active  business  and 
resided  at  Harvard  until  1894,  the  time  of  his 
death,  being  then  sixty-nine  years  of  age.  In 
political  opinion  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  and 
later  become  a  Republican.  He  was  an  hon- 
ored citizen  of  McHenry  County  and  served  as 
President  of  the  Village  Board  at  Marengo. 
He  was  never  an  office  seeker,  but  took  a  deep 
interest  in  national  politics,  and  read  exten- 
sively of  standard  historical  works  and  the 
press  of  his  day,  and  in  this  manner  became 
a  well-informed  man.  His  children  were  Lue, 
who  died  in  1895,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Swinney, 
of  Walworth,  Wis.;  Anna,  wife  of  Robert  Hall, 
of  Harvard.  III.;  John  H,  Jr.,  who  died  when 
twenty-eight  years  of  age;  Winifred,  who  died 
aged  six  years;  Elmer  Ellsworth;  Mary,  wife 
of  c.  W.  Nims,  of  Chicago,  and  Ethel  Maga*-et, 
wife  of  Stuart  Saunders,  of  Harvard,  111.  Mr. 
Bagley  was  a  practical  business  man  of  n\uch 
integrity  of  character,  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  gave  to  all  of  his  children  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  good  education. 

Elmer  E.  Bagley,  the  principal  subject  of 
this  article,  was  born  at  Marengo,  111..  June  2, 
1861,  and  educated  in  the  puollc  schools  of 
Marengo  and  the  High  School  at  Harvard.  He 
came  to  Woodstock  in  1881,  and  engaged  in 
the  lumber  and  feed  business  with  his  father, 
remaining  in  company  with  his  father  until  the 
fall  of  1883,  when  he  and  his  brother  John  suc- 
ceeded to  the  firm  of  J.  H.  Bagley  &  Son.  In 
1884  Elmer  E.  bought  out  his  brother's  inter- 
est, and  in  1886  sold  the  lumber  business  to  W. 
D.  Hall,  afterwards  gradually  entering  the 
wholesale  feed  and  grain  business,  in  which  he 
has  been  prosperous  and  is  still  engaged. 
In  1893  Mr.  Bagley  disposed  of  the  retail  de- 
partment of  his  business,  and  gradually  ex- 
tended his  wholesale  grain  business  through- 
out Northern  Illinois,  and  Southern  and  Cen- 
tral Wisconsin,  being  today  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative business  men  of  this  section  of 
country,  having  attained  a  marked  degree  of 
prosperity  and  success.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican  and  has  served  as  City  Treasurer 
of  Woodstock  one  term,  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  four  years,  President  of 
the  Board  of  Education  in  1900,  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  Woodstock  one  term. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


675 


and  at  the  present  time,  is  one  of  the  members 
of  the  Public  Library  Board.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Bagiey  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Wood- 
stock, and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  and  held 
the  office  of  Noble  Grand.  In  Woodstock,  111., 
Sept.  11,  1884,  he  was  married  to  Augusta 
Furer,  born  in  Woodstock,  Jan.  31,  1862,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  B.  and  Sophia  (Reimann)  Furer. 
Their  children  were:  John  H.,  born  Sept.  11, 
1888,  died  at  the  age  of  four  months;  Elmer  E., 
born  March  25,  1900.  In  1896  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bagiey  adopted  a  little  daughter,  Doris  Emma 
Mapes,  born  May  5,  1892,  whom  they  are  rais- 
ing as  a  member  of  their  family.  Mr.  Bagiey 
is  a  public-spirited  business  man  of  the  broad- 
minded  and  educated  type. 


HENRY   T.    BROWN,   M.   D. 

For  more  than  half  a  century,  Dr.  Brown  has 
been  one  of  the  successful  practitioners  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  surpassing,  in  point  of  time, 
that  of  any  other  physician  in  the  county.  His 
family  is  of  English  origin,  and  was  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Massachusetts.  Both  his 
grandfather  and  his  father  were  born  in  the 
town  of  North  Adams  in  that  State,  the  former 
being  a  farmer  and  the  latter  a  manufacturer 
of  woolens.  Benjamin  B.  Brown,  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  received  for  the  times, 
a  good  English  education,  and,  while  yet  a 
young  man,  removed  from  Massachusetts  to 
New  York,  where  he  married  Ann  L.  Way,  the 
daughter  of  Joshua  Way,  a  farmer  and  mill 
owner  of  Yates  County,  and  a  man  of  not  a 
little  local  influence.  For  several  years  Ben- 
jamin B.  Brown  manufactured  cloth  at  Penn 
Yan,  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards 
bought  a  farm  near  that  place.  He  first  came 
to  McHenry  County  in  the  spring  of  1837, 
rather  on  a  tour  of  prospection  than  with  a 
well-defined  purpose  of  settlement,  leaving  his 
wife  and  six  children  (among  them  being 
Henry  T.)  at  home.  There  he  found  his 
brother-in-law,  William  L.  Way,  who  had  al- 
ready found  a  home  there,  while  among  the 
other  pioneer  residents  of  the  new  country 
were  Dr.  Cristy  G.  Wheeler  and  family  and 
Henry  McLean,  the  last  named  having  gone  to 
Vandalia,  111.,  .to  bring  home  a  bride. 

Not.  long  after  his  arrival,  Benjamin  B. 
Brown  built  his  famed  "log-cabin  tavern," 
which  was  destined  to  become  one  of  the  his- 


toric hostelries  of  the  State.  Mrs.  Brown 
joined  him  in  1838,  leaving  their  children  tem- 
porarily in  the  care  of  the  lessee  of  their  farm, 
and  they  followed  their  parent  in  the  autumn 
of  1839.  The  tavern  conducted  by  Mr.  Brown 
was  regarded,  in  its  day,  as  a  paragon 
among  early  hostelries.  It  stood  upon  the  site 
of  the  present  Riverside  Hotel  in  McHenry, 
and  was  a  double  log  house  with  an  "L"  at- 
tached, part  of  the  structure  being  two  stories 
in  height.  The  two  houses  were  later  con- 
nected by  a  frame  structure,  and  a  part  of  it  is 
still  standing,  beyond  doubt  the  oldest  building 
in  the  county.  It  was  rambling  in  plan,  and 
its  appointments  were  of  that  primitive  sort 
to  be  expected  in  those  times,  yet  it  was  im- 
mensely popular  in  its  day.  Game  was 
abundant,  and  the  bountifully  spread  table  was 
laden  with  venison  and  wild  fowl.  The  first 
school  in  the  county  was  taught  in  one  of  its 
north  rooms,  and  in  its  upper  story  was  the 
first  court  room.  Around  its  capacious  old- 
time  fireplace,  with  its  huge  logs  and  its  mud- 
daubed  chimney  of  sticks,  were  wont  to  gather 
not  only  the  pioneers  and  land-seekers,  but 
judges,  lawyers  and  jurors  in  attendance  upon 
the  court,  and  the  tall  form  of  "Long  John" 
Wentworth  was  a  familiar  figure  at  every  term 
of  court.  Political  discussion  alternated  with 
reminiscent  stories,  while  wit  and  repartee, 
jokes  and  banter,  jollity  and  good  fellowship 
were  always  abundant.  It  was  beneath  its 
roof  that  Mrs.  Brown,  the  mother  of  Dr.  Henry 
T.,  passed  away  about  1842,  and  in  time  her 
widowed  husband  disposed  of  the  celebrated 
tavern  to  lead  a  more  quiet  life  in  the  village 
of  McHenry. 

He  wa.s  a  man  of  no  little  prominence,  popu- 
lar, respected  and  influential;  originally  a 
Democrat  of  the  most  pronounced  Jacksonian 
type,  he  was  in  1860  a  supporter  of  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  for  the  Presidency.  He  was  one  of 
the  earliest  County  Commissioners,  and  for 
many  years  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
first  Masonic  Lodge  in  McHenry  County,  and  a 
Knight  Templar.  In  his  old  age  he  removed 
to  Missouri  to  pass  his  declining  years  with  a 
son-in-law,  Oscar  Griswold,  at  whose  home  he 
passed  away  in  1866.  He  was  the  father  of  six 
children;  Reliance,  Susan,  Mary,  Henry  T., 
Homer  and  William  W. 

Dr.  Henry  T.  Brown,  the  venerable  and  ven- 


676 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


erated  physician  whose  long  and  honored 
career  forms  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  Manchester,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  1,  1823.  His 
early  education  was  as  good  as  was  afforded 
by  the  country  schools  of  his  home  and  time, 
and  while  yet  a  boy  he  began  life's  battle  as  a 
clerk  in  a  general  store  in  Penn  Yan.  He 
came  with  his  brothers  and  sisters  to  Mc- 
Henry  in  1839,  reaching  his  destination  on  his 
sixteenth  birthday.  The  journey  was  a  novel 
experience  for  the  young  travelers.  They  went 
by  canal  and  lake  to  Chicago,  but  from  that 
poiDt  they  were  uncertain  how  to  proceed. 
They  learned  of  the  existence  of  a  place  called 
Elgin  on  the  Fox  River,  and  as  Henry  hap- 
pened to  know  that  McHenry  was  situated 
north  of  Elgin,  they  hired  a  team  and  driver 
to  transport  them  thither  and  thence  to  their 
ultimate  destination,  which  they  reached  in 
safety.  His  father  at  that  time  owned  a  ferry 
across  the  Fox  River,  and  young  Henry  was 
given  the  post  of  ferryman,  his  duties  consist- 
ing in  paddling  a  flat-bottomed  scow  from  one 
bank  to  the  other. 

He  had,  however,  a  latent  and  unslaked 
thirst  for  knowledge  and,  as  soon  as  circum- 
stances permitted,  he  entered  Slater's  Academy 
at  Ringwood,  where  he  remained  as  a  pupil  for 
six  years.  For  a  time  he  was  a  clerk  for  John 
W.  Smith,  the  purchaser  of  the  "Log-cabin 
Tavern"  from  his  father,  Benjamin  B.  Brown: 
yet  his  natural  talent  was  toward  the  study  of 
medicine,  and  in  1844  he  began  a  course  of 
reading  with  Dr.  James  McAllister,  then  a 
well-known  practitioner  of  Ringwood,  and, 
after  three  years  so  spent,  matriculated  at 
Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  from  which  in- 
stitution he  graduated  in  1850. 

The  California  gold  fever  was  then  epidemic, 
and  in  that  year  the  Doctor  made  one  of  a 
party  to  cross  the  plains  in  quest  of  the 
precious  metal.  He  was  accompanied  by 
Archelaus  Sias  (one  of  McHenry  County's 
earliest  pedagogues),  Augustus  Turner,  Horace 
Dwelley  and  Dr.  Theophilus  Fravel.  Besides 
an  abundant  supply  of  provisions,  clothing, 
bedding,  cooking  utensils,  etc.,  the  equipment 
of  the  party  consisted  of  two  large  wagons  and 
one  lighter  vehicle,  each  drawn  by  two  horses, 
an  additional  equine  being  taken  along  for  a 
case  of  emergency.  They  were  ferried  across 
the  Mississippi  at  Albany,  and  across  the  Mis- 
souri   at    the    point    where    Plattsmouth    now 


stands,  but  where  at  that  time  there  was  no 
settlement.  Thence  their  route  followed  the 
old  Mormon  trail,  along  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Platte.  Indians  were  numerous,  but  the 
party  reached  in  safety  the  district  of  Placer- 
ville,  then  known  by  the  suggestive,  if  not 
euphonious,  name  of  "Hangtown."  Here  Dr. 
Brown  alternately  mined  and  practiced  medi- 
cine, receiving  from  ten  to  eighteen  dollars  for 
an  ordinary  professional  visit,  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  dollars  for  a  trip  requiring  more 
time,  and  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred 
dollars  for  an  ordinary  surgical  operation. 
Wearying  of  the  life  in  two  years,  however, 
he  turned  his  face  homeward,  crossing  the 
Isihmus  by  mules,  proceeding  from  Aspinwall 
to  New  Orleans  by  steamer,  by  steamboat  to 
St.  Louis  and  thence  by  stage  to  McHenry. 
For  five  years  he  practiced  there  but  in  1857 
again  crossed  the  plains  overland,  going  as  far 
west  as  Pike's  Peak,  and  once  more  following 
the  dual  occupation  of  goldseeker  and  physi- 
cian. In  1858  he  once  more  returned  home, 
overland.  Buffalo  were  abundant  in  those 
days  and  the  doctor's  party  consumed  three 
days  in  passing  through  one  herd,  which 
spread  out  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The 
sight  was  wondrous,  but  the  teams  were  driven 
very  slowly  and  with  the  utmost  caution  to 
avoid  the  danger  of  starting  a  stampede,  which 
would  probably  have  proved  fatal  to  the  band 
of  homeward  bound  adventurers.  Since  his 
return  to  McHenry  in  1858,  the  doctor  has  re- 
mained there,  quickly  building  up  an  extensive 
and  lucrative  practice,  reaching  over  a  large 
territory.  His  recognized  skill  as  a  physician 
has  commended  him  to  the  unwavering  con- 
fidence, not  only  of  his  patients  but  of  the 
entire  community  in  which  his  useful  life  has 
been  passed. 

He  was  married  on  June  1,  1852,  at  McHenry, 
to  Almira  M.  Smith,  who  was  born  April  30, 
1831,  in  Johnson,  Vt.,  a  daughter  of  Abijah  and 
Thankful  (Griswold)  Smith.  Both  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Brown  are  members  of  the  Universalist 
church,  and  have  been  liberal  contributors 
towards  its  support  and  growth.  Politically 
Dr.  Brown  is  a  Republican. 

Two  children  have  blessed  this  union:  Adell 
and  Paul.  The  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Clarence  A.  Knight,  a  distinguished  member 
of  the  Chicago  Bar,  while  Mr.  Paul  Brown  is 
also  a  well-known  member  of  the  Chicago  bar. 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


677 


GORDON    LUCIUS   BECKLEY. 

Gordon  Lucius  Beckley  was  born  in  Utica, 
Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  May  29,  1838,  son  of 
Gordon  Lewis  and  Phoebe  (Barnes)  Beckley. 
When  an  infant  about  two  months  old  he  was 
brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents  and  raised 
among  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County.  He 
attended  school  in  a  log  building,  the  first 
school  house  in  the  Beckley  district,  and  when 
the  present  one  was  erected,  the  log  house 
was  sold  and  put  to  other  uses.  It  was  about 
twenty  feet  square,  built  of  round  logs  notched 
at  the  corners,  an  oak  shingle  roof,  board  floor, 
small  glass  windows,  a  stick  chimney,  daubed 
with  mud,  and  a  large  fire-place.  The  first 
teacher  whom  Mr.  Beckley  remembers,  was 
Amanda  McOmber,  and  later  one  of  his  in- 
structors was  a  Mr.  Randle.  Mr.  Beckley  at- 
tended school  in  this  primitive  structure  for 
several  years,  and  later  in  a  one-story  brick 
schoolhouse  in  the  same  district,  one-half  mile 
farther  east  and  in  which  a  school  is  still 
taught.  When  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  at- 
tended the  graded  school  at  Ringwood  for  one 
year,  his  teacher  being  William  Nichols,  who 
afterwards  held  the  office  of  County  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  of  McHenry  County.  Dur- 
ing Mr.  Beckley's  attendance  at  school,  he 
worked  on  the  farm  through  the  intervening 
summer  season.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  I, 
Fifty-second  Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  mus- 
tered into  the  service  Sept.  11,  ~o61,  at  Geneva, 
111.,  and  served  three  years  under  the  following 
company  officers:  J.  T.  Brown,  Thomas  Thomp- 
son, S.  D.  Davis  and  A.  W.  Wilborn.  He  was 
honorably  discharged  in  January,  1863,  at  Pu- 
laski, Tenn.,  but  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  in 
the  same  organization  and  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  being  mustered  out  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  in  July,  1865.  Mr.  Beckley  partici- 
pated in  the  following  battles:  Fort  Donelson, 
Shiloh,  Siege  of  Corinth,  Iuka,  Corinth,  Hat- 
chie,  Town  Creek,  Bear  Creek,  Resaca, 
Lay's  Ferry,  Rome  Cross  Roads,  Dallas,  Cal- 
houn Cross  Roads,  Mill's  Creek,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, Decatur,  Atlanta,  Lovejoy  Station,  Jones- 
boro,  Altoona,  Bentonville,  and  battles  in  Sher- 
man's famous  march  to  the  sea,  and  took  part 
in  the  grand  review  at  Washington.  He  was  in 
twenty-two  hard  fought  battles  and  many 
skirmishes.  During  the  famous  Atlanta  cam- 
paign the  Union  troops  were  under  fire  nearly 


four  months,  day  and  night,  and  in  Sherman's 
memorable  march  to  the  sea,  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  skirmish  fighting  and  foraging,  and  on 
the  return  march  to  Washington,  the  Union 
soldiers  made  one  of  the  longest  and  quickest 
marches  in  history.  In  January,  1863,  Mr.  Beck- 
ley was  promoted  for  gallant  and  meritorious 
conduct,  and  when  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran, 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Second  Lieutenant 
in  Company  I,  and  served  in  this  capacity  un- 
til mustered  out  of  service.  Although  in 
so  many  battles,  Mr.  Beckley  was  never 
wounded.  He  took  part  in  all  of  the  battles 
and  skirmishes  of  his  regiment,  and  was  in  all 
their  campaigns  and  marches,  except  the  one 
from  Pittsburg  Landing  to  Corinth,  being  at 
that  time  in  the  hospital  sick  with  pneumonia 
and  typhoid  fever.  He  was  taken  sick  at 
Pittsburg  Landing  and  was  in  the  field  hos- 
pital two  weeks,  when  he  was  removed  to  the 
hospital  in  St.  Louis  and,  after  one  month's 
treatment,  allowed  to  go  home  on  a  sick  fur- 
lough for  thirty  days.  Mr.  Beckley  describes 
the  battle  of  Corinth  as  the  hardest  fought  of 
any  of  the  engagements  in  which  he  took  part. 
His  regiment  lost  heavily,  and  in  the  battle  of 
Corinth,  a  ball  passed  between  the  visor  of 
his  cap  and  his  forehead.  In  July,  1865,  he 
returned  to  McHenry  County  and  resumed  his 
former  occupation,  that  of  a  farmer.  July  4, 
1866,  he  married  Emily  Erwin  Wilson,  born  in 
Johnson,  Lamoille  County,  Vt.,  Feb.  11,  1836, 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Margaret  (Erwin) 
Wilson. 

Robert  Wilson  was  of  English  descent,  born 
in  New  Hampshire  and  the  son  of  Robert  Wil- 
son. He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  moved 
to  Michigan,  but  afterwards  returned  to  Ver- 
mont, where  he  died  in  1838.  The  family 
moved  to  McHenry  County    in  1855. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  Beckley  purchased  the 
Beckley  homestead,  where  he  and  Mrs.  Beck- 
ley lived  until  1892,  when  they  moved  to  Nunda 
and  bought  an  attractive  residence.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  Beckley  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  Post  Number  226,  at 
Nunda,  in  which  he  has  been  Commander  one 
term,  and  Quartermaster  eight  years,  the  lat- 
ter officer  being  Treasurer  of  the  Order.  Dur- 
ing his  services  in  the  Civil  War,  he  won  a  re- 
markable battle  record.  He  was  one  of  those 
soldiers  who  bore  the  brunt  of  the  fight,  and  it 
is  to  such  men  as  he  that  this  country  owes 


678 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


a  debt  of  gratitude  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union. 


JONATHAN  S.   BROWN. 

One  of  the  substantial  business  men  of  Ring- 
wood,  McHenry  County,  is  Jonathan  S.  Brown, 
the  son  of  Samuel  W.  and  Sophia  (Cogswell) 
Brown.  The  father,  who  was  a  pioneer  of 
Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County,  was  born 
at  Raymond,  N.  H.,  April  22,  1811,  the  son  of 
Levi  S.  and  Betsy  (Worthen)  Brown.  Levi  S. 
was  of  English  and  New  England  Puritan  an- 
cestry, his  father,  Levi  Brown,  being  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  War,  who  participated  in 
the  battles  of  Bennington  and  Bunker  Hill. 
The  powder-horn  which  he  carried  in  these 
famous  engagements  is  still  preserved  as  a 
precious  heirloom  by  the  family  and,  at  the 
present  time,  is  in  possession  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch. 

The  elder  Levi  Brown,  who  was  the  great- 
grandfather of  Jonathan  iS.,  was  a  pioneer  set- 
tler at  Raymond,  N.  H.,  and  lived  to  the  ex- 
traordinary age  of  one  hundred  years.  His 
son,  Levi  S.,  was  a  farmer  at  Raymond,  and 
married  Belsy  Worthen.  Their  children  were: 
Samuel  W.  and  Levi — both  now  deceased.  Levi 
S..  the  father,  owned  a  good  farm  at  Raymond, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
He  died  in  the  town  of  Raymond.  Samuel  W., 
the  son  of  Levi  S.,  received  a  good  common- 
school  education  for  his  day,  studied  mathe- 
matics and  became  a  practical  surveyor.  He 
was  reared  as  a  farmer,  but  in  his  youth  learned 
the  business  of  a  machinist,  beginning  at 
Lowell,  Mass.,  when  fourteen  years  old.  Here 
he  was  engaged  for  several  years  in  the  con- 
struction of  railway  engines,  building  the  first 
engine  for  the  Boston  &  Lowell  Railroad  Com- 
pany. He  was  married  at  Dover,  N.  H.,  Aug. 
24,  1842,  to  Sophia  C.  Cogswell,  who  was  born 
at  Boscawen,  N.  H.,  June  9,  1822,  the  daughter 
of  Francis  and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Cogswell. 
Her  father  was  a  native  of  Dover,  N.H.,  and  was 
the  son  of  Col.  Amos  and  Mary  (Bell)  Cogswell 
— the  former  of  English  Puritan  stock  and  an 
officer  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  who  received 
the  surrender  of  an  English  vessel.  He  was 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Dover  and  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety  years.  His  sword  was  brought 
West  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Brown,  and  is  yet 
in    possession    of    the    family.        His    children 


were:  Francis;  Lydia,  who  married  Paul  Went- 
worth,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  John  Went- 
worth,  who  was  prominent  in  i^nicago  history 
between  1836  and  1888;  Sophia,  who  married  a 
Mr.  Currier,  and  two  others  whose  names  are 
not  remembered. 

Francis  Cogswell  received  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation, graduating  at  Portsmouth.  N.  H.,  studied 
law  and  finally  settled  at  Boscawen,  N.  H., 
where  he  engaged  in  practice  and  also  owned 
a  farm.  His  children  were:  Amos,  George, 
Lydia,  Annette  and  Joseph.  He  was  a  sub- 
stantial and  respected  citizen  and.  in  his  old 
age,  in  company  with  his  wife,  visited  Owa- 
tonna,  Minn.,  where  their  children  had  settled, 
and  where  he  died  at  the  patriarchal  age  of 
ninety-six  years.  His  wife  died  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  They  were  both  members  of  the 
Congregational  church,  and  he  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  War  of  1812. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  W. 
Brown  settled  in  Raymond,  N.  H.,  where  he 
owned  a  half  interest  in  a  saw,  shingle  and 
grist-mill,  the  remaining  interest  belonging 
to  his  uncles.  His  family  then  consisted  of  his 
wife  and  three  children:  Jonathan  S.,  Francis 
and  Jane,  all  born  in  New  Hampshire.  They 
came  to  Illinois  in  1849,  arriving  in  Hebron 
Township,  May  3d  of  that  year,  making  the 
journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Waukegan, 
and  thence  by  teams  to  their  destination. 
Here  he  bought  160  acres  of  partly  improved 
land  upon  which  he  made  further  improve- 
ments, by  additions  increasing  his  holding  to 
over  200  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  and  in  poli- 
tics he  was  originally  a  Jacksonian  Democrat, 
becoming  a  Republican  of  the  Lincoln  school 
on  the  organization  of  that  party.  In  1850  he 
was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Hebron,  serving 
eleven  years ;  was  Supervisor  for  Hebron  Town- 
ship ten  years,  served  as  Deputy  Surveyor  of 
McHenry  County,  and  for  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  besides  being  a  member  of  the  School 
Board  and  discharging  the  duties  of  Notary 
Public  for  maDy  years.  His  death  occurred 
in  December,  1888,  at  the  age  of  about  seventy- 
seven  years. 

Jonathan  S.  Brown,  whose  name  heads  this 
article,  was  born  in  Raymond,  N.  H.,  Jan.  11. 
1841,  and  was  only  six  years  of  age  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  McHenry  County.    He 


^P04i4A4£jf  //$>, 


prtA/h 


.•■-•, 


INOI& 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


679 


received  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
and  Genoa  Junction  High  School,  was  well 
drilled  in  the  higher  mathematics,  and  having 
fitted  himself  as  a  surveyor,  followed  this  occu- 
pation in  conjunction  with  his  father  some 
fifteen  years,  serving  during  a  part  of  this  time 
as  Deputy  Surveyor  under  Surveyor  John  Brink. 
He  always  carried  on  the  business  of  farm- 
ing, however,  until  some  eight  years  ago,  resid- 
ing on  the  Brown  homestead.  On  September 
4,  1861,  he  was  married  in  Hebron  Township 
to  Maryette  Stewart,  who  died  four  years  later. 
On  Dec.  19,  1875,  he  married  as  his  second 
wife;  Emma  Rugg,  who  was  born  at  Linn,  Wis., 
Oct.  9,  1855,  the  daughter  of  "William  and 
Hannah  Rugg.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brown  settled  on  his  farm  in  Hebron  Town- 
ship, remaining  until  1893,  when  he  removed 
to  Ringwood  to  educate  his  children,  building 
there  an  attractive  residence.  In  1900  he  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business,  erecting  a  com- 
modious building  for  this  purpose.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  has 
served  fourteen  years  as  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
being  first  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  Hebron 
Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  are  parents 
of  two  children:  Florence  and  Samuel  W.  Mr. 
Brown  well  sustains  the  high  reputation  for 
sterling  integrity  and  usefulness  as  a  citizen 
established  by  his  pioneer  father. 

Sketches  of  the  children  of  Samuel  W.  and 
Sophia    (Cogswell)    Brown: 

Francis  C.  Brown  was  born  at  Raymond,  N. 
H.,  April  22,  1842;  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  studied  surveying  and  was 
engaged  in  the  business  of  a  surveyor  with  his 
father,  whose  surveying  instruments  he  inher- 
ited. He  married  Mary  Clarke,  of  Bixby, 
Steele  County,  Minn.,  and  they  have  had  three 
children,  viz.:  Charles,  Harry  and  Edna.  Mr. 
Brown  is  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  in  Steele 
County,  Minn. 

Jane  B.  Brown  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
Oct.  28,  1840.  She  married  Lewis  Ellington,  a 
bank  cashier  of  Crookston,  Minn.,  and  they 
have  one  son,  Elmer. 

George  W.  Brown  was  born  on  the  old  home- 
stead in  McHenry  County,  April  11,  1851.  He 
married  Mary  Widsteen,  of  Greenwood,  Mc- 
Henry County,  and  they  have  four  children: 
Robert,  Evaline,  Irvin  and  Floyd.      George  W. 


is  a  business  man  of  Port  Townsend,  Washing- 
ton. 

Mrs.  Samuel  W.  Brown,  who  still  survives, 
has  four  grand-children  who  are  married: 
Charles,  son  of  Francis  C,  who  lives  in  Steele 
County,  Minn.;  Harry,  a  farmer  of  the  same 
county,  who  has  two  daughters  and  one  son; 
and  Florence  (daughter  of  Jonathan  iS.),  who 
married  Amos  W.  Smith,  a  substantial  farmer 
of  McHenry  County,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Mary. 


JOHN   EDMUND   BECKLEY. 

Captain  John  Edmund  Beckley,  an  honored 
citizen  of  Nunda,  McHenry.  County,  and  a  vet- 
eran of  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union,  is  of  Puritan  and  New  England  ances- 
try, the  progenitor  of  the  American  branch 
of  the  family  having  settled  at  an  early  day 
in  Connecticut.  The  earliest  representative 
of  the  family,  of  whom  any  record  is  now  at 
tainable,  was  Richard  Beckley,  who  died  July  3, 
1760,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  leaving  three 
sons  named  John,  Benjamin  and  Nathaniel. 
Nathaniel,  the  last  named  of  these  children, 
had  a  son  Daniel,  who  also  had  a  son  by  the 
same  name,  and  Daniel  (2)  had  a  son  known 
as  Daniel  (3).  Daniel  (3)  was  the  father  of 
Dr.  Daniel  Beckley,  a  patriot  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  and  grandfather  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  Dr.  Beckley's  father  died 
March  4,  1760,  aged  thirty-six  years  and  his 
wife  July  10,  1773,  aged  forty-six.  Dr.  Daniel 
Beckley  was  born  at  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  June 
11,  1758,  and  died  Nov.  9,  1843,  aged  eighty- 
five,  and  his  wife,  Levia..  Feb.  16,  1797.  He 
fought  under  Washington  at  Trenton,  N.  J., 
and  also  took  part  in  the  battle  on  Long  Is- 
land. After  the  Revolutionary  War  he  studied 
medicine  and  practiced  his  profession  in  Con- 
necticut ;  was  also  a  classical  scholar  and  a 
superior  penman.  His  family  Bible — which  be- 
longed to  an  edition  published  in  Philadelphia 
in  1807,  and  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $6.00,  Dec. 
7,  1808 — is  now  in  possession  of  Captain  Beck- 
ley, and  contains  not  only  the  family  record, 
but  the  constitution  of  the  "Family  Temper- 
ance Society,"  one  of  the  earliest  organizations 
of  the  kind  in  the  United  States,  of  which  Dr. 
Beckley  was  a  member.  The  volume  bears 
evidence  of  having  been  much  read  and  many 


680 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


passages  upon  which  the  original  owner  evi- 
dently loved  to  dwell,  retain  marks  and  anno- 
tations by  his  hand. 

Gordon  Lewis  Beckley,  the  son  of  Dr.  Daniel 
Beckley,  was  born  at  Waterbury,  Conn.,  and 
received  a  limited  education.  His  mother  hav- 
ing died  when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  he  was 
"bound  out"  to  learn  the  cabinet-maker's  trade. 
October  25,  1815,  he  married  Phoebe  Barnes, 
born  at  Granby,  Conn.,  July  15,  1794,  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Barnes.  Gordon  L.  Beck- 
ley was  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  State 
militia,  and  was  in  the  United  States  service 
during  the  War  of  1812,  being  for  a  time 
stationed  at  Ft.  Philip  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Thames  River,  Conn.,  and  participating  in  the 
engagement  there.  After  marriage  Mr.  Beck- 
ley worked  at  liis  trade  several  years  at 
Granby,  and  later  lived  in  the  town  of  Greene, 
Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  until  1838,  when  he 
came  to  McHenry  County  and  located  on  a 
claim  of  160  acres,  about  two  miles  north  of 
Nunda  village  in  what  is  now  Nunda  Township. 
He  improved  his.-,  farm,  to  which  he  made  addi- 
tions until  he  owned  200  acres,  and  spent  here 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  In  early  life  he 
was  a  Universalist  and  always  liberal  in  his 
religious  views.  The  first  post-office  estab- 
lished in  his  neighborhood  was  located  in  his 
house,  and  he  had  charge  of  it  as  deputy  post- 
master. Originally  a  Whig,  in  1856  he  became 
a  Republican.  The  children  of  George  L.  and 
Phoebe  (Barnes)  Beckley  were:  Sylvia  M.,  born 
Feb.  24,  1819;  Edgar  L.,  born  Dec.  7,  1823;  John 
Edmund,  born  April  11,  1826;  Levi  P.,  born 
Feb.  22,  1833,  and  Gordon  Lucius,  born  May  29, 
1838,  besides  several  who  died  in  infancy.  Two 
sons  of  Gordon  L.  Beckley  served  as  soldiers 
in  the  Civil  War.  One  of  these,  Gordon  L.,  Jr., 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Fifty-second  Regi- 
ment Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  was  later 
promoted  to  a  lieutenancy,  veteranized  and 
served  nearly  four  years,  taking  part  in  the 
"March  to  the  Sea"  under  Sherman.  The 
other  was  John  Edmund,  the  suiiject  of  this 
sketch,  whose  record  will  be  given  more  fully 
hereafter. 

Captain  John  Edmund  Beckley  was  an  in- 
fant when  his  parents  removed  from  Connect- 
icut to  New  York,  and  twelve  years  old  when 
they  came  to  Illinois.  He  well  remembers  the 
latter  journey,  which  was  by  way  of  the  Chen- 


ango Canal  to  Utica  and  by  the  Erie  Canal  to 
Buffalo,  thence  by  lake  steamer  to  Chicago,  the 
voyage  occupying  eleven  days.  The  journey 
by  hired  team  from  Chicago  to  McHenry 
County,  largely  through  an  unsettled  country, 
consumed  five  days.  After  coming  to  McHenry 
County  Captain  Beckley  spent  two  winters  in 
a  school  in  the  Button  neighborhood,  was  a 
pupil  for  five  winter  terms  at  the  Nunda  school, 
then  spent  one  winter  in  Fowler's  Academy 
near  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and,  later,  was  a  student 
during  one  winter  term  in  a  select  school  kept 
by  Hiram  Clark,  in  Woodstock.  He  then  be- 
came a  teacher  for  six  successive  winters,  hav- 
ing charge  of  schools  at  Nunda  and  Ridgefield. 
October  22,  1854,  Capt.  Beckley  was  married 
at  Nunda,  to  Emma  C.  Mack,  who  was  born  at 
Sidney  Center,  N.  Y.,  March  16,  1855,  the 
daughter  of  Abner  and  Huldah  (Watrous) 
Mack.  Soon  after  marriage  he  settled  on  a 
tract  of  160  acres  of  land,  one-fourth  of  which 
was  a  part  of  his  father's  estate,  the  re- 
mainder having  been  purchased  by  him.  In  a 
business  way  he  has  been  successful,  and 
previous  to  his  retirement  from  active  business 
life  in  1884,  had  accumulated  a  comfortable 
competence. 

In  August,  1862,  Mr.  Beckley  took  an  active 
part  in  the  organization  of  the  Ninety-fifth  Reg- 
iment Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  response  to 
the  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  600,000  men. 
Of  the  ten  companies  composing  the  regiment 
seven  were  credited  to  McHenry  County  and 
three  to  Boone.  The  regiment  was  organized 
with  Hon.  Lawrence  S.  Church,  of  WoodstocK, 
as  Colonel,  Thomas  W.  Humphrey,  of  De  Kalb 
County,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Leander  Blan- 
den  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  Major,  and 
formally  mustered  into  the  service  at  Camp 
Fuller,  Rockford,  Sept.  4,  1862.  Aoout  one-half 
of  a  company  had  been  enlisted  largely  through 
the  efforts  of  Mr.  Beckley  from  Nunda  Town- 
ship, and  uniting  this  with  a  part  of  a  company 
raised  by  E.  J.  Cook,  the  result  was  the  forma- 
tion of  Company  D,  which  organized  by  the 
election  of  Mr.  Cook  as  Captain  and  Mr.  Beck- 
ley as  First  Lieutenant.  The  election  of  Mr 
Cook  to  the  captaincy  of  the  company  was  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  and  advice  of  Mr. 
Beckley,  because  of  the  previous  military  ex- 
perience of  the  former.  Captain  Cook  having 
died  as  the  result  of  wounds  received  in  the 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


6S1 


assault  on  Vicksburg,  on  May  22,  1863,  Lieu- 
tenant Beckley  was  promoted  to  succeed  him, 
his  commission  bearing  date  June  11,  1863. 
The  service  of  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  was 
memorable  for  its  activity  and  the  large  num- 
ber of  important  campaigns  and  engagements 
in  which  it  participated,  as  well  as  the  vast 
extent  of  country  over  which  it  traveled. 
Leaving  Camp  Fuller  for  the  field  early  in  No- 
vember, 1862,  it  soon  after  reported  to  General 
Hurlbut,  at  Grand  Junction,  Tenn.,  and  was 
assigned  to  General  McArthur's  Division,  Thir- 
teenth Army  Corps.  Movements  in  which  it 
still  later  took  part  included  Gen.  Grant's  ad- 
vance into  Northern  Mississippi  in  the  fall  of 
1862,  with  the  battle  of  Tallahatchie;  the 
Vicksburg  campaign  of  1863,  including  the  bat- 
tles of  Grand  Gulf,  Raymond,  and  Champion 
Hills,  with  the  assaults  at  Vicksburg  of  May 
19th  and  22d,  and  the  operations  about  Natchez. 
Capt.  Beckley  was  with  that  portion  of  the  reg- 
iment that  took  part  in  the  Red  River  expe- 
dition, and  was  at  the  capture  of  Fort  De 
Russey,  and  also  in  the  ill-fated  Guntown,  Miss., 
affair,  where  he  was  wounded.  Later,  he  took 
part  in  the  campaign  in  Arkansas  and  the  pur- 
suit of  Price  through  Missouri  in  the  fall  of 
1864,  and  the  operations  against  Hood  about 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  which  culminated  in  the  bat- 
tles of  December  15th  and  16th.  In  the  spring 
of  1865,  he  saw  active  duty  on  the  Gulf  coast, 
participating  in  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort 
and  Fort  Blakely  which  resulted  in  the  sur- 
render of  Mobile  in  the  last  days  of  the  war. 

After  the  war  his  regiment  performed  gar- 
rison duty  at  various  points  in  Alabama  and 
elsewhere  in  the  Gulf  States.  Its  numbers 
having  by  this  time  been  seriously  depleted 
by  hard  service,  on  Aug.  25,  1865,  the  recruited 
portion  of  the  regiment  was  transferred  to  the 
Forty-seventh  Illinois,  the  remainder  being 
mustered  out  at  Springfield,  111.  The  Forty- 
seventh  was  mustered  out  at  Selma,  Ala.,  Jan. 
21,  1866,  During  its  term  of  service  the  Ninety- 
fifth  traveled  9,960  miles. 

In  March,  1864,  Captain  Beckley.  in  command 
of  a  detachment  from  the  Ninety-fifth,  escorted 
some  300  Confederate  prisoners,  captured  at 
Fort  De  Russey,  to  New  Orleans,  and  a  written 
testimonial  from  the  Confederate  officers  of 
the  party,  to  the  kind  treatment  received  at 
the  hands  of  Captain  Beckley  and  the  troops 


under  his  command,  constitutes  one  of  the 
treasured  mementoes  of  his  war  experience. 
Another  experience  of  a  more  painful  character 
was  an  injury  received  by  Captain  Beckley  from 
a  sliver  of  a  shell  which  struck  him  on  the 
forehead  during  the  battle  at  Guntown,  Miss., 
which  has  finally  resulted  in  total  deafness. 
During  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  Capt.  Beck- 
ley had  charge  of  a  tunnel  and  mines  under  the 
Confederate  works,  and  four  of  his  men  were 
killed  by  hand-grenades  thrown  by  the  enemy. 
Captain  Beckley  is  a  Republican  and  has  ex- 
ercised much  influence  in  local  affairs.  For  a 
time  previous  to  the  Civil  War  he  held  the 
office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  administered 
the  oath  to  the  recruits  who  enlisted  in  his 
company. 

Captain  and  Mrs.  John  E.  Beckley  have 
children  named  Frank,  Phoebe,  Fanny,  Major 
H.,  Welcome,  Gordon  and  Clara.  Mrs.  Beck- 
ley's  father,  Abner  Mack,  was  a  son  of  Joel 
and  Susan  (Andrus)  Mack,  of  Harpersfield, 
N.  Y.  Joel  Mack  enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution  before  he  was  sixteen  years  old, 
and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war,  taking  part 
in  the  battle  of  Monmouth  and  many  other  his- 
toric engagements.  Returning  to  Harpersfield 
after  the  war,  he  had  charge  of  a  hotel  there 
until  his  death  at  seventy  years  of  age.  His 
son  Abner  was  born  at  Harpersfield,  June  12, 
1785,  and  married  there  Sept.  4,  1814,  Huldah 
Watrous,  who  was  a  native  of  Ridgefield,  Conn., 
born  June  18,  1794,  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Sarah  (Boughton)  Watrous.  James  Watrous, 
born  in  Connecticut,  lived  at  Harpersfield,  N. 
Y.,  as  early  as  1813,  and  died  at  Windsor,  N. 
Y.,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  Abner  Mack, 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Beckley,  kept  ine  hotel  at 
Harpersfield  until  about  1832,  when  he  moved 
to  Sidney  Center,  N.  Y.,  and  from  there,  in  1848, 
to  Nunda,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  took  part  in  the  "Anti-rent 
war"  in  New  York.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Democrat.  He  died  on  his  farm  in  Nunda 
Township,  McHenry  County,  in  1871,  in  the 
eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abner  Mack  were:  James  R., 
Susan,  William,  Joel,  Frederick,  Hannah,  Rich- 
ard, Emilia,  Emma,  Francis  and  one  who  died 
in  infancy. 


G82 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


DEXTER    BARROWS. 

This  venerable  and  respected  citizen  of  Har- 
vard is  one  of  the  oldest  pioneers  of  Dunham 
Township  now  living.  His  date  of  settlement 
is  1839.  Mr.  Barrows  descends  from  old  Co- 
lonial Vermont  stock,  and  fi-om  English  Puri- 
tan ancestors.  Alfred  Barrows,  his  grand- 
father, was  a  farmer  of  Orange  County,  Vt., 
who  served  his  country  in  the  war  of  the  Revo- 
lution. He  married  and  of  his  children,  Ora, 
Alfred  and  Sally  are  remembered.  He  died  in 
Vermont. 

Alfred  Barrows,  son  of  the  above  and  father 
of  Dexter  Barrows,  was  born  in  Orange  County, 
Vt.,  about  1789,  and  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  on  the  Onion  River  in  Northern 
Vermont.  His  brother,  Ora,  was  also  in  this 
war.  Alfred  Barrows  married  Esther  Dexter 
in  Vermont,  in  the  town  of  Pomfret,  where  she 
was  born.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution  who  served  seven  years  and 
was  in  many  battles.  He  was  taken  prisoner 
and  was  confined  on  board  of  a  British  prison 
ship.  After  marriage  he  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Thetford,  Vt.,  which  he  cleared  up  from  the 
primeval  forest.  His  children  were  Maria, 
Percy,  Dexter,  Isaac  (who  died  young),  Sarah 
(who  died  a  young  married  woman),  Aaron  and 
Asa.  Mr.  Barrows  moved  to  Illinois  in  184G, 
after  his  son  Dexter  had  settled  in  Dunham 
Township.  Here  he  bought  eighty  acres  of 
unimproved  land  and  built  a  frame  house.  His 
wife  died  the  same  season  and  he  sold  out 
and  returned  to  Vermont,  but  in  his  old  age 
he  returned  and  lived  with  his  children.  He 
reached  the  great  age  of  ninety-four  years  and 
died  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Maria  Moore.  In  political  opinions  Mr.  Bar- 
rows was  first  a  Democrat  and  later  one  of  the 
original  Republicans.  He  was  a  man  who  had 
worked  hard  all  his  active  life  and  was  re- 
spected by  all  as  an  upright  citizen. 

Dexter  Barrows,  of  whom  we  write,  was  born 
in  Thetford,  Orange  County,  Vt.,  Nov.  4,  1814. 
He  received  the  usual  district-school  education 
and  worked  on  the  farm  when  he  was  young. 
At  about  twenty  years  of  age  he  went  to  Rox- 
bury,  Mass.,  and  worked  for  a  Dr.  Robbins  four 
years.  He  carefully  saved  his  money,  draw- 
ing but  seven  dollars  during  this  time.  He 
took  a  note  at  the  end  of  each  year  and  haa 
$750  saved  up  when  the  four  years  were  com- 


pleted. In  September,  1839,  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and,  besides  his  own  money,  brought 
$800  for  Jonathan  Moore,  his  brother-in-law, 
who  had  settled  in  Kane  county,  111.,  two  years 
previously.  Mr.  Barrows  made  the  journey 
west  by  means  of  stage  to  Whitehall  and  a 
packet  on  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  thence  by 
steamboat  to  Chicago,  where  he  arrived  Sept. 
9,  1839.  Ha  then  went  by  team  to  St.  Charles. 
111.,  and  with  his  brother-in-law  looked  over  the 
country  for  land,  and  finally  selected  land  in 
Dunham  Township,  McHenry  County.  Mr.  Bar- 
rows entered  his  land  at  the  United  States 
Government  Land  office  at  $1.25  per  acre.  It 
consisted  of  320  acres  of  unimproved  prairie 
and  timber  land  on  Section  9.  Mr.  Moore 
bought    400    acres    adjoining    Section    8. 

Mr.  Barrows  returned  with  Mr.  Moore  to 
St..  Charles,  where  they  sawed  a  quantity  of 
lumber  for  building  purposes.  Mr.  Barrows 
hauled  this  lumber  forty  miles  to  his  claim, 
driving  a  yoke  of  oxen  with  a  span  of  horses 
in  the  lead.  There  was  no  track  part  of  the 
way  and  he  found  his  way  through  the  timber 
by  a  blazed  trail,  and  from  Marengo  they  fol- 
lowed practically  the  same  road  that  is  now 
used.  From  Kishwaukee  to  Big  Foot  there 
was  an  Indian  trail.  That  winter  Mr.  Barrows 
hauled  enough  lumber  to  his  claim  to  make 
the  floors,  doors  and  roof  of  a  log  house.  In 
March  Mr.  Moore  moved  to  his  claim  and  they 
both  built  log  houses.  In  June  following  Mr. 
Barrows  broke  twelve  acres  of  land.  In  Sep- 
tember he  returned  to  Vermont  and  went  to 
Stratham,  N.  H.,  for  his  wife,  but  they  were 
married  at  his  father's  in  Thetford,  the  two 
places  being  near  the  State  line.  He  was  mar- 
ried during  the  first  days  of  October,  1840,  to 
Olive  E.  Simpson,  who  was  born  at  Stratham, 
N.  H.,  in  1816,  the  daughter  of  David  and  La- 
vina  Simpson,  David  Simpson  was  a  farmer 
and  well-to-do  for  his  day.  He  lived  to  the 
venerable  age  of  about  eighty  years.  His 
children  were  David,  Horatio,  George.  LaFay- 
ette,  Nancy,  Dollv,  Lavina.  Olive  E..  Jane  and 
Harriet. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barrows  came 
directly  west  in  October.  1840.  by  way  of  the 
Erie  Canal  and  the  great  lakes.  Mr.  Barrows 
settled  on  his  land,  worked  hard  and  prospered 
by  good  management,  erected  substantial  farm 
buildings   and  had  a  fine  farm.     He   was  one 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


683 


of  the  Commissioners  of  McHenry  County  a.s 
early  as  1845,  serving  three  years  and  proving 
an  efficient  officer.  He  was  Supervisor  of 
Dunham  Township  for  ten  years,  serving 
throughout  the  Civil  War  times,  and  for  twenty- 
seven  years  served  as  Highway  Commissioner. 
He  was  prominent  in  keeping  Dunham  free 
from  draft  during  the  Civil  War  and  was  an 
efficient  and  public-spirited  man.  In  political 
opinions  he  was  in  early  life  a  strong  Jackson- 
ian  Democrat,  and  voted  that  ticket  twenty -two 
years,  but  for  the  past  forty-four  years  he  has 
been  a  stanch  Republican.  He  voted  for  John 
C,  Fremont,  the  first  Republican  Presidential 
candidate,  and  for  the  immortal  Lincoln.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
for  sixty-one  years,  joining  the  first  Methodist 
class  in  Dunham  Township  and  was  afterwards 
class-leader,  and  has  always  been  a  prominent 
member  of  his  church.  He  assisted  to  build 
the  first  Methodist  church  in  Dunham  Town- 
ship and  in  Chemung  Township,  and  has  as- 
sisted in  building  two  Methodist  churches  in 
Harvard.  He  has  been  very  liberal  in  the 
support  of  his  church.  His  children  are  as 
follows:  Sarah  Elizabeth,  George  D.,  who  died 
a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War;  Dexter  S. ;  Darwin 
A.;  Adelbert  A.;  Alvin  H.,  Harvey  H.,  and 
Lewis  B.  Mrs.  Barrows  died  June  29,  1881. 
She  was  a  devout  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  a  pioneer  woman  of  many  virtues. 

Mr.  Barrows  married  the  second  time,  Aug. 
15,  1883,  Mrs.  Catherine  (Hill)  Kellogg,  a  widow 
lady,  nee  Catharine  Hill.  She  was  born  Sept. 
6,  1834,  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Mary  (Hainer) 
Hill. 

Patrick  Hill  was  of  American  ancestry  of 
English  descent.  He  was  born  in  New  York 
State.  Mary  Hainer,  his  wife,  was  of  a  Penn- 
sylvania Dutch  family,  born  in  Rensselaer 
County,  N.  Y.  Patrick  Hill  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade  and  also  a  farmer  of  Saratoga  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  reared  his  family.  His  children 
were  Clarissa,  Catherine,  Isaiah,  Elizabeth, 
William,  Harvey  and  Simon.  He  moved  to  Illi- 
nois in  1839  and  settled  on  Bonus  Prairie, 
Boone  County,  111.,  where  he  improved  a  farm 
of  160  acres.  In  his  old  age  he  moved  to 
Harvard  and  retired,  where  he  died  July  4, 
1867.  He  was  born  Dec.  6,  1802,  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church  and  class-leader  in 
New  York  State  for  many  years.    He  had  three 


sons  in  the  Civil  War — Isaiah,  William  and 
Simon. 

Mrs.  Catherine  (Hill)  Barrows  was  first  mar- 
ried in  Boone  County,  111.,  to  Henry  Kellogg, 
June  2,  1858.  Mr.  Kellogg  was  a  farmer,  born 
in  New  York  State,  son  of  Joseph  Kellogg,  and 
came  west  when  a  young  man.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kellogg  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Boone  County,  and  here  he  died  Nov.  5,  1860. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
a  man  of  upright  character.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kellogg  were  the  parents  of  ^~e  daughter, 
Mary  Olive.  After  the  death  of  her  husband, 
Mrs.  Kellogg  returned  home  and  cared  for  her 
aged  parents.  They  came  to  Harvard  during 
the  Civil  War.  Mrs.  Barrows  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church  for  many  years, 
joining  at  fifteen  years  of  age.  She -is  a  lady 
of  high  character  and  has  many  friends. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barrows  have  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence and  are  among  the  most  respected  citi- 
zens of  Harvard.  Mr.  Barrows  is  one  of  the 
pioneers  who  were  foremost  in  the  early  set- 
tlement of  McHenry  county.  To  such  men  as 
these,  the  country  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude 
which  it  is  unable  to  pay.  A  historical  society 
should  be  founded  in  McHenry  county  to  pre- 
serve the  records  and  portraits  of  the  pioneers 
before  the  matter  now  obtained  is  scattered 
and    the   opportunity    lost. 

Mr.  Barrows  relates  many  reminiscences  of 
pioneer  days.  He  passed  over  the  site  of  Wood- 
stock with  teams  during  the  winter  of  1839-40, 
when  there  was  no  house  within  two  miles  of 
it,  finding  his  way  by  a  blazed  trail.  There 
was  then  no  settlement  at  Harvard.  During 
the  winter  of  1842  Mr.  Burrows  hauled  pork 
to  Chicago  and  sold  it  for  one  and  one-half 
cents  per  pound.  The  trip  occupied  three  and 
one-half  days  with  horses  and  wagon.  Mr. 
Barrows  is  an  honored  citizen  of  the  county 
and  has  served  on  the  grand  jury  many  times. 


RUFUS  BROWN. 

Rufus  Brown,  one  of  the  few  remaining 
pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  comes  of  ster- 
ling New  England  ancestry  who  came  from 
England  and  settled  in  Connecticut  in  the 
early  colonial  period.  David  Brown,  the 
father    of    Rufus,    was    born    in    Connecticut, 


684 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


where  he  was  raised  on  his  father's  farm  and 
received  a  good  common-school  education.  He 
had  two  brothers — Rufus  and  Simeon — and  one 
sister,  Lucy,  who  married  a  Mr.  Merriman. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  David  Brown 
went  to  New  York  State,  where  he  engaged  as 
a  teamster  for  a  tannery  at  Chenango  Forks, 
on  the  Onondaga  River,  and  hauled  leather 
from  that  point  into  Canada,  disposing  of  his 
commodity  at  the  place  last  mentioned.  He 
was  married  in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  to  Eliza 
Sutherland,  a  native  of  New  York  State  and 
a  daughter  of  David  Sutherland,  who  was  of 
sturdy  Holland-Dutch  stock.  After  marriage 
David  Brown  settled  at  Barker,  Broome 
County,  N.  Y.,  on  200  acres  of  unimproved  land, 
which  he  cleared  of  heavy  timber  and  con- 
verted it  into  a  well-improved  farm  and  com- 
fortable home,  making  subsequent  additions 
until  his  estate  consisted  of  300  acres.  Here 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  Mr.  Brown's 
first  wife  died  when  forty-seven  years  of  age, 
and  he  married  as  his  second  wife  Mariam 
Kenyon.  By  his  first  marriage  the  following 
named  children  were  born:  John,  Lott, 
George,  Robert,  Rufus  and  Franklin,  who  died 
in  California.  Of  these  children,  Robert  was 
captain  in  a  regiment  of  New  York  Infantry 
during  the  Civil  War,  and  was  later  promoted 
to  Colonel;  George  served  In  the  Civil  War 
in  a  regiment  of  Iowa  Infantry.  By  his  second 
marriage  Mr.  Brown  had  children  named 
Eliza,  Lucy,  Octavia,  Almira,  Simeon  and 
Harley  M.  In  political  opinions  he  was  an  old 
line  Whig  and  held  the  office  of  Town  Collect- 
or for  many  years.  By  industrious  habits 
and  good  management  Mr.  Brown  became  a 
well-to-do  citizen,  and  was  highly  respected 
for  his  sterling  qualities  and  straightforward 
principles.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a  TJni- 
versalist. 

Rufus  Brown,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Broome  County.  N.  Y., 
June  22,  1824.  He  received  the  usual  limited 
common-school  education  of  his  day,  and  re- 
mained on  his  father's  farm  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  In  1845  he  came  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  and  the  same  year  was  married 
to  a  former  school-mate,  Harriet  L.  Brown, 
who  was  born  in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct. 


11,  1825,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Betsy 
(Chamberlain)  Brown. 

William  Brown,  who  was  of  another  stock 
than  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  but  in  early  manhood  located 
in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  became  a 
lumberman  and  married  Betsy  Chamberlain, 
a  daughter  of  Conrad  Chamberlain,  who  was 
of  Holland-Dutch  ancestry  and  a  native  of 
.  New  York  State.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  six 
children  were  born,  viz.:  Henry,  John,  Har- 
riet, Catherine,  Morris  and  Frances.  In  1844 
William  Brown  removed  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  and  settled  in  Dorr  Township,  where  he 
cleared  an  80-acre  farm  from  the  heavily- 
timbered  oak  openings  and  made  a  comfortable 
home.  In  later  years  he  moved  to  Howard 
County,  Iowa,  and  a  few  years  later  to  Clay 
County,  S.  D.,  settling  on  unimproved  prairie 
land,  which  he  converted  into  an  excellent 
farm  and  lived  there  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  at  tbe  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  Mr. 
Brown  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife 
being  Catherine  Test  of  McHenry  County,  111., 
and  to  this  union  one  daughter,  Antonetta, 
was  born.  In  political  opinions  he  was  first  an 
old  line  Whig  and  later  a  Republican;  in  relig- 
ious belief,  a  Universaiist.  In  earlier  life  Mr. 
Brown  was  possessed  of  an  excellent  voice, 
and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading 
pioneer  singing  masters. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rufus  Brown 
settled  on  an  80-acre  farm  in  Dorr  Township, 
McHenry  County,  upon  which  a  small  log  house 
had  been  built  and  twenty  acres  of  the  land 
had  been  broken.  Eight  years  later  he  sold 
this  farm  to  Jacob  Snyder — in  whose  posses- 
sion it  still  remains — and  purchased  his  pres- 
ent homestead,  then  consisting  of  160  acres. 
to  which  he  has  made  subsequent  additions 
until  he  now  owns  an  estate  of  242  acres, 
besides  having  divided  228  acres  of  land  among 
his  children.  When  Mr.  Brown  bought  his 
present  homestead,  only  twenty  acres  of  the 
land  had  previously  been  tilled,  and  its  present 
high  state  of  cultivation,  a?  well  as  the  in- 
crease in  area,  represents  what  has  been  ac- 
complished by  his  industrious  habits,  careful 
management  and  many  years  of  hard  labor, 
combined  with  the  faithful  assistance  of  his 
industrious  and  devoted  wife.    To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


685 


Brown  the  following  named  children  have  been 
born:  Luella,  born  May,  16,  1853;  Ardell, 
born  May  2,  1854;'  Franklin,  born  July  9,  1856; 
Othello  and  Orlow  (twins),  born  April  13,  1863; 
and  Lulu,  born  Dec.  15,  1867.  Originally  an 
old  line  Whig,  Mr.  Brown  later  became  a  Re- 
publican, and  is  now  Independent  in  political 
opinions.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  Universal- 
ists  in  religious  belief. 

Mr.  Brown  was  a  member  of  the  first  Me- 
Henry  County  Republican  Convention,  which 
was  held  in  1856  in  the  old  court  house  that 
stood  in  the  center  of  the  public  square  in 
Woodstock.  This  convention  was  called  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Republican  party 
in  McHenry  County,  which  was  then  being  or- 
ganized throughout  the  country.  Those  who 
were  present  at  this  memorable  gathering  were 
George  Gates,  Hamilton  Nixon,  Lawrence  S. 
Church,  Anthony  Overocker,  William  Mead, 
two  men  from  the  Kishwaukee  district  by  the 
name  of  Stewart,  Jesse  Miller,  Samuel  Ter- 
williger  and  Mr.  Brown,  who  is  the  only  sur- 
viving member. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  man  of  liberal  views  and,  as 
a  public-spirited  citizen,  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  in  support  of  any  movement  for  the 
benefit  of  his  community.  When  it  was  first 
proposed  under  a  new  State  law  that  McHenry 
County  should  have  a  poor-farm  to  be  a  home 
for  those  people  who  are  dependent  upon  the 
public  for  support,  the  measure  failed  to  re- 
ceive a  sufficient  number  of  votes  to  become  a 
law,  and  Mr.  Brown  and  Nelson  Blakesley 
were  the  only  men  in  Dorr  Township  who  sup- 
ported it  with  their  votes.  Although  fre- 
quently selected  as  a  candidate  for  public  office, 
Mr.  Brown  has  always  declined  to  accept  the 
honor,  except  in  one  instance,  when  he  served 
as  Road  Commissioner  for  one  term.  He  has, 
however,  often  been  chosen  by  his  neighbors 
to  act  as  a  friendly  arbitrator  in  the  settle- 
ment of  controversies  arising  from  disagree- 
ment in  business  transactions,  and  in  this 
connection  is  familiarly  known  as  "Squire 
Brown."  He  has  always  been  a  firm  advocate 
of  the  temperance  cause,  and  is  a  man  of  strict 
moral  character.  He  and  his  wife  have  spent; 
most  of  their  mature  years  in  McHenry  County, 
where  they  are  well  known  among  the  old  set- 
tlers, and   have   raised   an  excellent  family   of 


children,     who     now     rank     amoEg     our     best 
citizens. 


CHARLES    R.   BROWN. 

Charles  R.  Brown,  farmer  and  pioneer 
citizen  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  was  born 
in  Sharon,  Litchfield  County,  Conn.,  April  3, 
1818,  the  only  son  of  Charles  and  Marilla 
(Beard)  Brown.  His  father  having  died  when 
the  son  was  three  years  old,  the  latter  was 
brought  up  by  his  grandfather,  Solomon  Beard, 
who  was  an  old  resident  of  Sharon.  The 
family  having  moved  to  Chenango  County, 
N.  Y.,  Charles  grew  up  there  receiving  a  com- 
mon-school education.  His  mother  married 
as  her  second  husband  Amasa  Cook,  a  farmer, 
and  the  children  by  this  marriage  were: 
Amasa,  William  and  Jane.  Mr.  Cook  settled 
near  Elmira,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  but 
later  removed  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  finally 
to  Brie.  Here  Charles  remained  with  Ms 
mother  until  he  reached  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  when  he  began  to  shift  for  himself. 
After  working  some  eight  years  for  John 
Minier,  a  hotel  keeper,  on  May  16,  1844,  he 
married  Esther  Thompson,  born  in  Erie  County, 
N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mehitabel 
(Coon)  Thompson.  In  the  following  Septem- 
ber Mr.  Brown  came  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
making  the  journey  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago 
on  the  old-time  Lake  steamer  "Madison,"  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Blake,  a  well-known  character 
of  that  day.  The  journey  from  Chicago  to 
McHenry  County  was  made  in  a  two-horse 
wagon.  Mr.  Brown  had  savec!  5109  and  with 
this  he  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  at  the 
government  price  of  $1.25  an  acre,  about  one 
and  a  half  miles  from  the  present  site  of  the 
town  of  Harvard,  but  fifteen  years  before  it 
was  laid  out.  After  living  in  a  shanty  for  one 
year,  he  erected  a  frame  house  16  by  20  feet, 
where  he  and  his  wife  lived  in  true  pioneer 
style.  By  industry,  economy  and  good  man- 
agement he  added  to  his  real  estate  until  he 
became  the  owner  of  560  acres  adjoining  the 
town  of  Harvard,  besides  dealing  in  other 
property  on  which  he  made  large  profits.  He 
assisted  in  the  organization  of  Chemung  Town- 
ship, where  he  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace  four  years,  was   Supervisor  three  years 


686 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and   Road   Commissioner   a   number   of  years; 
was  also  a  leader  in  public  improvements  and 
assisted  in  the  erection  of  school  houses  and 
churches.     Mr.    and    Mrs.   Brown    became   the 
parents  of  five  daughters:      Emma,  who  mar- 
ried Gilbert  Brainerd;   Ellen,  married  Fletcher 
Brainerd;    Mollie,    first    married    Charles    Gris- 
wold,  and  afterwards,  as  her  second  husband, 
H.   B.    Cook;    Frances,    married    Abel    Upham, 
and  Alice  married  as  her  first  husband,  H.  H. 
Magraw,   and,   as   her   second   husband,   H.   D. 
Cool.      In    political    opinions    Mr.    Brown    was 
originally    an    old    line    Whig,    but    afterwards 
became  a  Republican,  supporting  Fremont  and 
Lincoln  for  the  Presidency.     While  Supervisor 
of  his  township,  he  assisted  to  raise  the  money 
to  complete  the  quota  of  the  township  without 
recourse  to  a  draft  during  the  Civil  War,  and, 
during  the  latter  part  of  that  period,  saved  the 
county    thousands    of    dollars    by    his    prudent 
and    conservative    policy.     After   Gen.    Grant's 
first  term   as    President,   he   became   a   Demo- 
crat,   and   has   since   remained   identified    with 
that  party.     Mrs.  Brown  died  about  1883,  and 
on  May  25,  1886,  Mr.  Brown  was  married,  in 
Charles  City,  Floyd  County,   Iowa,   to   Matilda 
Cransberry,  a  widow  lady  whose  maiden  name 
was  Jackson.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  now  reside 
in  Harvard,  and  are  counted   among  its  most 
worthy  and  respected  citizens.  Some  ten  years 
ago,   in    company    with    his     son-in-law,     Mr. 
Upham,   Mr.   Brown   purchased   1,460   acres   of 
land  in  Floyd  County,  Iowa,  part  of  which  now 
lies    within    the    corporate    limits    of    Charles 
City.     His     career     affords     an    illustration  of 
the    results    attainable    by    a    self-made,    self- 
educated  man,  through  industry,  economy  and 
sound  business  methods.     An  incident  related 
by  Mr.  Brown,  in  connection  with  his  early  life, 
is  the  following:     When  a  boy  about  ten  years 
old,    he    saw    Sam    Patch,    the    famous    diver, 
make  his   memorable  leap   into   the   Genessee 
River    below    the    falls.      The    first    leap    was 
made  from  a  platform  at  the  head  of  the  fall, 
ninety  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water  at 
the   foot.     This   was   performed   skillfully   and 
successfully,   Patch  parting  the  water  cleanly 
and  gracefully  with  his  hands  and  head,  scarce- 
ly leaving   a  break  in  the   surface.     He  rose 
quickly  and  swam  rapidly  towards  the  shore, 
refusing   the    aid    of   the   boat    which    was    in 
waiting,    amid    the    wild    applause    of    the    as- 


sembled multitude.  He  had  a  black  bear  with 
him,  which  he  had  trained  to  make  the  leap, 
and  which  he  partly  pushed  from  the  platform. 
The  bear  came  up  safely,  swam  to  the  shore 
and  returned  to  Patch  on  the  platform,  who 
then  made  his  leap.  Becoming  reckless  under 
the  influence  of  his  success,  one  week  later 
while  intoxicated,  Patch  made  a  second  jump 
over  the  falls  from  a  platfcm  twenty-five  feet 
higher  than  the  one  used  on  the  previous  oc- 
casion—the distance  to  the  boiling  water  be- 
low requiring  a  sheer  leap  of  115  feet.  This 
time  Patch  went  down  like  a  log,  striking  the 
water  heavily  and  at  full  length.  Sinking  be- 
neath the  surface  he  never  came  up  alive,  but 
the  next  spring  after  the  ice  had  gone  out, 
his  swollen  body  was  found.  It  is  said  that 
Patch  had  been  crossed  in  love  and  thus 
rendered  desperate.  His  first  leap  had  been 
made  over  the  Passaic  Falls  in  New  Jersey. 
His  famous  jumps  were  a  great  sensation  of 
the  time  and  won  for  him  great  notoriety, 
making  the  name  of  "Sam  Patch"  a  synonym 
for  reckless  daring. 


LESTER    BARBER. 

Lester  Barber,  ex-Mayor  of  Marengo,  is  a 
man  of  wide  experience  and  marked  versatility, 
who  has  grown  into  prominence  with  the  de- 
velopment of  McHenry  County,  where  he  has 
been  a  leading  citizen  for  over  forty  years. 
As  a  successful  and  progressive  farmer,  as  an 
educator  in  the  capacity  of  teacher  and  County 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  as  Cashier  and  Di- 
rector of  the  Dairyman's  Bank  at  Marengo, 
and  for  years  as  a  local  public  office-holder, 
few  men  have  had  a  more  active  business 
career  in  McHenry  County.  At  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years,  he  is  now  giving  his  time  and 
attention  to  looking  after  his  interests  as  owner 
of  a  well-improved  farm  and  of  stock  in  local 
corporations. 

Mr.  Barber  is  the  son  of  Humphrey  and 
Maria  (Potter)  Barber,  and,  on  the  paternal 
side,  is  descended  from  two  old  New  England 
families — the  Barbers  and  the  Conants.  An 
incident  in  connection  with  a  branch  of  the 
Conant  family  was  the  finding  of  a  powder- 
horn,  accidentally  left  in  their  possession  by 
a    troop    of    soldiers    who    were    quartered    in 


M  c  HENRY      COUNTY. 


687 


their  house  at  the  time  of  Shay's  rebellion,  in 
1786,  and  which  has  been  handed  down  through 
several  generations.  The  relic  was  found  be- 
hind a  chest,  by  Joseph,  the  seven-year-old 
son  of  the  family,  who  kept  it  during  his  life- 
time, and  then  gave  it  to  his  son  Joseph.  The 
latter,  upon  his  death-bed,  having  no  direct 
descendant,  gave  it  to  Amory  Barber's  infant 
son,  naming  him  Joseph.  From  this  Joseph 
Barber  it  has  passed  on  to  Joseph  Barber  (2), 
and  is  now  owned  by  Joseph  Barber  (3),  a 
resident  of  Marengo.  The  horn  is  large  and 
clear,  highly  decorated,  and  will  hold  a  pound 
of  powder.  It  is  believed  to  have  been  carried 
through  the  French  and  Indian  War,  as  well 
as  through  the  Revolution. 

Benjamin  Conant,  the  maternal  great-grand- 
father of  Lester  Barber,  was  born  in  1765, 
and  died  in  1837.  He  married  a  Miss  Gale, 
and,  after  her  death,  took  a  second  wife.  By 
his  first  marriage  there  were  seven  children: 
Benjamin,  who  married  Philena  Conant;  Betsy, 
married  Joseph  Barber,  grandfather  of  Lester; 
Polly,  married  Rufus  Wheelock:  Mercy,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years;  Jerusha, 
married  Joel  Greely;  Luthera,  married  Milton 
Lord,  and  Myra,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen years.  By  the  second  marriage  there 
were  three  children:  Clark,  who  married  Sa- 
mantha  Grand;  Charles,  married  Fanny  Watts, 
and  Amanda,  married  Harry  Stearns. 

The  Barber  family  came  from  England  to 
Rhode  Island  about  250  years  ago,  and  their 
descendants  have  spread  over  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut  and  other  parts  of 
the  country.  The  Connecticut  branch  spelled 
the  name  "Barbour."  In  the  branch  with  which 
we  are  especially  concerned,  the  name  Joseph 
has  been  prevalent  as  well  as  the  trade  of  shoe- 
maker. 

Joseph  Barber,  great-grand-father  of  Lester, 
born  in  Rehoboth,  R.  I.,  June  5,  1744,  moved  to 
Warwick,  Franklin  County,  Mass.,  about  1765, 
and  there  married  Lydia  Miller,  who  was  born 
March  15,  1742.  She  died  and  he  afterward 
married  a  woman  named  Churchman.  By  the 
first  marriage  there  were  eight  children:  Ben- 
jamin, died  at  the  age  of  two  weeks;  Hulla, 
married  Adam  Streater;  Mary,  married  Ben- 
jamin Watts,  and  died  in  1839;  Lydia,  married 
Palmer  Whitney;  Joseph,  who  is  mentioned 
below;   Rebecca,  who  married  John  Whitmore, 


a  rifleman  under  Gen.  Morgan  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  Parley,  who  married  George 
L.  Row.  No  children  came  of  the  second  mar- 
riage. Mr.  Barber  died  at  Java  Village,  N.  Y., 
about  1824,  in  his  eightieth  year,  and  is  buried 
in  the  old  cemetery  at  Strykersville,  N.  Y. 

Joseph  Barber,  grandfather  of  Lester  Barber, 
was  born  about  1788.  In  1804,  at  Warwick, 
Mass.,  he  married  Betsy  Conant,  and  they  had 
ten  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in  War- 
wick, viz.: 

Amory,  born  June  29,  1805,  and  died  in  1890; 
married  Alzina  Potter,  and  had  six  children: 
Betsy;  Maria  deceased),  Elliott,  who  was  liv- 
ing in  1895;  Emily,  who  died  in  infancy;  Myron 
(deceased),  and  Joseph,  who  is  still  living  in 
Marengo. 

Humphrey  (father  of  Lester  Barber),  whose 
sketch  is  given  later  in  this  article. 

Asenath,  born  Oct  8,  1808,  married  Reokard 
Reed  in  1829,  and  they  had  four  children: 
Eliza,  Lucena  (the  only  surviving  member  of 
the  family),  Juliette  and  Charles.  The  mother 
of  this  family,  Asenath  (Barber)  Reed,  who 
was  residing  at  Thompson,  111.,  in  1895,  is  now 
deceased. 

Diana,  born  Dec.  8,  1810,  in  1831  married 
Alonzo  Taylor,  and  they  had  ten  children: 
Laura,  Melissa,  who  was  living  in  1895;  Kath- 
erine,  Joseph,  Susannah,  Fred  and  Almon,  who 
were  living  in  1895;  a  child  who  died  in  in- 
fancy, Alonzo,  and  Ida,  who  was  living  in  1895. 
Mrs.  Taylor  died  in  1871. 

Benjamin,  born  Dec.  9,  1812,  died  Dec.  31, 
1893.  He  married  Eliza  Carroll  in  1834,  and 
they  had  seven  children,  viz.:  A  child  who 
died  in  infancy;  James,  who  died  in  the  Civil 
War;  Elon,  Edson.  Ruth,  Judson  and  Irene, 
all  of  whom  were  living  in  1895. 

Tryphena,  born  Oct.  5,  1814,  died  in  1857. 
She  married  Alonzo  Willey  in  1836,  and  they 
had  eight  children:  Edwin,  Caroline,  who  was 
alive  in  1895;  Mary,  Ellen,  still  living  in  1895; 
Edgar,  two  children  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Jane,  who  was  living  in  1895. 

Philena,  born  Sept.  28,  1816,  and  died  in  1882. 
In  1842  she  married  Thomas  Burnham,  and 
they  had  six  children:  Maria,  who  was  living 
in  1895;  Luthera,  Emily,  and  Betsy,  who  were 
living  in  1895;   Dwight,  and  Charles. 

Joseph,  born  Feb.  18,  1819,  died  June  26, 
1841. 


688 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Jerusha,  born  March  28,  1841,  died  in  April, 
1895.  She  married  and  had  seven  children,  all 
except,  one  of  whom  were  living  in  1895,  viz.: 
George,  Emorette  (deceased),  Lydia,  Betsy,  a 
child  who  died  in  infancy,  Vesper,  and  Clara. 

Chandler,  born  April  17,  1823,  died  June  14, 
1895.  On  Oct.  20,  1844,  he  married  Alma  Bal- 
com,  and  they  had  five  children,  all  of  whom 
were  living  in  1895,  viz. :  Mary,  Alice,  Wallard, 
Ellis,  and  Amy. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Barber  settled  in  War- 
wick, Mass.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  tannery 
business,  and  also  worked  at  shoemaking.  In 
the  hope  of  bettering  his  foitune  and  those  of 
his  children,  on  Sept.  17,  1823,  Mr.  Barber 
started  with  a  wagon  drawn  by  two  yoke  of 
oxen  and  carrying  his  family,  together  with 
3,500  pounds  of  household  goods  and  other 
belongings,  for  Java,  Wyoming  County,  N.  Y., 
a  distance  of  400  miles  from  Warwick.  This 
wagon  had  a  cover  of  sole  leather  costing  $40, 
which  he  used  after  reaching  his  destination 
in  making  boots  and  shoes.  Another  wagon, 
drawn  by  a  single  horse,  bore  his  aged  father, 
then  seventy-nine  years  old  and  totally  blind. 
Three  days  later,  he  and  his  son  Humphrey 
followed  on  foot,  overtaking  the  family  the 
first  night,  a  distance  of  forty  miles  from  their 
home.  It  was  a  curious  journey;  beds  were 
hired  at  fifty  cents  a  night,  and  five  or  six 
children  packed  into  each,  lengthwise,  cross- 
wise, or  any  way.  The  descent  of  the  Green 
Mountains  was  managed  by  various  devices, 
as  for  instance  the  hitching  of  one  yoke  of 
oxen  to  the  rear  of  the  wagon  to  check  its 
movement  as  it  descended  some  steep  declivity, 
or  making  a  sort  of  plow  of  the  wagon  itself, 
by  attaching  to  it  the  sharpened  trunk  of  a  pine 
tree.  Crossing  the  Hudson  at  Albany,  then 
quite  a  village,  they  finally,  on  Oct.  8,  1823, 
arrived  at  the  home  of  Palmar  Whitney,  on  the 
site  of  the  present  village  of  Java. 

With  his  usual  business  sagacity  and  fore- 
thought, Mr.  Barber  exchanged  one  yoke  of 
oxen  for  forty  acres  of  land — a  portion  of  which 
is  now  owned  by  his  grandson,  Elon  Barber — 
besides  purchasing  120  acres  more.  He  also 
secured  a  half  interest  in  a  grist-mill,  where 
he  set  his  son  Benjamin  at  work,  and  pur- 
chased another  half  interest  in  a  tannery  for 
Humphrey,  thus  making  his  influence  felt  at 
once  in  the  life  of  the  little  community.    With 


his  other  sons  he  went  to  work  and  cleared 
up  the  farm,  set  out  good  orchards,  and  be- 
came a  prosperous  farmer.  He  died  in  1839 
at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years  and  four  months. 
Mr.  Barber  was  a  sturdy,  energetic  man  with 
marked  business  ability,  and  was  the  progen- 
itor of  a  vigorous  and  prolific  race.  Not  less 
than  240  offspring  have  descended  from  him 
and  his  sister  Judah  Whitney,  many  of  whom 
served  in  the  Civil  War,  and  every  battlefield 
of  the  Civil  War,  it  is  said,  was  stained  with 
Barber    blood. 

Humphrey  Barber,  the  father  of  Lester,  a 
teacher,  tanner,  farmer,  and  a  man  influential 
in  public  affairs,  was  born  in  Warwick,  Mass., 
Nov.  11,  1806,  and  there  received  a  good  com- 
mon-school education.  After  removing,  at  sev- 
enteen years  of  age,  with  his  parents  to  Wy- 
oming County,  N.  Y.,  at  different  times  he 
taught  school,  ran  a  tannery  and  followed  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter.  In  1834  he  married  at 
Java  Village,  Maria  Potter,  who  was  born 
there,  the  daughter  of  Edmond  Potter,  a  Java 
farmer  and  a  descendant  of  an  old  New  Eng- 
land family.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of 
1812,  and  fought  at  Lundy's  Lane.  He  married 
Betsy  Eddy,  and  they  had  ten  children:  Alzina, 
who  married  Amory  Barber;  Maria,  who  is 
mentioned  above;  Nancy,  married  Jarvis 
Whitney;  Lucinda,  married  Franklin  Whitney; 
Alvira,  married  Washington  Nichols;  Elizabeth, 
married  Lorenzo  Persons,  and  Cornelia,  mar- 
ried Charles  Knowlton.  Henry  W.  Potter,  of 
Titusville,  Pa.,  was  at  one  time  a  noted  oil 
magnate.  Starting  with  a  capital  of  $5,  he 
first  borrowed  and  invested  small  sums,  then 
larger  ones  until  he  risked  $2,500,  when  he 
began  to  make  money  rapidly,  finally  accumul- 
ating a  large  fortune.  Later  closing  out  the 
oil  business,  he  went  to  the  city  of  New  York 
and  engaged  in  the  banking  business,  having 
as  a  partner  Chauncey  M.  Depew.  He  married 
Minerva  Nurse,  but  finally  lost  his  money. 
Almon  Potter,  a  Marengo  farmer,  who  married 
Martha  Fields,  died  in  Marengo  in  1900.  Nor- 
man Potter  married  Nellie  Marsh,  and  died 
in  Austin,  Texas,  in  1901.  Late  in  life  the 
father  of  these,  in  1851,  moved  to  Riley  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  where  he  lived  with 
his  son  Almon,  and  there,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  years,  he  died.  He  was  a  man  of  promi- 
nence in  his  day,  and  a  consistent  member  of 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


689 


the  Baptist  church  of  Strykersville,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Humphrey  Barber  had  nine 
children:  Lester,  who  is  mentioned  below; 
Lucinda,  who  married  William  B.  Mallory,  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War;  Lucius  W.,  also  a  sol- 
dier, who,  a  few  years  after  the  war,  died  from 
the  effects  of  privations  endured  while  a 
prisoner  at  Andersonville;  Amanda,  who  mar- 
ried W.  A.  Sheldon,  died  in  Belvidere,  July  3, 
1898;  Alzina,  born  Oct.  4,  1844,  who  never  mar- 
ried, died  Jan.  28,  1862;  Morvilla,  who,  after 
the  death  of  her  sister  Lucinda,  married  Wil- 
liam B.  Mallory;  Rosalie,  who  married  Frank 
Stevens,  and  Amory,  who  never  married  but 
lives  on  the  home  farm,  where  he  cared  for 
his  aged  mother  until  her  death.  Of  these 
children,  only  three  are  living  in  1903,  viz.: 
Lester,  Rosalie,  and  Amory. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Barber  continued  to  re- 
side in  Java,  N.  Y.,  where  for  fifteen  years  he 
conducted  a  tannery,  carrying  on  a  thriving 
business.  A  trip  to  Illinois,  in  1850,  in  spite  of 
a  shipwreck  and  a  week's  delay  on  the  way,  in- 
duced him  to  bring  his  family  to  that  State, 
and,  in  1851,  they  arrived  in  Riley  Township, 
McHenry  County,  where  he  purchased  an  80- 
acre  tract  of  improved  land.  Here  he  erected 
good  buildings,  improved  and  brought  his  land 
under  cultivation,  and,  adding  to  it  some  twenty 
acres  by  purchase,  finally  became  the  owner  of 
a  100-acre  farm.  Here  he  finally  died  at  the 
age  of  sixty-eight  years.  Always  an  influential 
man,  Mr.  Barber,  in  Java,  N'.  Y.,  served  as  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  for  fifteen  years,  and  after 
coming  to  Riley  Township,  filled  the  same 
office  for  some  time  with  equal  credit.  In  poli- 
tics he  was  a  strong  Douglas  Democrat,  and  in 
religious  sentiment  a  Universalist. 

Lester  Barber  has  made  his  own  way  in  life. 
Born  in  Java,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  8,  1835,  he  was  but 
fifteen  years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to 
Riley  Township,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where 
he  took  a  strong  hand  in  improving  his  father's 
farm.  At  that  early  age,  with  a  yoke  of  oxen, 
he  hauled  lumber  from  Elgin  to  build  the  new 
farm-house,  and  on  these  trips  often  added  to 
his  pocket  money  by  using  his  oxen  to  drag 
the  old  stage-coach  out  of  a  slough  in  the 
muddy  roads,  always  receiving  a  quarter  from 
the  driver  for  the  job.  In  the  well-regulated 
schools  of  his  neighborhood,  conducted  in  com- 
fortable   buildings,    under    such    teachers    as 


George  Dean,  afterward  County  Superintend- 
ent in  Iowa,  Mr.  Barber  secured  his  early  edu- 
cation, attending  the  winter  school  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  receiving  prac- 
tical drill  in  Colburn's  Mental  Arithmetic — in 
his  opinion  the  best  authority  in  its  line.  So 
ambitious  was  he  that,  at  the  early  age  of 
eighteen,  in  Coral  Township,  he  taught  school 
for  one  term.  A  gift  for  imparting  knowledge 
and  preserving  order  induced  him  to  follow  the 
profession,  and,  for  seventeen  winters,  he  con- 
tinued his  labors  in  the  same  vicinity,  spending 
his   summers   in   farm   work. 

On  Nov.  20,  1863,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight, 
Mr.  Barber  married  in  Coral  Township,  Mary 
M.  Bartholomew,  who  was  born  in  that  place, 
April  19,  1845.  Of  this  union  there  have  been 
six  children:  Charles  Norman;  Catherine  Lu- 
cinda, who  married  Prof.  James  Ingersol,  a 
native  of  Marengo,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale  Col- 
lege who  is  now  an  instructor  in  the  languages 
and  Roman  Law  Department  of  that  institu- 
tion; Charles  N.,  who  married  Carrie  A,xtell; 
Mary  M.,  married  William  T.  Dougherty,  a 
druggist  of  Marengo;  Harriet  Ehle,  who  has 
been  a  teacher  in  Austin,  111.,  for  the  past  eight 
years,  and  Ruth,  a  young  lady  now  living  at 
home. 

The  spring  following  his  marriage,  Mr.  Bar- 
ber purchased  a  100-acre  farm  in  Coral  Town- 
ship, which  had  on  it  a  log  house  and  barn  and 
during  the  first  summer  erected  there  a  good 
frame  house,  where  he  settled.  He  improved 
his  land  and,  while  cultivating  it,  made  addi- 
tions to  it  by  the  purchase  of  twenty  acres 
more.  In  addition  to  farming,  which  he  carried 
on  successfully  for  fifteen  years,  he  followed 
his  profession  as  school-teacher,  teaching  for 
four  years  in  the  Union  graded  schools  six 
miles  away.  An  enthusiastic  and  able  in- 
structor, he  won  a  wide  popularity,  and, 
in  1884,  was  elected  County  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools.  Taking  up  his  resi- 
dence at  Marengo,  he  filled  the  office  for 
six  years,  greatly  improving  the  condition  of 
the  schools  and  adding  to  his  already  well- 
established  reputation.  Since  1890  he  has 
given  some  attention  to  agriculture,  and  has 
recently  invested  in  a  fine  homestead,  which 
he  has  greatly  improved.  He  still  owns  his 
Coral  Township  farm,  from  which  he  also  de- 
rives a  good  income.     He  has  prospered,  and 


G90 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


is  now  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Maren- 
go, where  he  owns  a  pleasant  residence,  pur- 
chased some  years  ago.  Mr.  Barber  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Dairyman's  Bank,  and. 
as  its  first  Cashier,  was  identified  with  its  man- 
agement for  four  years,  and  is  still  one  of  the 
directors.  He  is  Worshipful  Master  of  Maren- 
go Lodge,  No.  138,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also  a 
member  of  .Calvary  Commandery,  No.  25 
Knights   Templar. 

As  an  unwavering  Republican,  Mr.  Barber 
has  been  a  popular  political  leader,  having 
served  nine  years  as  Supervisor,  for  the  same 
length  of  time  as  Road  Commissioner,  and  for 
four  years  as  Assessor  of  Coral  Township.  For 
twenty-five  years  he  has  acted  as  Deputy  Coun- 
ty Surveyor;  has  also  served  three  years  as 
a  member  of  the  Marengo  City  Council,  turn- 
ing his  practical  business  knowledge  to  good 
account  in  the  interest  of  the  general  public. 
For  one  term  with  fearless  independence  and 
marked  executive  ability,  he  acted  as  Mayor 
of  the  city.  A  man  of  great  strength  physic- 
ally and  intellectually,  and  with  the  interest  of 
the  general  public  at  heart,  he  has  been  of 
invaluable  service  to  the  community.  Mrs. 
Barber,  who  is  a  woman  of  much  cultivation, 
has  been  a  sympathetic  co-worker,  and  is  pro- 
minent in  social  functions.  As  a  member  of 
the  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees  of  Marengo,  she 
has  filled  the  office  of  Lady  Commander.  The 
Presbyterian  church  counts  her  among  its  lead- 
ing members. 

Benjamin  Rush  Bartholomew,  son  of  Sher- 
man and  Sally  (Hackley)  Bartholomew,  and 
father  of  Mrs.  Barber,  was  born  in  New  York, 
and  received  a  common-school  education.  In 
Cazenovia,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  he  married 
Mary  A.  Knowlton,  and  they  had  four  child- 
ren: Sherman  K.;  Almira  H.;  Mary  M.,  and 
Esther  E.  The  father  of  these  for  some  years 
followed  the  trade  of  a  hatter,  but  in  1844. 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Coral  Township, 
McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he  secured  a  200- 
acre  tract  of  Government  land,  which  he  im- 
proved. In  1880  he  settled  in  Marengo,  where 
he  was  a  substantial  citizen.  He  died  in  1888, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years,  and  his  wife 
in  1893. 


HON.  RICHARD  BISHOP. 

Hon.    Richard    Bishop    was   born   at   Gaines- 
ville,   Wyoming    County,    New    York,    Nov.    16, 
1824,  the  son  of  Hezekiah  and  Charlotte  Bish- 
op.    Hezekiah   Bishop   was   a  farmer  and   his 
children   were  John,   Hezekiah,   Charlotte   and 
Richard,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased.    When 
Richard  Bishop  was  seven  years  old,  his  father 
was  killed  by  a  falling  tree,  and  this  sad  event 
left  to  the  boy  an  inheritance  of  poverty.     He 
was  early  obliged  to  devote  his   labor  to  the 
support  of  the  family,  and   his   first  earnings 
amounted  to  ten  cents  per  day  at  such  labor  as 
threshing   grain   with   a    flail.       When     about 
twelve  years  of  age  he  went  to  live  with  a  phy- 
sician, and.  during  the  three  years  he  remained 
in   this  family,  endured   trials  well  calculated 
to  break  the  heart  and  ruin  the  constitution  of 
the  average  boy.     Every  spring  he  was  com- 
pelled to  attend   to  a  sugar  orchard  of  sixty- 
five    trees,    cutting    wood,    gathering    sap    and 
carrying  the  sugar  home  with  a  yoke  upon  his 
shoulders.     When  fifteen  years  old  he  hired  to 
a  blacksmith  for  three  years,  receiving  thirty 
dollars   for   the   first   year,   thirty-five   for   the 
second,   and    forty   for   the   third.      He   worked 
faithfully  and  learned  the  trade  rapidly,  though 
laboring  at   some    disadvantage,    as    he     was 
obliged  to  stand  on  a  stool  in  order  to  strike 
the  anvil.     After  serving  his  time,  he  followed 
the  trade  for  two  years.     When  twenty  years 
of  age,  he  decided  to  go  west,  and,  in  the  spring 
of  1844,  bade  a  sorrowful  farewell  to  his  mother 
and    the   little    cottage    that    sheltered    her    in 
Gainesville,  N.  Y.     In  the  silence  of  night  he 
shouldered   his   trunk   and    proceeded   on    foot 
and  alone  for  a  distance  of  two  miles,  where 
a  carriage,  which  he  had  previously  engaged, 
awaited  him  and  conveyed  him    to    the     boat 
landing     He  sailed  on  the  boat  "Bunker  Hill," 
and  the  day  after  his  arrival  in  Chicago,  took 
the    stage   for   Waukegan.    where    his    brother 
then    resided.      Later    Mr.    Bishop    visited    the 
old  home  in  New  York,  and  also  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  welcoming  his  mother  to  a  more  pre- 
tentious one  in  the  West,  secured  by  his  cwn 
exertions. 

After  arriving  in  Waukegan,  ivir.  Bishop 
worked  at  his  trade  several  months,  receiving 
a  compensation  of  $17  per  month.  During  the 
harvest  season  he  was  employed  as  a  laborer 
in  the  field  at  $1.50  per  day.    After  harvest  was 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


691 


over,  in  company  with  a  man  named  McAllis- 
ter, he  started  for  McHenry  on  foot.  They  were 
not  to  be  deterred  by  the  sloughs  and  lakes 
that  lay  in  their  way,  but  waded  through  them 
with  their  clothes  tied  in  a  bundle  upon  their 
heads.  In  McHenry  Mr.  Bishop  followed  black- 
smithing  until  the  following  January,  when  he 
went  to  Waukegan  and  secured  a  job  of  cut- 
ting wood  at  fifty  cents  per  cord.  The  follow- 
ing spring  he  was  again  pursuing  his  trade  in 
McHenry,  and  the  first  year  earned  enough 
money  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land  at  $1.25 
per  acre.  This  proved  a  profitable  venture, 
and,  as  fast  as  he  was  able,  he  made  other  pur- 
chases, buying  and  selling  with  good  results. 
From  this  humble  beginning,  in  spite  of  re- 
reverses,  fires,  etc.,  Mr.  Bishop  became  the 
owner  of  a  large  portion  of  the  business  enter- 
prises in  McHenry.  His  property  consisted  of 
a  large  grist-mill,  wagon  factory,  agricultural 
implement  store,  pickle  factory,  besides  a 
farm  of  nearly  1,000  acres.  In  1874  he  engaged 
in  the  banking  business  in  Woodstock,  which 
he  followed  two  years  and  then  purchased  a 
choice  law  library  at  a  cost  of  over  $1,000.  He 
acquainted  himself  thoroughly  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  law  and  gained  admission  to  the 
bar.  In  political  opinion  he  was  a  straight- 
forward Democrat  and  served  as  Supervisor 
fifteen  years,  and  in  1874  as  a  member  of  the 
Legislature.  Mr.  Bishop  had  also  taken  all 
the  degrees  in  Masonry.  October  19,  1849, 
he  married  Miss  Mary  Maurice,  a  native  of 
New  York.  Only  a  few  short  years  ago  she 
preceded  him  to  the  land  where  no  sorrow 
dwells,  leaving  a  son,  Ormus,  who  died  in  1879, 
and  a  daughter  Lola  D.  Lola  D.  is  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Walsh  of  McHenry,  who,  together  with 
two  children  of  Ormus  Bishop,  remain  to  mourn 
his  death.  The  career  of  Mr.  Bishop  is  an  ex- 
cellent illlustration  of  what  energy  and  will 
can  accomplish.  The  following  is  taken  from 
the  remarks  of  Dr.  H.  T.  Brown  at  the  old 
settlers'  meeting  in  August,  1895: 

"Knowing  Mr.  Bishop  well,  I  say  without 
hesitation  that,  had  his  lot  been  cast,  in  his 
>outh,  where  he  could  have  received  the  edu- 
cation, the  want  of  which  he  so  often  and  so 
much  deplored,  he  would  have  taken  his  place 
among  the  leading  men  of  his  day.  First  and 
foremost  in  his  character  was  his  wonderful, 
almost  inexhaustible,  energy.  Coming  to  this 
town  in  its  earliest  days,  poor  in  pocket,  un- 
friended and  unknown,  having  for  his  full  and 


only  stock  in  trade  a  limited  knowledge  of 
blacksmithing,  we  first  find  him  in  the  employ 
of  N.  S.  Hate  (also  one  of  our  noble  and  early 
pioneers)  swinging  the  hammer  over  the  anvil 
from  earliest  dawn  to  late  at  night,  day  after 
day,  month  after  month,  with  the  grim  deter- 
mination depicted  in  his  face  that  said  plainly 
to  an  on-looker,  'Here  will  I  hammer  my  way 
to  success.  These  flying  sparks  rhall  light  me 
on  my  path.  I  will  yet  build  a  forge  of  my  own 
and  be  the  arbiter  of  my  fortune.'  How  well 
he  succeeded  you  all  know.  He  did  build  a 
forge  of  his  own  and  long  after  it  was  built, 
through  his  whole  life  in  fact,  that  same  tire- 
less industry,  that  same  determined  energy 
was  his  guiding  spirit.  One  of  his  strong  char- 
acteristics was  his  wonderful  faith  in  himself. 
— that  great  lever  that  somtimes  may  prove 
but  a  broken  read,  but  without  which  a  man  is 
a  mere  puff-ball,  blown  hither  and  thither  by 
every  passing  breeze  with  no  fixed  purpose, 
no  settled  conviction  or  aim  in  life." 

Mr.  Bishop  was  naturally  inclined  to  the 
study  of  law,  and  a  reasonable  success  in  our 
justice  court  led  him  more  and  more  to  a  de- 
termination to  succeed  at  the  bar.  With  this 
end  in  view,  he  provided  himself  with  the  nu- 
cleus of  a  splendid  library  and  made  a  fair 
success  at  the  bar.  Feeling  the  necessity  of 
early  educational  advantages  himself,  he  was 
a  firm  believer  in  the  importance  of  our  public 
schools  and  his  voice  and  purse  were  never 
withheld  when  needed  in  any  work  he  believed 
would  place  the  youth  of  the  country  in  a  self- 
sustaining  position. 


HENRY  BRIGHT. 

Henry  Bright,  pioneer  of  Union,  McHenry 
County,  has  passed  most  of  his  active  career 
as  a  stone-mason  in  that  vicinity,  and,  in  the 
steady  pursuit  of  his  trade,  has  v/on  for  him- 
self a  substantial  prosperity.  At  sixty-four 
years  of  age  he  is  still  strong  and  active,  and 
applies  himself  sedulously  to  his  business. 

Mr.  Bright  is  an  Englishman  by  birth  and 
ancestry,  the  early  members  of  the  family  hav- 
ing been  natives  of  Somersetshire  and  Glouces- 
tershire, England.  His  paternal  grandfather, 
who  was  a  life-long  resident  of  England,  was 
a  truck-gardener  by  occupation,  married  in 
early  manhood  and  had  six  children,  all  of 
whom  came  to  America:  Henry  S.,  William,  a 
carpenter  by  trade  who  died  in  the  West 
Indies;   Peter,  Thomas,  Elizabeth  and  Ann. 

Henry   S.   Bright,  the  father  of  Henry,   was 


692 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


born    in    Axbridge,    England,    about   1818,    and 
received   his  early  education  in  the   subscrip- 
tion schools  of  his  vicinity.     At  an  early  age 
he  learned  the  carriage-maker's  trade  in  Bris- 
tol,  England,   which  he   afterwards   carried   on 
in  that  city  for  many  years.     He  there  married 
Sarah   "Vernal,   who   bore   him   seven   children: 
Henry,  Sarah,  Julia,  Ann  and  Joseph,  who  were 
born    in    Bristol,    and    Thomas    and    William, 
born  in  America.     In  the  spring  of,  1853,  in  the 
hope  of  improving  his  impaired  health,  he  de- 
cided to  come  to  America,  and,  in  May  of  that 
year,    embarked    in    a   sailing  vessel   for   New 
York.     After  his  arrival  he  proceeded  directly 
to   Union,    McHenry   County,     111.,    where     his 
brother    Thomas    was    then    living.      Here    he 
settled  and  began  working  at  his   trade.     As 
the  outlook  proved  rather  favorable,  the  follow- 
ing autumn  he  sent  for  his  family,  whom  be  had 
left  in  England.    They  made  the  trip  from  Bris- 
tol to  Liverpool  by  steamer,  and  thence  by  the 
ship  "Union"  to  New  York,  the  voyage  occupy- 
ing three  months.     During  the  trip,  Henry,  the 
oldest  son,  then  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  had 
charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  family.    Arriving  at 
Union  Station  on  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union 
Railway,   during  a  severe  snow   storm  at   two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  owing  to  a  misunder- 
standing they    found  no    one    there    to    meet 
them.     Then,     being     wrongly    directed,    they 
wandered  about  in  the  storm  some  three  hours 
before  they  reached     the     cabin     of     Thomas 
Bright     at  five     o'clock  in  the  morning.     The 
father,  Henry  S.  Bright,  subsequently  followed 
bis     employment  as  a  carriage-maker    at    Ma- 
rengo, Rockford  and  Beloit.     Mrs.  Bright  died 
at  Rockford,  Dec.   25,  1883,  at  the  age  of  64, 
and  Mr.  Bright  at  Beloit  in  1892,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four.     Both  Mr.  and   Mrs.  Bright  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  Eng- 
land  Mr.   Bright  was   a  member  of  the   Inde- 
pendent  Order   of   Odd    Fellows.     He    was   an 
industrious  and  skilled  workman,  and  he  and 
his  wife  reared  an  excellent  family. 

Henry  Bright,  son  of  Henry  S.  and  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  Bristol,  England,  May 
23,  1839,  and  there,  in  the  old-time  subscription 
schools,  received  his  early  education.  When 
about  eleven  years  old  he  moved  with  his  par- 
ents to  Newport,  Wales,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed for  some  time  in  a  large  nail  factory 
conducted  by  a  philanthropic  old  bachelor,  em- 


ploying 3,000  hands — many  of  them  boys — dur- 
ing this  time  attended  a  school  supported  by 
his  employer,  receiving  two  hours'  instruction 
each  clay.  The  boy-employes  in  this  factory 
were  accustomed  to  work,  alternately,  two 
weeks  by  day  and  two  weeks  by  night.  Later 
he  worked  on  a  boat  on  the  Avon  River,  which 
often  made  trips  across  the  channel  from' 
Bristol,  to  Newport,  Wales.  .  He  also  worked 
some  two  years  with  his  father  learning  the 
carriage-making  trade.  After  coming  to  Il- 
linois at  sixteen  years  of  age,  Mr.  Bright 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  his  uncle  for  some 
years,  assisting  in  breaking  the  wild  prairie 
land,  with  a  huge  prairie-plow  drawn  by  eight 
to  ten  yoke  of  oxen  and  turning  a  furrow 
thirty  incbes  wide.  In  1857  he  began  learn- 
ing the  trade  of  a  stonemason,  including  brick- 
laying, plastering,  etc.,  which  has  since  been 
his  life  occupation. 

On  Sept.  30,  1S59,  Mr.  Bright  was  married 
in  Franklinville,  111.,  to  Nancy  M.  Pike,  who 
was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  May  16, 
1840,  the  daughter  of  Ezra  and  Louisa  (An- 
drews) Pike.  Mr.  Pike  was  a  pioneer  settler 
of  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County,  and  died 
in  Seneca  Township. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Bright  settled  in  Union 
Village,  where  he  applied  himself  sedulously  to 
his  trade  for  some  years.  October  3,  1864,  he 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  Ninety- 
fifth  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Capt.  Eddy  and 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Nashville,  Dec. 
15,  1864,  Spanish  Fort,  in  April,  1865,  and  othei 
important  engagements,  escaping  without 
wounds  or  hospital  treatment.  He  suffered  an 
attack  of  fever  and  ague  and  contracted  an- 
other disease,  from  which  he  has  never  entire- 
ly recovered.  In  September,  1865^  he  was 
transferred  to  Company  E.  Forty-seventh  Il- 
linois, and  at  Montgomery,  Ala.,  Oct.  10,  1865, 
received  an  honorable  discharge.  After  the 
war  Mr.  Bright  resumed  his  trade  of  a  stone- 
mason with  renewed  energy,  and  has  since 
steadily  continued  the  business,  having  just 
completed  the  first  brick  business  block  in  the 
village.  He  has  assisted  in  the  erection  of  al- 
most every  school-house  in  his  vicinity  for 
years,  has  also  done  work  on  the  opera  house 
in  Marengo,  Mr.  Patrick's  buildings  and  other 
important  structures,  and  is  now  considered 
one  of  the  most  competent  men  in  this  line  in 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


693 


his  section.  Aided  by  his  three  sons,  who 
learned  the  trade  with  him,  he  has  prospered 
exceptionally  well  in  his  business,  and  now 
owns  two  blocks  in  Union  besides  several  resi- 
dences and  other  property. 

Mrs.  Nancy  M.  (Pike)  Bright  was  a  faith- 
ful helpmate  of  her  husband  for  many  years. 
They  had  eight  children,  viz.:  Lydia,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eleven  years;  Ulysses;  Ella, 
died  aged  eleven;  Bert  E. ;  Carrie;  Dora; 
Andrew  and  Sarah.  Mrs.  Bright  was  killed 
by  an  accident  at  the  railroad  crossing 
at  Union,  Oct.  16,  1890.  On  Oct.  24,  1894, 
Mr.  Bright  was  married  to  Miss  Adell  Butts, 
who  was  born  in  Coral  Township,  the  daughter 
of  Bushrod  and  Urania  (Howland)  Butts,  and 
they  have  had  two  children:  Lee  Ellis,  born 
Aug.  11,  1895,  and  Lois  Esther,  born  Aug,  14, 
1899. 

Mr.  Bright  is  a  man  of  affable  manners,  kind- 
hearted,  and  generous,  and  wins  friends  at 
every  step  in  life.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated 
with  the  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  the 
Harvey  Wayne  Post,  G.  A,.  R.,  of  Marengo;  the 
Knights  of  the  Globe,  of  Freeport,  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  at  Union,  hold- 
ing the  position  of  banker  in  the  latter.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  also  members  of  the  East- 
ern Star.  Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republi- 
can, and  at  present  a  member  of  the  Village 
Board. 

Bushrod  Butts,  father  of  Mrs.  Bright,  was 
born  in  Delaware  County,  N.  Y.,  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  were  of  Welsh  extraction.  About 
1850  he  came  to  McHenry  County  and  settled 
upon  a  farm  in  Coral  Township.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  Union,  Dec.  25,  1888,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-two  years.  He  married  Urania  How- 
land,  and  they  had  ten  children:  Ophelia,  Jane, 
LaFayette,  Cynthia,  Albert.  Esther,  Mary  and 
Adell.  LaFayette  served  three  years  in  the 
Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  taking  part  in  many 
battles,  and  Albert,  enlisting  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty-third  Illinois  Infantry  at  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  served  seven  months  during 
the  last  year  of  the  war.  Their  parents  were 
highly  respected  citizens,  and  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church. 


LEBBEUS   H).  BEACH. 

Lebbeus  H.  Beach,  Wauconda,  111.,  early  set- 
tler of  Nunda  Township,  McHenry  County,  was 
born  in  Hartford,  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  Aug. 
1,  1834,  the  son  of  Seneca  and  Edna  (Hart) 
Beach.  His  father,  Seneca  Beach,  was  born  in 
Hartland,  Conn.,  March  25,  1802,  son  of  Leb- 
beus and  Hope  (Spencer)  Beach,  who  were 
also  natives  of  Connecticut.  The  mother,  Edna 
(Hart)  Beach,  was  born  at  Burlington,  Hart- 
ford County,  Conn.  Lebbeus  Beach  (1)  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and,  at  an  early  day, 
moved  with  his  family  to  Trumbull  County, 
where  he  opened  up  a  farm  near  the  Pennsyl- 
vania State  line.  He  and  his  wife  had  eleven 
children,  only  four  of  Whom  lived  to  maturity: 
Seneca,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Julia,  who  married  a  Mr.  Moore  and  had  two 
children — Elmina  and  Jerusha;  Harry,  who  had 
five  children — Emily,  Leonora,  Frank,  Allison 
and  Kirtland;  and  Laura,  who  married  a  Mr. 
Hurlburt.  and  had  children  named  Rufus, 
Cassius,  Abby,  Seneca,  and  a  daughter  whose 
name  is  not  remembered.  Lebbeus  Beach  was 
a  Justice  of  the  Peace  some  thirty  years,  and 
died  aged  about  eighty  years  at  Hartford, 
Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  and  his  wife  at  Gus- 
tavus  in  the  same  county. 

Seneca  Beach,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  en- 
listed for  the  War  of  1812,  but  saw  no  active 
service;  his  old  military  coat  is  still  preserved 
in  the  family.  He  had  a  common-school  educa- 
tion, and  was  brought  up  on  the  farm.  Being 
a  natural  mechanic,  he  could  make  almost  any 
article  from  wood,  including  clocks  (having 
been  employed  in  a  clock  factory  at  Brookfield, 
Ohio,  for  some  time)  spinning-wheels,  and 
various  farm  implements.  At  one  time  he 
made  a  wagon  entirely  of  wood.  Mr.  Beach 
was  twice  married,  first  in  Trumbull  County, 
Ohio,  to  Anna  Hart,  and  afterwards  to  her  sis- 
ter Edna,  both  born  in  the  State  of  Connecticut, 
daughters  of  Ira  and  Margaret  (Hazzart)  Hart, 
both  families  being  of  New  England  stock.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hart  had  eleven  children,  of  whom 
nine  grew  up,  viz.:  Dennis,  Amos,  Gad, 
Thankful,  who  married  William  Walters;  Anna, 
married  Seneca  Beach;  Eliza,  married  Silas 
Washburn;  Lucy,  married  Schuyler  McMaster; 
Morgan  and  Edna,  who  became  the  second  wife 
of  Seneca  Beach.  Mr.  Hart  died  at  Vienna, 
Trumbull  County,  Ohio 


(>94 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


After  marriage  Mr.  Seneca  Beach  settled  in 
Hartford,  Ohio,  and  there  his  two  oldest  chil- 
dren— Lebbeus  K.  and  Morgan  H. — were  born. 
In  1837  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Iowa,  and 
settled  on  200  acres  of  unimproved  land  near 
Brighton,  Washington  County,  and  here  two 
children — Laura  Ann  and  Lucy — were  born. 
The  journey  to  Iowa  was  made  on  a  river 
steamer  from  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  and  during  the 
passage,  Mrs.  Hart  (the  mother  of  Mrs.  Seneca 
Beach)  was  accidentally  killed  by  falling  down 
the  hatchway  of  the  boat.  She  died  on  board 
the  steamer  and  w,as  buried  at  Ft.  Madison, 
Iowa.  When  Mr.  Beach  settled  at  Brighton, 
there  was  but  one  white  family  within  twenty- 
five  miles  of  his  house.  The  Black  Hawk  War 
had  ended  a  few  years  before  and  a  band  of 
Sac  and  Fox  Indians  were  camped  within  a 
distance  of  two  miles.  Lebbeus  Beach  used  to 
play  with  the  Indian  children  and  became  a 
favorite  of  the  old  chief,  who  taught  him  to 
speak  the  Indian  language.  The  Indians  were 
peaceable  and  frequently  visited  the  home  of 
Mr.  Beach,  where  they  were  kindly  treated.  Mr. 
Beach  improved  his  land,  put  up  good  buildings 
for  his  day  and  here  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Congregational  church,  of  which  he  was  a 
deacon  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  church 
in  his  neighborhood.  In  politics  Mr.  Beach 
was  first  an  old-line  Whig,  but  later  adopted 
the  principles  of  the  Free*Soil  party.  He  died 
aged  about  forty-eight  years.  For  several 
years  he  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Lebbeus  H.  Beach,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  but  three  years  of  age  when 
he  moved  with  his  parents  to  Iowa.  Here  he 
received  a  common-school  education  in  the 
pioneer  schools  which  were  conducted  on  the 
subscription  plan  and,  when  eighteen  years  ol 
age,  began  teaching  in  Washington  County. 
When  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  became  a  clerk 
in  a  general  store  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  and,  af- 
ter his  career  as  a  teacher,  he  remained  with 
one  firm  for  seven  years,  when  he  opened  a 
general  store  of  his  own  in  Hardin  County, 
Iowa,  continuing  in  the  business  for  two  years, 
for  a  part  of  this  time  being  Postmaster  at 
New  Providence. 

On  December  29,  1859,  Mr.  Beach  was  mar- 
ried at  Brighton,  Iowa,  to  Helen  L.  Hale,  who 
was  born  at  Underhill,  Vt.,  the  daughter  of  Or- 
rin  and  Melissa  (Waite)  Hale.    After  marriage 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beach  removed  to  Ford  County, 
111.,  where  they  lived  for  eighteen  months,  when 
he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  McHenry 
County  and  later  settled  on  a  120-acre  tract  in 
Nunda  Township.  In  the  spring  of  1882  he  pur- 
chased his  present  homestead,  consisting  of 
120  acres,  much  of  it  being  covered  with  a 
growth  of  young  trees.  Mr.  Beach  has  made 
all  the  improvements  on  his  farm  besides 
adding  to  its  area  until  he  now  owns  240  acres 
in  Nunda  Township.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beacn 
the  following  named  children  have  been  born: 
Leola  C,  born  March  3,  1861;  Leon  A.,  born 
July  18,  1862,  and  died  when  about  four  years 
of  age.  Leola  C.  married  R.  G.  Smith,  and 
they  reside  on  the  home  farm.,  In  political  be- 
lief Mr.  Beach  is  a  stanch  Democrat  according 
to  the  principles  taught  by  Thomas  Jefferson. 
He  is  a  man  of  upright  character  and  has  seen 
much  of  the  development  of  the  West. 

Helen  L.  (Hale)  Beach  is  descended  from 
old  colonial  Vermont  stock.  Her  grandfather 
was  a  farmer  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts 
and  removed  to  Vermont  and  settled  at  Essex, 
where  he  died.  His  children  were:  Walter, 
Daniel,  Orrin  and  Clarinda. 

Orrin  L.  Hale,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Beach,  was 
born  at  Essex.  Vt.,  Feb.  16,  1809.  He  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade,  and  on  Nov.  12,  1837,  mar- 
ried Melissa  Waite,  who  was  born  March  17, 
1816,  the  daughter  of  David  and  Fannie  (Lilly) 
Waite. 

David  Waite  was  a  blacksmith  by  occupation 
and  came  of  a  Vermont  family  who  were  of 
English  extraction.  His  children  were:  John. 
Fannie.  Lewis,  Mary,  Melissa,  Amity,  Jason 
and  Loraine.  Mr.  Waite  was  a  soldier  in  one 
of  the  early  wars,  and  a  well-to-do  citizen,  and. 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  left  a  large  estate  tc 
his  children. 

Orrin  Hale  settled  in  Essex,  Vt..  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade.  His  children  were: 
Helen  and  Osman,  both  born  in  Essex,  Vt.  In 
the  fall  of  1847  he  came  to  Illinois,  by  way  of 
the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and 
first  settled  at  Wauconda.  Lake  County.  In 
the  spring  of  1848  he  moved  to  McHenry  Coun- 
ty and  settled  in  Nunda  Township  where  he 
purchased  a  120-acre  claim  of  Thomas  Sayles. 
This  land  was  but  slightly  improved,  but  by 
industrious  management  he  not  only  brought 
the  land  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  but 
erected  upon  it  substantial  buildings  and  added 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


695 


to  its  area  until  he  owned  320  acres.  In  1875 
he  retired  from  active  life  and  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days  at  the  home  of  his  daugh- 
ter Helen  (Mrs.  L.  H.  Beach),  in  Nunda 
Township,  where  he  died  in  November.  In 
political  opinions  Mr.  Hale  was  a  Democrat, 
and  as  a  citizen,  he  was  highly  respected  for 
honest  principles  and  upright  character. 

Osman  M.  Hale,  son  of  Orrin  Hale,  born  in 
Essex,  V.,  Feb.  2.2,  1843,  at  four  years  of  age 
came  with  his  parents  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  he  became  a  substantial  citizen  and  a 
large  land-owner,  his  estate  consisting  of  about 
600  acres. 


RASMUS    BUCK. 

Rasmus  Buck  (deceased),  pioneer  citizen  of 
Nunda  Township.  McHenry  County,  was  born 
in  Rudkjobing,  Denmark,  Oct.  30,  1801,  the  son 
of  Capt.  Hans  and  Anna  Margaret  (  ) 

Buck.  Capt.  Hans  Buck  was  a  sea-captain  and 
ship-owner,  commanding  his  own  vessel.  He 
was  a  resident  of  Rudkjobing,  a  sea-port  of 
Denmark,  and  was  well  known  in  his  native 
country,  where  he  followed  the  life  of  a  sea- 
man for  many  years.  His  career  was  a  notable 
one  for  the  fact  that,  although  he  lived  to  be 
103  years  old,  he  was  never  sick.  He  and  his 
wife  celebrated  their  diamond  wedding  anni- 
versary in  the  same  church  at  their  old  home 
in  Denmark,  in  which  they  were  married  seven- 
ty-five years  before.  The  church  was  decorated 
with  flags  and  brilliantly  illuminated,  while  the 
flags  of  all  nations  were  displayed  by  the  ves- 
sels in  the  harbor.  A  unique  feature  of  the 
ceebration  was  the  presentation  to  Captain  and 
Mrs.  Buck,  by  the  King,  of  a  silver  cup  lined 
with  gold.  The  church  service  was  followed 
by  a  banquet  and  a  ball  in  honor  of  Captain 
Buck  and  wife,  in  which  they  led  the  grand 
march.  Both  lived  after  this  interesting  event 
many  years. 

Captain  and  Mrs.  Buck  had  twelve  children 
— ten  sons  and  two  daughters.  Among  those 
who  are  remembered  are:  Hans,  a  wealthy 
merchant  tailor  of  Copenhagen;  Martha,  who 
married  a  sea-captain  and  ship-owner;  Andrew, 
Peter,  Eliza  and  one  son  who  went  to  South 
America.  Peter  and  Martha  emigrated  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  where  they  remained  for  a 
time,  but  finally  removed  to  Iowa,  where  they 
purchased   a  large   farm   in   Blooming   Prairie, 


Pocahontas   County.     Captain   Hans    Buck   was 
a  Lutheran  in  religious  belief. 

Rasmus  Buck,  of  this  family  and  subject  of 
this  sketch,  received  a  good  education  in  his 
youth,  being  able  to  speak  several  languages. 
He  also  learned  the  cabinet-maker  and  carpen- 
ter's trade,  which  he  carried  on  some  eight 
years  in  Berlin,  Germany.  On  May  2,  1826,  he 
was  married  in  his  home  town  to  Clara  Maus- 
ness,  who  was  born  in  Denmark  of  Spanish 
parents,  in  1798.  Her  parents  having  died 
when  she  was  about  one  year  old,  she  was 
reared  by  wealthy  relatives.  After  marriage 
Rasmus  Buck  and  wife  settled  in  his  native 
town  of  Rudkjobing,  where  they  lived  until 
their  removal  to  America  in  1837.  coming  by  a 
sailing  vessel  commanded  by  Capt.  Carl  Bay, 
from  Copenhagen  to  Liverpool,  and  thence  in 
the  ship  "Independence"  to  New  York;  the  voy- 
age occupied  three  months.  At  that  time  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Buck  were  the  parents  of  five  chil 
dren  who  lived  to  years  of  maturity.  Their 
names  were:  Magnus,  Charles,  Clara  T.. 
Martha  and  Peter.  Those  born  to  them  in 
America  were  Laura  A.,  who  married  Henry 
Bay,  and  Anna  Margaret.  Rasmus  Buck  was 
a  cabinet-maker,  and  after  his  arrival  in  New 
York,  found  prompt  employment  with  a  piano 
manufacturer.  He  was  the  third  Danish  emi- 
grant to  locate  in  New  York  City,  being  pre- 
ceded by  E.  Brandt,  the  first,  and  John  Han- 
son, who  was  the  second  to  arrive.  In  after 
years  both  these  fellow-countrymen  visited 
Mr.  Buck  at  his  home  in  McHenry  County. 
After  spending  some  years  in  New  York,  Mr. 
Buck  removed  to  Ohio,  locating  in  the  town  of 
Peninsula,  Summit  County,  where  he  followed 
his  trade  as  a  cabinet-maker.  In  1844  he  took 
a  new  departure,  this  time  coming  to  McHenry 
County.  111.,  where  he  settled  on  the  farm  on 
which  his  daughter  Mrs.  Leisner  now  resides. 
Here  he  pre-empted  160  acres  of  Government 
land  which  he  improved,  in  the  meantime 
carrying  on  his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and  house- 
builder.  Among  the  buildings  erected  by  him 
were  the  Universalist  church  at  McHenry,  the 
residences  of  C.  W.  Huff  and  Deacon  Button  at 
Ridgefield,  and  the  old  Terwilliger  home  at 
Terra  Cotta.  The  latter  is  an  especially  well- 
finished  residence.  Mr.  Buck  is  believed  to 
have  been  the  first  Dane  to  settle  in  McHenry 
County,  as,  at  the  time  he  passed  through  Chi- 
cago, he  found  none  of  that  nationality  in  that 


69  G 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


place.  Mr.  Buck  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life  in  McHenry  County,  and  in  his  residence 
of  forty  years,  became  well  and  favorably 
known,  serving  for  some  time  as  Clerk  of  his 
town.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Universalist  church  at  McHenry,  and  he  was 
a  prominent  member  of  Wauconda  Lodge,  A.  P. 
&  A.  M.  In  politics  he  was  originally  a  Demo- 
crat, voting  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas  for  Presi- 
dent in  1860,  but  later  was  a  supporter  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  His  death  occurred  at  his 
home  in  McHenry  County,    Sept.   24,   1884. 

Anna  Margaret  Buck,  daughter  of  Rasmus 
Buck,  was  born  on  her  father's  homestead  in 
Nunda  Township,  McHenry  County,  Aug.  18, 
1846,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
at  the  Todd  Seminary,  Woodstock,  and  on 
Sept.  29,  1867,  was  married  to  Svend  B.  Leis- 
ner. Mr.  Leisner  was  born  in  Tronekar,  Den- 
mark, May  6,  1845,  the  son  of  Casper  Adolphus 
and  Athene  Amelia  (Haas)  Leisner.  His 
father  was  a  landscape  gardener  and  had' 
charge  of  the  grounds  and  gardens  connected 
with  the  old  castle  in  his  native  town.  The 
children  of  Casper  Leisner  and  wife  were: 
Theodore,  William,  Sophia,  Jacob,  Julius. 
Heinrich,  Albrecht,  Svend  B.  and  Adolph.  All 
of  these  remained  in  Denmark  except  Svend. 
Casper  A.  Leisner  died  in  his  native  country 
in  1855.  aged  fifty-two  years. 

Svend  B.  Leisner  received  a  common-school 
education  in  Denmark  and  was  trained  up  to 
the  dry-goods  business.  In  1864  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  he' came  to  America,  sailing 
from  Nyborg,  Denmark,  to  Quebec,  where  he 
arrived  after  a  voyage  by  sailing  vessel  of 
-seven  weeks.  Prom  Quebec  he  came  directly 
to  Chicago,  where  at  that  time  there  were  only 
twenty-seven  of  his  countrymen.  Arriving  m 
Chicago  he  soon  found  employment  in  a  store 
and  remained  in  the  mercantile  business  for  a 
number  of  years.  After  their  marriage  in 
1867,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leisner  remained  in  Chi- 
cago until  1877,  when  Mrs.  Leisner's  father, 
Mr.  Buck,  having  become  advanced  in  years, 
they  removed  to  the  paternal  homestead, 
where  they  have  since  resided.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leisner  have  four  children,  viz.:  Alice  Laura, 
born  Dec.  22,  1870;  Estelle  Anna,  born  Jan.  1, 
1872;  Eugene  R.,  born  Nov.  9,  1874;  Florence 
Sophia,  born  Aug.  22,  1877 — all  born  in  Chi- 
cago, except  the  youngest,  who  was  born  on 
the  farm  in  McHenry  County. 


Mr.  Leisner  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
fraternally  is  a  member  of  Nunda  Lodge  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.  He  is  a  man  of  marked  probity  of 
character,  of  intelligence  and  business 
sagacity,  and  an  honorable  representative  of 
his  nationality.  His  son  Eugene  is  a  molder 
of  terra  cotta,  and  made  the  entrance  to  the 
main  building  at  the  Buffalo  Exposition  of 
1901.  He  is  now  foreman  of  the  Terra  Cotta 
Works  at  Rocky  Hill,  N.  Y. 

Estelle  Anna  Leisner,  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Svend  B.  Leisner,  married  Frederick  W. 
Bergman  of  Chicago,  who  is  now  a  farmer  of 
Bancroft,  Iowa.  They  have  one  child  named 
Carl  William. 

Magnus  H.  Buck,  now  the  only  surviving  son 
of  Rasmus  Buck,  received  a  thorough  business 
education  in  Bell  &  Sloan's  Commercial  Col- 
lege, in  Chicago,  then  read  law,  but  preferring 
an  agricultural  life,  is  now  a  resident  upon  the 
home  farm. 

Clara  Tena  Buck,  daughter  of  Rasmus  Buck 
and  sister  of  Mrs.  Leisner,  married  George  P. 
Bay,  a  well-known  citizen  and  now  retired 
banker  of  Chicago,  and  his  brother,  Henry 
Bay,  married  Mrs.  George  P.  Bay's  sister, 
Laura  A. 

CLARA  T.  BUCK  (now  Mrs.  Bay),  already 
mentioned  as  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rasmus  Buck,  was  born  in  Rutkoben,  Den- 
mark, Dec.  6,  1836,  and  came  with  her  parents 
to  America  when  two  years  old.  After  spend- 
ing some  time  in  New  York  they  removed  to 
Summit  County,  Ohio,  where  they  remained 
several  years.  When  about  ten  years  of  age 
Mrs.  Bay  came  with  her  brothers  and  sisters  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  the  family  settling  on 
the  farm  now  known  as  "Terra  Cotta"  where 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Svend  B.  Leisner  reside.  The 
journey  from  Ohio  was  made  overland,  and 
after  their  arrival  in  Illinois,  the  family  had 
few  of  the  comforts  and  conveniences  enjoyed 
by  the  farmers  of  the  present  day.  The  small 
grain  was  cut  by  the  farmers  of  that  day  with 
a  cradle,  the  hay  with  a  scythe  and  the  corn 
by  hand  with  a  corn-knife,  while  the  cultiva- 
tion of  corn,  potatoes  and  the  like,  was  done 
by  hand,  chiefly  with  the  hoe  and  the  shovel- 
plough.  There  were  no  creameries  and  no 
sale  for  milk  in  those  days;  so  the  cream  war. 
made  into  butter  by  hand  using  a  dash  churn. 
Corn,  when  taken  to  mill  to  be  manufactured 
into  meal,  had  to  be  shelled  by  hand.     Lucifer 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


697 


matches  were  not  made  in  this  region  nor  any- 
where near  at  that  time;  so  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers made  their  own  matches,  using  the 
splinters  split  from  a  pine-log  and  dipping  the 
ends  in  melted  sulphur.  A  steel  file  and  a 
piece  of  flint  were  used  to  produce  a  spark, 
which  was  communicated  to  some  charred  cot- 
ton cloth  kept  in  a  small  box  to  protect  it 
from  moisture,  and  in  this  way  the  flame  was 
communicated  to  the  home-made  match. 
Horses  were  scarce  in  those  days,  so  most  of 
the  work  in  the  fields,  such  as  ploughing  or 
harrowing  the  land,  hauling  hay  or  grain,  was 
done  with  oxen.  If  the  early  settlers  wished 
to  attend  a  dance,  a  singing  or  a  spelling- 
school,  they  had  only  to  hitch  a  yoke  of  young 
oxen  to  a  wagon  or  cart  to  take  them  there. 

To  the  older  settlers  the  privations  and 
hardships  of  pioneer  life  were  more  severe; 
yet  this  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  and  more 
independent  life  to  be  followed  by  greater 
comforts  and  conveniences.  The  younger  ele- 
ment seemed  to  have  better  times  and  get 
more  enjoyment  out  of  their  surroundings 
than  the  young  people  of  the  present  day. 
Their  wants  were  fewer  and,  being  taught  to 
do  all  kinds  of  work,  they  were  able  to  min- 
ister to  their  own  comfort  and  enjoyment. 
The  girls  were  taught  to  spin,  to  sew,  milk  the 
cows  and  even  work  in  the  fields,  when  neces- 
sary; so  an  occasional  good  time  was  all  the 
more  highly  appreciated  and  heartily  enjoyed. 
The  first  year  after  Mr.  Buck  came  to  Mc 
Henry  County  the  crops  proved  an  almost  en- 
tire failure,  and  wheat  for  seed  was  cut  by 
hand  with  a  pair  of  shears. 

The  daughter  Clara  T.  lived  on  the  farm  in 
McHenry  County  until  1855  when,  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  years,  she  was  married  to  George 
Phillip  Bay  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Bay  was  born  at 
Viborg,  Denmark,  July  9,  1830,  and  when  twen- 
ty-two years  of  age  came  to  America.  After 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bay  settled  in  Chicago, 
where  they  still  live  and  are  among  the  oldest 
residents.  Mr.  Bay  was  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness for  a  number  of  years,  but  in  1873  engaged 
in  the  banking  business  in  partnership  with 
Andrew  Peterson.  In  1893  the  bank  was  in- 
corporated and  is  now  the  Western  Bank  of 
Chicago.  Mr.  Bay  retired  from  his  connec- 
tion with  the  bank  as  President  two  years  ago 
(1901).  He  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason,  be- 
longing to  Englewood   Commandery.     Mr.  and 


Mrs.  Bay  have  eight  children  living:  Clara  H. 
Miller,  the  oldest,  resides  on  a  large  ranch  in 
Sprague,  Washington;  Alice  (Bay)  Blish  is  a 
resident  of  Englewood,  now  a  part  of  Chicago; 
Charles  Phillip  Bay  lives  in  Marshalltown, 
Iowa;  Dr.  Hiram  H.  Bay  is  a  practicing 
physician  at  Nunda,  McHenry  County,  111.;  Ef- 
fie  (Bay)  Anderson  is  a  resident  of  San  Pedro, 
Cal.;  Henry  M.,  Irene  Jeannette  and  George 
Phillip  Bay,  Jr.,  live  with  their  parents  in  the 
city  of  Chicago. 


PETER    BURGER. 

A  considerable  part  of  the  elements  which 
have  contributed  to  the  development  of  Mc- 
Henry County  is  of  German  nationality,  and 
the  list  of  prominent  men  who,  by  their  energy 
and  enterprise  have  won  a  front  rank  in  the 
estimation  of  their  fellow-citizens,  shows  a 
large  proportion  of  men  whose  cradles  stood  in 
the  "Fatherland."  The  German-Americans 
are,  as  a  rule,  prosperous,  industrious,  edu- 
cated, progressive  in  their  ideas,  and,  as  law 
abiding  citizens,  stand  second  to  none.  One  of 
their  most  highly  respected  pioneer  represen- 
tatives is  presented  in  this  biographical 
sketch. 

Peter  Burger  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
near  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Sept.  28,  1827,  son 
of  John  and  Eliza  (Henry)  Burger.  The 
father,  John  Burger,  was  a  farmer  and  owned 
a  small  piece  of  land  in  Germany,  where  his 
forefathers  had  lived  for  generations.  His 
children  were:  Fred  and  Peter.  John  Burger 
died  in  his  native  village  in  1834,  and  .his 
widow  married  as  her  second  husband,  Ludwi? 
Hohinstein,  a  butcher.  Their  children  were: 
Eliza,  William,  John  and  Adam.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hohinstein  died  in  Germany,  Mrs.  Hohin- 
stein's  death  occurring  in  1849.  The  family 
belonged  to  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Peter  Burger  attended  the  common  school 
until  fourteen  years  of  age,  which  is  the  full 
requirement  of  the  National  law  of  Germany. 
He  thus  received  a  good  elementary  education 
and  then  learned  the  trade  of  a  weaver  In 
Hemboch,  his  native  village.  He  came  to 
America  at  twenty-four  years  of  age,  sailing 
from  Antwerp,  July  17,  1851,  in  the  sailing  ves- 
sel "Richard  Alsop,"  being  thirty-six  days  on 
the  voyage.  He  arrived  in  New  York  City, 
August  19,  where  he  worked  two  months  for  a 


698 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


butcher  and  on  October  29,  1851,  removed  to 
Middleport,  Lake  County,  111.  Making  the  trip 
from  New  York  to  Middleport,  he  came  via 
Buffalo,  crossing  Lake  Erie  to  Toledo,  and 
thence  by  rail  to  Chicago.  He  walked  from 
Middleport  to  Grant  Township,  Lake  County, 
and  there  engaged  in  cutting  wood  for  a 
farmer  until  the  spring  of  1852.  The  three 
years  following  were  spent  as  .a  farm-hand  in 
McHenry  County.  Then,  returning  to  Lake 
County,  he  bought  a  farm  of  120  acres  in  Grant 
Township,  on  which  there  was  a  log  house  and 
other  slight  improvements.  Mr.  Burger  im- 
proved this  farm  in  many  ways  and  made  it 
his  home  until  1864,  when  he  came  to  Hebron 
Township.  McHenry  County.  March  1,  and 
there  purchased  a  farm  of  180  acres.  Here 
he  made  hi?  home  and  by  hard  work  and  the 
assistance  of  his  industrious  wife,  accumulated 
an  estate  of  405  acres  of  land  on  which  he 
erected   substantia]   farm   buildings. 

In  Greenwood  Township,  he  married  Eliza 
Penkernagel,  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  June 
27,  1831,  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Gertrude 
(Sitinger)   Fenkernagel. 

Her  father  was  a  tailor  and  his  children 
were:  Carl,  Mary,  Katie,  Emma,  Eliza,  John 
and  Henry.  Mr.  Fenkernagel  died  in  Germany 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lutheran  Church  and  a  citizen  of 
sterling  worth. 

Mr.  Burger  and  Eliza  Fenkernagel,  being 
residents  of  adjoining  villages,  became  ac- 
quainted in  Germany.  Her  sister  Emma  mar- 
ried George  Hohinstein  and  came  to  America 
in  1852,  settling  in  Greenwood  Township.  In 
1853  Eliza  Fenkernagel  came  to  this  country 
and  soon  afterwards  married  Mr.  Burger.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burger  are  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren: John  Henry,  William  H.,  George,  Louis 
(died  after  marriage,  aged  thirty-four  years), 
Janie  and  Edward  C.  Mr.  Burger  was  long  a 
respected  citizens  of  Hebron  Township,  always 
an  advocate  of  public  improvements  and  good 
schools.  He  held  the  office  of  School  Director 
for  several  years  and  afterwards  that  of  Road 
Commissioner.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burger  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  of  Woodstock. 
They  moved  to  Woodstock  in  1890,  bought  a 
pleasant  residence  property  there  and  gave  ail 
of  their  children  a  good  education,  assisting 
them  to  start  in  life.  Prof.  H.  Burger,  one  of 
their  sons,  is  a  graduate  of  the  State  Normal 


School,  and  is  now     Principal     of    the    graded 
school  of  North  Aurora. 

The  whole  career  of  Mr.  Burger  furnishes  a 
splendid  example  of  the  success  which  may  be 
achieved  by  strict  attention  to  duty,  sterling 
integrity  and  perseverance.  By  his  own  efforts 
he  has  won  success  and  is  today  one  of  the  re- 
spected citizens  of  McHenry  County,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  his  hard  labor  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  having  lived  an  upright,  honorable  and 
successful  life. 


COLBY  FAMILY  HISTORY. 
The  origin  of  the  Colby  family  in  America 
dates  from  the  arrival  of  the  Mayflower  at  Plym- 
outh, in  1620,  though  their  remote  progeni- 
tors were  undoubtedly  of  Danish  stock.  The 
name  in  Danish,  spelled  "Koldby,"  means  a 
cold  town  with  a  northeast  exposure  to  the 
North  Sea.  Some  of  the  early  Koldbys  came 
with  the  Danish  invaders  from  their  native 
Denmark  to  East  Anglia,  where  there  are  sev- 
eral villages  bearing  the  name.  The  first 
records  of  the  family  are  found  in  the  counties 
of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  and  the  Norfolk  shore 
is  believed  to  have  been  overrun  by  the  Danes 
even  before  the  days  of  Julius  Caesar,  as  well 
as  at  a  later  date.  That  the  Norfolk  English 
are  largely  descendants  of  the  old  Danish  sea- 
kings,  is  evidenced  by  the  type  of  their 
features,  as  well  as  the  prevalence  of  Danish 
words  in  their  speech.  A  township  on  the 
Danish  peninsula  named  Koldby  was,  without 
doubt,  the  birthplace  of  the  name.  While  these 
facts  leave  no  doubt  of  the  origin  of  the  family, 
by  intermarriage  of  its  later  generations  with 
Britons,  Saxons  and  Normans,  and,  at  a  still 
later  period,  with  English  emigrants  and  their 
descendants  in  New  England,  there  has  been  a 
large  infusion  into  their  veins  of  Anglo-Saxon 
blood,  which  has  now  become  predominant. 
Colby  village,  with  five  other  parishes  consti- 
tuting Ingworth  Manor,  some  twenty  miles 
north  of  Norwich,  England,  in  ancient  times 
was  a  homestead  village  belonging  to  the  town 
of  Cranston.  It  was  held  as  royal  property  by 
Prince  Harold  in  the  eleventh  century,  and  re- 
mained in  possession  of  the  crown  until  1226, 
when,  by  grant  of  Henry  III.  through  Herbert 
de  Burgh,  it  was  transferred  to  William  do 
Burgh.  In  1119  half  of  the  town  was  held  by 
Robert     Colebi     and  two    of  his  brothers,  and 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


699 


their  names  are  the  first  of  the  ancient  Colby 
family  now  known  to  exist  on  the  records. 
From  this  Robert  Colby,  through  a  long  lin- 
eage, the  American  family  is  descended.  The 
crusades  against  the  Saracens  in  the  Holy 
Land  were  at  their  height  in  the  time  of  Rob- 
ert de  Colebi,  and  the  coat  of  arms  and  crest 
of  the  Colby  family  are  believed  to  indicate 
the  part  which  they  took  in  those  events.  The 
following  description  is  taken  from  the 
"Heralds'  Book  of  England:"  "Colby  coat  of 
arms,  1370 — A  blue  ground  with  roof  between 
three  shells  of  gold,  within  a  border  of  gold, 
scalloped."  On  the  crest  above  the  shield  was 
painted  a  crown  or  helmet  to  denote  the  bear- 
er's rank,  and  above  this  some  additional 
family  emhlem.  The  Colby  crest  is  described 
as  follows:  "An  arm  in  armor  bent,  in  its 
proper  color,  trimmed  with  gold,  holding  in  a 
gauntlet,  sword  hilted  of  the  last."  Without 
attempting  to  follow  farther  the  fortunes  of  the 
Colby  family  in  England,  it  suffices  to  say  that 
they  were  of  the  landed  gentry,  some  of  them 
holding  prominent  positions  in  the  State. 

Anthony  Colby,  the  founder  of  the  family  in 
America,  came  from  Beccles,  in  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land, as  a  single  man  upon  the  Mayflower  in 
1620,  bringing  with  him  his  armor  "consisting 
of  a  corselet,  breast-plate,  gauntlet,  gorget,  two. 
tassels,  head-piece,  a  skull-cap  with  brim 
varnished  black,  with  close  head-piece."  He 
also  had  a  long  ponderous  musket,  which  is 
supposed  to  have  been  of  the  flint-lock  variety, 
which  had  but  recently  superseded  the 
matchlock.  The  fare  for  crossing  the 
ocean  was  four  pounds  each,  and  this 
is  regarded  as  evidence  that  he  belonged 
to  the  gentry.  He  married  in  America 
a  woman  named  Susannah,  whose  family 
name  is  not  recorded,  although  there  is  tra- 
dition that  it  was  Nutting.  He  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Church  in  Boston,  and  here  his 
son  John  was  baptized  in  1633.  He  became  a 
resident  of  Cambridge,  where  he  had  a  farm 
and  took  the  oath  of  a  freeman  in  1634 ;  is  also 
said  to  have  lived  in  Rowley  and  Ipswich  some 
years,  but  in  1640  went  to  Salisbury  in  Essex 
County,  where  he  was  appointed  appraiser  for 
the  Government  the  same  year.  After  remain- 
ing at  Salisbury  about  seven  years,  he  located 
in  the  wilderness  of  the  Powwow,  a  tributary 
of  the  Merrimac,  and  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  Amesbury,  Mass.     This  is  believed  to  have 


been  about  1647,  as  that  year  he  sold  his  house 
and  lot  at  Salisbury,  where  he  had  lived  seven 
years.  Ait  Amesbury  he  built  a  frame  house, 
which  is  still  standing  and  occupied  by  his 
descendants.  This  is  described  as  a  two-story 
structure  about  20  by  25  feet  square,  the  lower 
story  consisting  of  one  room  with  entry  and 
huge  fire-place,  used  as  living-room,  work-shon 
and  sometimes  as  sleeping-room,  and  having 
benches  at  the  side  of  the  fire-place  where,  on 
winter  evenings,  the  women  and  children 
worked  and  played,  while  the  men  used  the 
room  as  a  work-shop,  receiving  their  light 
from  a  pine-knot  stuck  in  the  back  of  the  fire- 
place. The  attic  was  divided  by  board-parti- 
tions into  sleeping  rooms.  Anthony  Colby  be- 
came one  of  the  largest  property  holders  in 
the  town,  planted  large  orchards,  cultivated 
gardens  and  raised  cattle.  In  1651  he  and 
Philip  Challis'  were  chosen  at  town  meeting 
to  take  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  town.  He 
died  in  Amesbury  in  1661,  aged  between  sixty- 
five  and  seventy  years,  and  was  buried  in  the 
old  graveyard  called  "Golgotha,"  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Powwow  River. 

The  children  of  Anthony  and  Susannah 
Colby,  constituting  the  second  generation  in 
America,  were:  John,  born  in  Boston,  lived  at 
Amesbury,  married  Frances  Hoyt,  and  was 
killed  by  Indians  one-half  mile  from  his  home, 
in  1675;  Samuel,  born  at  Rowley,  lived  at 
Haverhill  and  Rowley,  and  married  Elizabeth 
Sargent;  Isaac,  born  at  Salisbury,  lived  at 
Haverhill,  and  died  at  Rowley  before  1691; 
Thomas,  born  at  Salisbury  and  married  Hannah 
Amos;  Mary,  married  Willi  Sargent,  Jr.;  Re- 
becca, married  John  Williams,  and  lived  and 
died  in  Haverhill;  Sarah,  married  Orland  Bag- 
ley. 

From  Samuel  Colby,  born  at  Rowley  in  1639 
and  who  married  Elizabeth  Sargent,  the 
daughter  of  Willi  Sargent.  Sr.,  was  descended 
the  third  generation  of  the  American  branch 
of  this  family  He  became  a  freeman  (or 
townsman)  on  reaching  his  majority  in  1660, 
was  administrator  of  his  mother's  estate,  set- 
tled in  East  Haverhill,  but  later  returned  to 
Amesbury;  in  1689,  was  chosen  Represent- 
ative in  the  General  Court  and  assessor  in 
1696;  was  tithing-man  several  years,  re- 
signing in  1707.  In  1678  he  was  select- 
ed to  keep  the  public  house  at  Bartlett's 
Corners  near  his  mother's  home  and  probably 


700 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


remained  there  until  his  death  in  1715.  The 
reputation  of  his  inn  was  well  maintained  by 
his  widow  and  descendants  long  afterwards. 
He  and  his  nephew,  John  Chase,  were  soldiers 
during  the  "King  Philip's  War"  in  1676;  were 
present  at  the  famous  Deerfield  massacre  and 
in  what  was  known  as  the  "Falls  fight,"  when 
a  party  of  troops  returning  to  Hadley  were 
ambushed  by  Indians  in  a  ravine,  and  their 
commander,  Capt.  Turner,  with  forty  of  his 
party,  shot  down  at  a  single  volley.  John  Chase 
and  Samuel  Colby  assisted  in  burying  their 
leader.  By  order  of  the  court  a  township  of 
land  near  the  scene  of  the  battle  was  given 
to  each  of  the  participants. 

The  children  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Sar- 
gent) Colby  were:  Susannah,  John,  Philip. 
Dorothy  and  Eliza.  Of  this  generation,  the 
fourth  in  line  of  descent  from  Anthony  Colby. 
Philip  Colby,  born  in  1678,  married  Ann  Web- 
ster, and  they  had  children  named  as  follows: 
Ichabod,  horn  at  West  Amesbury,  Philip, 
Nicholas,  Stephen  and  Samuel.  Ichabod.  of 
this  family  and  of  the  fifth  generation  in  Amer- 
ica, married  Esther  Nichols  in  1754,  and  he. 
and  later  his  widow,  for  a  long  time  kept  the 
inn  at  Bartlett's  Corners,  Amesbury.  Their 
children  were:  Nicholas,  Jane,  Anna,  Esther, 
Martha  and  Thomas.  The  last-named,  next  in 
line  of  descent,  lived  in  Haverhill,  and  had  the 
following  named  children:  Ichabod,  Thomas, 
William,  Mary.  Sarah  and  Hannah.  Thomas 
of  the  last  mentioned  family,  was  born  at  New- 
buryport,  Mass.,  in  1757,  became  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  and  took  part  under 
Washington  in  the  battle  of  Yorktown  and  was 
present  at  Cornwallis'  surrender;  also  was 
present  at  the  execution  of  Major  Andre.  He 
married  Lydia  Webster,  a  near  relative  of 
Daniel  Webster,  and  removing  to  Danville,  Vt, 
opened  up  a  fine  farm  there  and  spent  there 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  at  the  age  of 
about  eighty-four  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  "North  Star,"  the  first  news- 
paper published  at  Danville.  The  children  of 
Thomas  and  Lydia  (Webster)  Colby  were: 
Page,  Susan,  John,.  Gideon,  Mary,  Mariab, 
Sarah,  Ira  and   Sylvia. 

Ira  Colby,  of  the  last  mentioned  family,  was 
born  at  Danville,  Caledonia  County,  Vt.,  Dec. 
27,  1803,  and  married  in  his  native  State  Mary 
G.  Stocker,  who  was  born  at  Danville,  and  was 
of  Scotch  descent.     In  1840  he  removed  with 


his  family  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the 
journey  by  railroad  to  Burlington,  Vt.,  across 
Lake  Champlain  by  steamer,  from  Whitehall  to 
Buffalo  by  the  Erie  Canal  and  thence  by  the 
lakes  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  met  by  his 
brother  Gideon  and  transported  with  his  effects 
by  two-horse-teams  to  McHenry  where  they 
arrived  Sept.  25,  the  journey  from  Chicago  to 
their  final  destination  occupying  two  days. 
During  the  first  winter  Mr.  Colby  and  his 
family  lived  in  a  log-house  which  had  been 
formerly  occupied  by  Chauncey  Beckwith,  but 
later  settled  one-half  mile  northwest  of  Mc- 
Henry, where  he  bought  240  acres,  of  which 
twenty  acres  had  been  broken  by  the  plow. 
The  following  winter  he  built  a  frame  house 
out  of  oak  lumber  which  had  been  sawed  in 
the  mill  at  McHenry.  This  house  was  covered 
with  shingles  rived  out  of  logs.  Deer,  wolves 
and  other  wild  animals  were  abundant  in  the 
vicinity,  as  many  as  one  hundred  of  the  former 
being  sometimes  seen  not  far  from  the  Colby 
home.  During  the  first  winter  Mr.  Colby  and 
his  sons  caught  seven  wolves  and  five  foxes 
in  traps  which  they  had  brought  with  them 
from  Vermont.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colby  and  their 
children  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  the  first  Methodist  prayer-meeting 
in  McHenry  was  held  in  their  home.  Freeman 
Harvey  was  their  class-leader.  Politically  Mr. 
Colby  was  originally  an  old-line  Whig  and  later 
a  Lincoln  Republican;  was  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace  soon  after  coming  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  serving  twenty-three  years;  also 
served  sometime  as  collector  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  School  Board  and  treasurer  of  the 
same  for  several  years.  He  was  an  industrious 
citizen  and  noted  for  his  kindness  of  hear;: 
and  integrity  of  character.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ira  Colby  were:  Newell  S.,  born  Oct. 
13,  1826;  Mary  M.,  who  died  in  April,  1848; 
Abbie  S.,  born  July  15,  1831;  Sarah  M..  born  in 
1833;  Franklin,  born  Jan.  5,  1835,  died  in  Dec. 
1867;  Ora  C.  and  Flora  (twins),  born  Dec.  8, 
1837;  John  B.,  born  April  13,  1840;  Gideon  A., 
born  Dec.  7,  1843,  died  in  October,  1886;  Henry 
C,  born  Sept.  6,  1846;  William  M.,  born  Sept. 
9.  1852,  died  Feb.  20,  1876. 

Mrs.  Colby  died  on  the  home  farm,  Nov.  29. 
1859,  aged  fifty-four  years,  and  Mr.  Colby  at 
the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Sherburn.  July 
11,  1886,  at  the  venerable  age  of  nearly  eighty- 
three  vears,  leaving  to  his  descendants  the  rich 


£,    4irlh 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


701 


memory  which  attaches  to  an  upright  ami 
honorable  private  life  devoted  to  the  welfare 
of  his  family  and  the  public  good. 


NEWELL   S.   COLBY. 

Newell  S.  Colby,  farmer  and  stock-breeder, 
McHenry,  111.,  was  born  at  Danville,  Vt,  Oct 
13,  1826,  and  in  1840,  when  fourteen  years  of 
age,  came  with  his  father  to  McHenry.  During 
the  winter  of  1841-2  he  attended  a  school 
taught  by  Archelaus  Sias  in  the  north  end  of 
what  was  known  as  "Brown's  Log-Cabin  Tav- 
ern." This  was  the  first  public  school  ever 
taught  in  McHenry,  although  Elder  Wheeler 
had  taught  a  private  boarding  school  at  a 
previous  date.  Sias  was  the  son  of  a  Method- 
ist minister  at  Danville,  Vt.,  and  had  come 
west  with  the  family  of  Ira  Colby  for  the  pur- 
pose of  selling  the  "Sias  Improved  Family 
Medicines"  prepared  by  his  father.  The  younger 
Sias  sold  these  medicines  to  the  pioneer  set 
tiers  for  some  time,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  at  McHenry,  but 
finally  went,  in  company  with  Dr.  Brown  of 
McHenry,  to  California,  where  he  died.  A 
number  of  pupils  who  attended  his  school  are 
still  living  in  McHenry  County.  Still  later 
Newell  S.  Colby  attended  various  schools  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  including  one  taught 
by  Enos  W.  Smith  in  the  building  where  the 
Colby  block  now  stands.  Mr.  Colby  remained 
at  the  parental  home  until  thirty  years  of  age, 
when,  on  Oct.  9,  1856,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage at  Greenwood,  McHenry  County,  to 
Laura  Etta  Parker,  born  at  Lyons,  Oakland 
County,  Mich.,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  J.  and 
Mary  (Curlis)  Parker.  After  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Colby  settled  on,  an  80-acre  tract  of  unim- 
proved land,  which  he  had  bought  from  his 
father's  estate,  and  which  now  constitutes  a, 
part  of  his  home  farm.  He  added  to  this  land 
by  purchase  and  by  thrifty  management,  until 
he  owned  a  large  property,  but  has  since  dis- 
posed of  a  considerable  portion  of  his  real 
estate,  although  now  the  owner  of  a  handsome 
and  well-improved  farm  of  168  acres. 

Mr.  Colby  early  became  interested  in  breed- 
ing fine  stock,  and,  while  a  young  man,  became 
the  owner  of  a  blooded  stallion  bred  in  Cale- 
donia County,  Vt.,  and  known  as  "Colby's 
Young  Morrill,"  for  which  he  had  paid  $500 
when   the   animal   was   three   years  old.     Still 


later  he  was  the  first  to  introduce  the  Morgan 
breed  of  horses  in  Northern  Illinois,  devoting 
his  time  largely  to  this  branch  of  business  and. 
in  the  last  forty-five  years,  many  of  this  popu- 
lar breed  of  horses  have  been  sent  from  his 
farm  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States.  In  fact, 
the  pedigree  of  many  famous  horses  of  the 
Morgan  breed  has  been  traced  to  this  stock. 
In  1857  he  added  to  his  business  that  of  breed- 
ing merino  sheep,  and  has  been  one  of  the  most 
successful  breeders  in  this  line,  his  stock  com- 
ing from  the  best  Vermont  flocks. 

In  political  principles  Mr.  Colby  has  been  an 
earnest  Republican  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln 
school  since  the  organization  of  the  party,  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  Methodists  in  re- 
ligious belief.  They  have  had  the  following 
named  children:  Mary  Laura,  born  Aug.  4, 
1858,  died  when  about  one  year  of  age;  Emma 
May,  born  June  12,  1860,  and  married  Edward 
Sayler;  Belle  C,  born  June  26,  1865,  married 
W.  A.  Sayler;  Newell  Frank,  born  Aug.  9,  1877. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Sayler  have  seven  daugh- 
ters, viz.:  Mabel,  Laura  M.,  Edna,  Pearl,  Eve- 
lyn, Florence,  and  Olive.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A. 
Sayler  have  two  children;  James  N.,  and  Frank 
W. 

Newell  F.,  the  only  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Newell  S.  Colby's  family,  born  on  the  home 
farm,  Aug.  9,  1877,  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  after  which  he  attended  the 
high  school  at  McHenry.  He  has  spent  his  life 
on  the  farm  of  which  he  has  been  the  manager 
for  a  number  of  years.  Sept.  4,  1900,  he  was 
married  to  Agnes  Thomas  of  McHenry,  who 
was  born  in  Greenwood,  March  28,  1882,  the 
daughter  of  Julian  and  Lucy  (Hobart)  Thomas, 
and  they  have  one  daughter,  Florence,  and  a 
son,  Ora  Newell.  Julian  Thomas,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Newell  F.  Colby,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry  during  the  Civil  War, 
serving  three  years  and  participating  in  a  num- 
ber of  important  battles.  He  was  promoted  for 
meritorious  conduct. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newell  S.  Colby  have  liberally 
assisted  their  children  in  acquiring  an  educa- 
tion and  in  entering  upon  life  for  themselves. 
They  also  brought  up  from  boyhood,  Edwin 
Warner,  to  whom  they  have  gave  a  good  edu- 
cation and  a  home  until  he  reached  maturity, 
when  they  presented  him  with  a  Morgan  horse 
(which  he  sold  to  the  "Dundee  Morgan  Horse 
Company"    for   $500),   besides    other   nronerty. 


702 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


The   "Dundee   Horse   Company"   was   later  of- 
fered $3,500  for  this  horse. 

Mrs.  Newell  S.  Colby  is  a  lady  of  much  artist- 
ic taste,  which  she  has  cultivated  with  great 
industry  and  perseverance,  turning  out  some 
rare  specimens  of  fancy  work  of  different 
varieties.  These  include  imitation  fruits  in 
wax-work,  which  it  is  almost  impossible  to  dis- 
tinguish from  the  real  article  from  appearance, 
hair-work  indicative  of  great  ingenuity  and 
skill,  and  many  specimens  of  needle-work  em- 
broidery of  intricate  patterns  and  of  rare 
beauty  and  elegance.  She  still  continues  her 
work  in  this  line  in  which  she  takes  great 
pleasure. 

JOSEPH  J.  PARKER,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Newell  S.  Colby,  was  born  at  East  Bloomfield, 
Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  July  6,  1811,  the  son  of 
James  and  Sarah  (Barrett)  Parker.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  and  he 
and  two  of  his  brothers,  served  as  soldiers  in 
the  Revolutionary  War,  one  of  them  losing  his 
life  in  the  struggle  for  Independence.  Both  the 
Parker  and  the  Barrett  families  were  of  Eng- 
lish-Puritan ancestry,  whose  founders  in  Amer- 
ica became  early  settlers  in  the  New  England 
Colonies.  James  Parker  was  a  pioneer 
settler  in  New  York  State,  where  he 
was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  which 
he  divided  among  his  children,  and  where  he 
died  aged  about  sixty-six  years.  His  wife 
lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-seven  years  and  final- 
ly died  at  the  old  homestead  without  having 
suffered  a  day's  serious  illness  during  her  long 
life.  She  had  gained  her  "second  sight"  and, 
in  her  later  years,  was  able  to  read  without 
glasses.  On  the  day  of  her  death  she  appeared 
to  be  in  her  ordinary  state  of  health  and,  after 
attending  to  some  light  household  duties,  re- 
tired to  her  room,  where  her  life  went  out  a? 
naturally  as  a  candle  expiring  in  the  socket 
the  fact  that  the  crisis  had  come  being  un- 
known until  sometime  after.  The  children  of 
James  and  Sarah  (Barrett)  Parker  were:  Elea- 
zer,  Eveline,  David,  Clara,  Alvin.  Almira,  Silas. 
Collins.  Benjamin,  James,  Joseph  J.  and  Sarah 
Ann.  Joseph  J.  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, became  a  farmer  and,  on  Jan.  27.  1833, 
married  at  East  Bloomfield,  N.  Y.,  Mary  Curlis 
who  was  a  native  of  Canandaigua  County,  N. 
Y.,  born  May  18,  1811.  The  Curlis  family  were 
of  Canadian  origin,  the  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  Cur- 
lis, before  marriage  being  a  Miss  Acres.     Her 


husband,  Mr.  Curlis,  having  died  about  1815. 
she  married  a  second  time  and  had  one  son. 
Having  learned  that  the  Curlis  branch  of  her 
family  had  a  claim  upon  valuable  property  in 
Canada,  she  started  for  that  country  with  a 
view  to  enforcing  her  family  rights,  taking  her 
son  with  her,  but  was  never  seen  or  heard  of 
after  disappearing  at  a  turn  in  the  road,  where 
she  was  last  seen  by  some  of  her  friends  who 
were  watching  her  as  she  departed  on  her 
journey. 

Soon  after  the  marriage  in  May,  1833,  Joseph 
J.  Parker  removed  to  Michigan,  then  a  terri- 
tory, and  settled  in  the  town  of  Lyons,  where 
he  entered  160  acres,  and,  clearing  it  of  the 
heavy  timber  with  which  it  was  encumbered, 
opened  up  a  farm.  He  added  to  his  land  until 
he  was  the  owner  of  200  acres  and  became  a 
well-to-do  farmer.  In  1854  he  made  another 
removal,  this  time  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  he  settled  on  a  farm  consisting  of  234 
acres  of  partly  improved  land  with  good  build- 
ings, one  mile  north  of  Greenwood.  He  lived 
here  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Oct.  15, 
1884.  His  wife  died  Feb.  8,  1879.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  J.  Parker — all  born  at 
Lyons,  Mich. — were:  James  Elliot,  born  Jan 
27,  1834;  Joseph  Collins,  born  June  14,  1835; 
Ann  Elizabeth,  born  May  11,  1837;  Laura  Etta 
(Mrs.  Colby),  born  Nov.  22,  1838;  Benjamin 
Allen,  born  May  5,  1840;  Sarah  Alice,  born 
Sept.  1,  1843;  David  Hide,  born  Oct.  4,  1845; 
George  Curlis,  born  June  21,  1848;  Martha 
Alzqah,  born  Aug.  31,  1851.  All  are  deceased 
except  Mrs.  Ann  Elizabeth  Wheeler,  now  of 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  Mrs.  Colby  The  son. 
Benjamin  Allen  Parker,  served  as  a  soldier  for 
three  years  during  the  Civil  War,  participating 
in  the  Vicksburg  campaign,  and  his  life  was 
shortened  by  exposure  during  his  service  in 
the  field. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  J.  Parker  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  church  at  the  time  of  their 
marriage,  but  after  their  removal  to  Michigan, 
they  united  with  the  Baptist  church.  On  com- 
ing to  McHenry  County  they  rejoined  the  Meth- 
odist church,  becoming  members  of  the  church 
at  Greenwood.  In  early  manhood  Mr.  Parker 
studied  for  the  ministry  in  his  native  State  of 
New  York,  and  for  some  time  was  a  class- 
leader  in  the  church.  He  was  a  Sunday  School 
teacher  many  years,  and,  being  a  fine  singer, 
often  led  the  music  in  the  congregations  with 


c/Haj,  cJ&u^ d,/&d<L 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


703 


which  he  was  connected.  He  was  also  a  cap- 
tain of  the  State  militia  during  his  residence 
in  Michigan. 


ORA  C.  COLBY. 


Ora  C.  Colby,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
was  born  at  Danville,  Vt,  Dec.  8,  1837,  and  in 
his  third  year  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
McHenry  County,  111.  Here  he  received  the 
education  common  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
time.  While  still  young  he  became  afflicted 
with  ,a  hip  disease,  causing  permanent  lame- 
ness which  naturally  interfered  with  his  pros- 
pects in  active  life.  Possessing  a  natural  apti- 
tude for  business,  however,  he  early  began  to 
trade  in  various  ways,  and  when  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  accepted  s. 
clerkship  in  the  drug-store  of  Oliver  Owen,  a 
pioneer  druggist  and  watch-maker  of  McHenry. 
He  remained  here  about  two  years,  when 
he  bought  out  his  employer,  continuing 
in  the  drug  trade  until  1867,  when,  hav 
ing  transferred  his  stock  to  his  brother 
Henry,  he  removed  to  Saybrook,  McLean  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  and  engaged  in  the  drug  business  there, 
remaining  about  four  years.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  added  to  his  business  that  of  a  grocery 
store  at  Gibson  City,  111.,  but  sold  this  out  in 
1873  and  removed  to  Neosho,  Missouri,  where, 
in  company  with  his  younger  brother,  William 
M.,  he  bought  out  the  business  of  James  H. 
Beckham.  He  remained  at  Neosho  three  years, 
when  he  took  a  new  departure,  this  time  to 
Granby,  Mo.,  but  a  year  later  (1877)  returned 
to  his  old  home  at  McHenry  and  re-entered 
business  in  connection  with  his  brother  Hen- 
ry. A  dry  goods  and  general  mercantile  bus- 
iness was  soon  added,  and,  in  1879,  a  similar 
business  was  established  at  Nunda.  Two  years 
later  the  partnership  with  his  brother  was  dis- 
solved, Mr.  Ora  C.  Colby  assuming  entire  con- 
trol of  the  establishment  at  Nunda.  In  1892  he 
erected  at  Nunda  a  substantial  .and  commodious 
brick  building  especially  well  adapted  to  the 
mercantile  business,  and  which  is.  regarded  as 
a  credit  to  the  town.  For  some  years  he  has 
been  doing  the  largest  mercantile  business  in 
the  place.  In  1885  he  purchased  a  dry-goods 
store  at  Lake  Geneva,  in  which  he  still  retains 
an  interest,  and  is  also  interested  in  a  similar 
establishment   at  Mason  City,  Iowa.     He  now 


ranks  as  one  of  the  successful  and  prosperous 
business  men  of  the  county,  of  which  he  has 
so  long  been  a  resident.  Besides  his  mercan- 
tile interests,  he  is  the  owner  of  farming  lands 
in  Missouri  and  Nebraska,  as  well  as  other 
real  estate.  Mr.  Colby  was  married  at  Wilmot, 
Wis.,  June  12,  1864,  to  Emma  E.  Colby,  the 
daughter  of  Webster  and  Abbie  (Smith)  Colby, 
and  a  native  of  McHenry  Township.  Webster 
Colby,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Colby,  died  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  while  on  his  way  home  from 
the  gold  fields  of  California.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Colby  are  the  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Bert  W.,  born  June  21,  1866,  in  Mc- 
Henry; Lulu  E.,  born  Feb.  15,  1871,  in  Say- 
brook,  McLean  County,  111.;  Stella  F.,  born 
March  21,  1877,  in  Marion,  Ark.,  died  Dec.  8, 
1880;  Carl  O.,  born  Jan.  17,  1881,  in  McHenry; 
Earl  H.,  born  Feb.  15,  1882,  in  McHenry; 
Ernest  C.,  born  May  25,  1884,  in  Nunda,  111.; 
Aiddie  L,  born  Feb  8,  1887,  in  Nunda,  111.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colby  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church — Mr.  Colby  being  a 
member  of  the  official  board,  and  having  been 
prominent  in  securing  the  erection  of  the 
Methodist  church  building  at  Nunda.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  Republicans  of  McHenry 
County  and  voted  for  Mr.  Lincoln  in  1860;  is  a 
Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  has  been  President  of 
the  City  Board  of  Nunda  for  two  terms.  In 
spite  of  lameness  and  a  rather  delicate  consti- 
tution, and  although  entering  upon  his  business 
career  with  limited  means  and  in  a  humble 
manner,  by  innate  energy  and  enterprise,  he 
has  won  for  himself  deserved  recognition  as 
one  of  the  most  prominent  merchants  of  North- 
ern Illinois.  By  his  unaided  efforts  he  has 
achieved  a  marked  success,  which  has  estab- 
lished for  him  a  reputation  for  business 
capacity  and  integrity,  thereby  furnishing  a 
most  conspicuous  example  of  the  "self-made 
man." 


PAGE    COLBY. 

Page  Colby,  retired  farmer,  and  pioneer  set- 
tler of  McHenry  County,  in  the  steady  pursuit 
of  one  main  industry  has  achieved  success  and 
won  for  himself  a  foremost  place  among  agri- 
culturists of  his  section.  Now  at  the  age  of 
about  eighty-three  years,  he  is  enjoying  a  well- 
earned  leisure  on  his  large  and  attractive  farm. 

Mr.  Colby  was  born  in  Danville,  Vt.,  Sept.  2, 


704 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1820.  the  son  of  Page  and  Mary  Colby.  At- 
tending the  district  schools  of  his  neighborhood 
until  he  was  twenty  years  old,  he  acquired  a 
thorough  rudimentary  education,  which  he 
afterward  supplemented  by  reading  and  inter- 
course with  intelligent  people.  A  wholesome 
respect  for  agriculture  induced  him,  on  reach- 
ing manhood,  to  make  that  occupation  the  busi- 
ness of  his  life,  and  to  further  his  interests,  in 
1842,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  he  started 
for  McHenry  County,  111.  Lake  Cham  plain  to 
Whitehall,  the  Champlain  Canal  to  Troy,  and 
the  Brie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  furnished  a  route  to 
the  lakes,  where  he  embarked  on  a  steamer 
for  Detroit.  From  Detroit  he  proceeded  by 
steam-car  over  an  unfinished  line  to  the 
terminus  at  Jackson,  Mich.,  and  thence  by  stage 
to  St.  Joseph,  where  he  took  passage  on  a  lake 
steamer,  finally  reaching  Chicago.  A  two  days' 
walk  over  wet,  muddy  roads  brought  him  to 
McHenry  County,  Nov.  8,  1840.  Here,  he  at 
once  purchased  of  Ezra  Harvey,  for  $130  in 
United  States  gold,  an  unimproved  80-acre 
tract  of  land,  which  became  the  nucleus  of  his 
present  farm.  During  the  first  ten  months  of 
his  residence  in  McHenry  County,  he  made  his 
home  with  his  uncle,  Ira  Colby.  The  spring 
of  1843  found  him  hard  at  work  upon  his  land, 
and  during  the  following  summer  he  erected  a 
small  frame  house,  obtaining  his  lumber  from 
Owen's  Mill  at  McHenry. 

October  11,  1843,  Mr.  Colby  was  married  in 
McHenry  Township,  to  Mehitabel  Elizabeth 
Smith,  who  was  born  at  Johnson,  Lamoille 
County,  Vt,  March  26,  1827,  the  daughter  of 
Abiah  and  Thankful  (Griswold)  Smith.  Mrs. 
Colby  has  been  a  sympathetic  and  encouraging- 
helpmeet,  and  of  great  assistance  to  her  hus- 
band in  his  enterprises.  They  have  had  six 
children:  Charles  C,  Mary  J.,  George  W., 
Ellen  A.  (who  died  Nov.  12,  1878)!  Ida  (died 
June  13,  1880)  and  Willard  E. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Colby  moved  into  his 
new  farm  house  and  began  the  real  life  of  a 
pioneer.  An  expert  shot  with  the  rifle,  he  had 
no  difficulty  in  furnishing  plenty  of  meat  for 
the  family  larder  from  deer  and  other  game, 
and  for  fish  he  dragged  the  lakes  and  rivers 
with  his  nets,  especially  the  Fox  River,  and  at 
least  once  each  season  for  twenty  years,  he 
was  accustomed  regularly  to  take  out  wagon- 
loads  of  fish  from  that  stream.  He  cleared  up 
more  land,  erected  good  buildings  and  enlarged 


old  ones,  and  extended  the  farm  itself  by  addi- 
tional land  purchases,  until  it  now  embracea 
272  acres,  largely  under  cultivation.  In  his 
methods  he  has  been  progressive  and  at  the 
same  time  practical,  and  is  justly  considered 
one  of  the  most  substantial  and  successful 
farmers  in  McHenry  County.  Aside  from  the 
management  of  his  farm,  he  has  found  time 
for  public  service,  and  for  two  years  served  as 
Town  Assessor.  He  has  always  manifested  a 
keen  interest  in  questions  of  public  policy. 
Originally  a  Whig  in  politics,  he  later  became 
a  Free-Soiler,  but  since  the  formation  of  the 
Republican  party,  has  been  a  zealous  supporter 
of  its  principles.  He  is  also  an  earnest  op- 
ponent of  the  liquor  traffic  and  has  labored 
strenuously  to  secure  its  suppression. 

Abiah  Smith,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Colby,  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  where  he  spent  the  earlier 
years  of  his  life  as  a  farmer.  Inspired  by  a 
desire  to  test  the  advantages  of  the  "Great 
West,"  in  1840  he  set  out  with  his  family  for 
McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the  overland 
journey  to  Burlington,  Vt.,  by  team,  thence 
via  Lake  Champlain  and  the  canals  to  Buffalo, 
where  they  embarked  on  a  steamer  for  Chi- 
cago, and,  after  another  two  days'  drive  across 
the  prairies  from  Chicago,  reached  their  desti- 
nation, Aug.  6,  1840.  Here,  during  the  fall  after 
his  arrival,  he  erected  a  good  frame  house 
upon  the  oak  openings,  where  he  settled  and 
began  felling  the  timber  and  grubbing  out  the 
underbrush.  In  time  he  cleared  up  a  good 
farm  and  became  one  of  the  prominent  agri- 
culturists of  the  county.  He  not  only  won  a 
substantial  prosperity  for  himself,  but  assisted 
his  sons  on  the  road  to  fortune,  giving  the  two 
eldest  farms  in  Vermont,  and  his  other  chil- 
dren land  in  McHenry  County.  He  and  his 
wife,  Thankful  Griswold,  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in  Ver- 
mont, viz.:  Aaron,  Abiah,  Samuel,  Willard, 
Hawley,  Abigail,  Harriet  and  Harrison. 

Mr.  Smith  was  energetic,  far-sighted  and  per- 
severing as  a  business  man,  and  by  his  straight- 
forward character  commanded  respect  where 
he  was  best  known.  In  religious  sentiment 
he  was  a  Universalist.  He  died  on  his  farm  in 
McHenry  County  at  the  age  of  about  seventy- 
three  years.  Mrs.  Page  Colby  died  at  her 
home,  June  7,  1902. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


705 


ALBERT  H.  COLBY. 

Albert  H.  Colby  is  a  member  of  a  pioneer 
family  who  settled  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  at 
an  early  day  and  soon  took  rank  among  its  sub- 
stantial citizens.  The  founder  of  the  family 
(Thomas  Colby)  was  of  English  and  Puritan 
ancestry,  who  settled  in  Vermont  during  the 
colonial  period.  Gideon  Colby,  Albert's  father, 
was  born  in  Caledonia  County  in  the  "Green 
Mountain  State,"  opened  a  farm  in  the  woods 
and  was  married  to  Olive  Marsh  at  Danville, 
Vt..  remaiuing  there  until  1837,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois,  bringing  with  him  his  family 
consisting  of  his  wife  and  four  children — the 
latter  named  Webster,  Allen,  Mary  and  Albert 
H.  His  family  and  effects  were  brought  in  two 
wagons,  the  journey  between  Chicago  and  Mc- 
Henry (which  became  their  first  home)  requir- 
ing five  days  on  account  of  the  almost  im- 
passable condition  of  the  country  covered  with 
sloughs  and  practically  without  roads.  The 
purpose  of  Mr.  Colby  was  to  proceed  to  the 
Rock  River,  but  by  the  time  he  reached  Mc- 
Henry his  teams  were  so  worn  out  that  he  was 
obliged  to  stop.  McHenry  then  consisted  of  a 
few  log  houses,  one  occupied  by  a  Mr.  B.  B. 
Brown,  whose  family  were  still  in  New  York, 
while  another  belonged  to  Henry  McLean,  who 
had  gone  away  to  be  married.  Brown  was 
keeping  a  frontier  tavern,  and  some  twenty-five 
young  men  who  had  located  claims  in  the  vi- 
cinity were  boarding  with  him.  They  spent 
much  of  their  time  hunting  and  fishing  and 
kept  Brown's  table  well  supplied  with  game. 
Brown  prevailed  upon  Colby  to  take  the  house 
and  keep  it  as  a  tavern  during  the  following 
winter.  It  was  about  16x20  feet,  with  a  "lean- 
to"  of  nearly  the  same  size  which,  in  after 
years,  was  used  as  a  barroom,  although  Mr. 
Colby  sold  no  liquors  there.  A  loft  over  the 
principal  cabin,  reached  by  a  ladder,  served  as 
a  bed-room  for  the  guests.  A  Mr.  McCollum,  a 
Scotchman,  came  to  McHenry  about  the  same 
time  the  Colbys  did,  but  afterwards  removed  to 
Milwaukee.  Mr.  Colby  remained  here  from 
October,  1837,  to  the  next  April,  when,  having 
bought  the  claim  of  Henry  McLean  consisting 
of  360  acres  on  the  west  bank  of  Fox  River,  he 
built  a  house  of  rough  logs  covered  with 
"shakes"  or  clap-boards.  Attached  to  it  was  a 
"lean-to,"  similar  to  the  house  he  had  occupied 
as  a  tavern  at  McHenry.  It  had  a  stick  chim- 
ney covered  with  mortar  made  from  the  native 


clay,  with  a  fire-place  six  feet  wide  and  with  a 
depth  sufficient  to  receive  a  huge  back-log  re- 
quiring two  men  to  handle  it.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Colby  was  compelled  to  go  to  Elgin,  30  miles 
distant,  for  supplies,  paying  one  dollar  per 
bushel  for  potatoes  which  had  been  brought  up 
Fox  River  by  boat.  He  bought  the  360  acres  of 
land  upon  which  he  had  settled,  paying  the 
Government  $1.25  per  acre  for  it.  Here  he 
prospered  and  became  one  of  the  influential 
citizens  of  McHenry  County,  which  was  then 
going  through  the  process  of  organization  uii- 
der  the  law  enacted  by  the  Legislature  in  1836. 
He  was  an  old  line  Whig  in  politics  and  a  Uni- 
versalist  in.  religious  belief.  His  death  occurred 
in  the  fall  of  1842  at  the  age  of  46  years. 

Albert  H.  Colby,  whose  name  heads  this  ar- 
ticle, was  born  at  Danville,  Vt.,  June  4,  1830, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois  in  1837  as 
described  in  the  previous  paragraph.  He  has  a 
vivid  recollection  of  the  journey  from  Chicago 
McHenry,  when  their  camp  at  night  was  not 
unfrequently  surrounded  by  howling  wolves. 
On  the  way  they  met  a  number  of  Indians  be- 
longing to  hunting  parties  camping  along  Fox 
River.  They  had  their  squaws,  children  and 
ponies  with  them  and  were  friendly.  Having 
no  white  playmates,  Mr.  Colby  was  ac- 
customed frequently  to  play  with  these  Indian 
children.  He  well  remembers  a  powerful  Sioux 
Chief,  who  wore  several  dried  scalps  of  white 
women  dangling  at  his  belt,  which  he  claimed 
he  had  taken  in  the  old  French  War. 

In  the  winter  of  1840,  Mr.  Colby  attended  his 
first  private  school  in  McHenry,  taught  by 
Elder  Wheeler,  a  Baptist  minister.  Among 
others  who  attended  this  school  were  Francis 
and  James  Wheeler,  Franklin  Bosworth  and 
Homer  Brown.  The  text-books  used  included 
"Daboll's  Arithmetic"  and  "Webster's  Ele- 
mentary Speller."  Later  he  attended  school  in 
a  log  school-house  taught  by  a  Miss  McOmber. 

April  27,  1855,  Mr.  Colby  was  married  at  Mc- 
Henry to  Abigail  (Smith)  Colby,  a  widow, 
daughter  of  Abiah  and  Thankful  (Griswold) 
Smith,  born  at  Johnson,  Vt.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  where  he  had  opened  a 
farm  and  made  himself  a  good  home,  but  re- 
moAred  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  in  1840,  making 
the  journey  to  Burlington,  Vt.,  by  teams,  thence 
across  Lake  Champlain  by  steamer  and,  after 
reaching  Buffalo,  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chir 
cago.  The  journey  from  Chicago  to  McHenry  by 


706 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


teams  occupied  two  days.  There  were  ten 
children  of  the  Smith  family:  Aaron,  Abiah, 
Samuel,  Willard,  Hawley,  Abigail,  Mehitabel, 
Almira,  Harriet  and  Harrison.  Of  these,  six  ac- 
companied their  parents  to  Illinois,  the  others 
coming  later  and  settling  in  McHenry  County. 
Mr.  Smith  had  come  west  during  1839  and  en- 
tered some  500  acres  of  land,  leaving  his  son 
Willard  to  build  a  cabin.  -  He  opened  up  a 
large  farm  and  assisted  his  children  to  get  a 
start  in  life,  as  he  had  already  assisted  two  of 
them  to  farms  in  Vermont.  He  was  a  Uni- 
versalist  in  religion,  an  influential  citizen  and 
died  highly  respected  at  seventy-three  years  of 
age. 

Mrs.  Colby,  by  her  first  marriage,  became  the 
wife  of  Webster  Colby,  an  older  brother  of  Mr. 
Albert  Colby.  Four  children  were  born  of  this 
marriage:  Emma,  Edgar,  Smith  and  Clarence. 
Webster  Colby  crossed  the  plains  to  California 
in  1849,  returning  in  November  of  the  same 
year  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  and  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  but  died  on  the  steamer  before  its 
arrival  at  New  Orleans. 

After  the  marriage  of  Albert  Colby  to  his 
widowed  sister-in-law  in  1855,  he  removed  to 
Buchanan  County,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased 
1,000  acres  of  land,  but  four  years  later  sold 
out  and  purchased  a  planing-mill  and  sash  fac- 
tory at  Waukegan,  111.,  which  he  conducted  two 
years.  He  then  returned  to  McHenry  County, 
settling  at  Nunda,  where  he  purchased  300 
acres  of  land  and  erected  a  pleasant  residence, 
which  he  now  occupies.  He  has  three  chil- 
dren: Minnie,  Lillian  and  Frederick.  An  original 
Republican  and  supporter  of  John  C.  Fremont 
and  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  late  years  he  has  co- 
operated with  the  Prohibition  party.  By  in- 
dustry, frugality  and  good  management  he  has 
attained  a  decided  success  in  business  life  and 
is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  and  in- 
fluential citizens  of  McHenry  County. 


ALLEN    P.   COLBY. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  111., 
none  have  occupied  a  more  prominent  position 
than  the  Colby  family.  From  Gideon,  the  sec- 
ond son  and  fourth  child  of  Thomas  and  Lydia 
(Webster)  Colby  our  subject  is  descended. 
Gideon  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  horn 
May  10,  1797,  and  removed  with  his  parents  in 


boyhood  to  Danville,  Vt.  Following  the  ex- 
ample of  his  father,  he  adopted  the  vocation  of 
a  farmer,  to  which  he  added  that  of  a  catvle- 
buyer  and  drover,  dealing  in  the  Boston  mar- 
ket. He  was  married  at  Danville,  to  Olive 
Marsh,  a  native  of  Danvers,  Mass.,  born  in 
1793,  and  the  daughter  of  John  and  Rhoda 
(Putnam)  Marsh — her  mother  being  related  to 
Gen.  Israel  Putnam  of  Revolutionary  fame. 
John  Marsh,  the  father,  served  in  the  navy  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  War.  Gideon  Colby  set- 
tled after  his  marriage  at  Danville,  where  he 
bought  a  farm;  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812,  serving  in  the  Vermont  militia  and 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg.  His 
children  include  Webster  M.,  born  in  August, 
1820;  Allen  P,  born  June  25,  1822;  Mary  M., 
born  in  June,  1826,  and  Albert  Henry,  born 
June  4,  1830. 

In  August,  1837,  Mr.  Colby  bade  farewell  to 
the  old  Vermont  home,  and  started  to  Illinois, 
transporting  his  family  and  effects  across  the 
States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana  in  one  two-horse 
and  one  three-horse  covered  wagon.  Mr.  Colby 
drove  the  three-horse  wagon,  and  passing 
through  Chicago,  then  a  small  hamlet,  pro- 
ceeded through  the  water  which  covered  the 
surface  for  the  entire  distance  from  the  site  of 
the  present  city  to  the  sand  ridge  upon  which 
the  town  of  Jefferson  Park,  now  within  the  city 
limits,  stands.  The  emigrants  were  compelled 
to  cut  their  way  through  the  forest  and  under- 
growth around  Lilly  Lake  on  the  western  bor- 
der of  Lake  County,  arriving  at  the  village  of 
McHenry  in  October,  after  a  journey  which  oc- 
cupied nearly  six  weeks.  The  village  at  that 
time  consisted  of  half-a-dozen  log-cabins — one 
occupied  by  B.  B.  Brown  as  a  tavern;  one  by 
Dr.  C.  G.  Wheeler,  who  was  a  Baptist  minister 
as  well  as  a  physician,  and  the  third  belonging 
to  Henry  McLean,  an  unmarried  man,  who  was 
absent  at  the  time.  Although  a  married  man. 
Brown's  family  was  still  in  New  York,  while 
Dr.  Wheeler's  family  was  with  him,  having  set- 
tled there  a  short  time  before  the  arrival  of  the 
Colbys.  Mr.  Colby  hired  the  Brown  cabin  and 
kept  it  as  a  tavern  during  the  following  winter. 
Two  other  families — those  of  Daniel  Owen  ami 
Squire  John  MoOmber — lived  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  creek.  In  the  spring  of  1838  Mr. 
Colby  settled  on  a  claim  of  320  acres  of  "oak 
openings"  north  of  the  present  town  limits. 
Here  he  built  his   pioneer   home,   and  opened 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


707 


and  improved  his  farm,  dying  there  in  Septem- 
ber, 1843,  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years.  In  re- 
ligious belief  he  and  his  wife  were  Universal- 
ists.  The  latter  survived  until  1893,  dying  at 
the  home  of  her  daughter  (Mrs.  Smith)  at 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  at  the  age  of  ninety-nine 
years  and  three  months. 

Allen  P.  Colby,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch  and  second  son  of  Gideon  Colby,  the 
Vermont  pioneer,  was  born  at  Danville,  Vt., 
June  25,  1822,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his  par- 
ents in  1837.  Being  then  only  fifteen  years  of 
age,  his  opportunities  for  acquiring  an  educa- 
tion in  a  new  country  were  limited  to  at- 
tendance on  winter  schools  in  McHenry  County 
for  three  winters.  The  first  school  attended 
by  him  was  taught  by  Archelaus  Sias,  the  son 
of  a  Vermont  minister,  in  the  log-cabin  of  B.  B. 
Brown,  which  had  been  used  for  a  tavern. 
Almong  others  attending  this  school  were  Web- 
ster, Alfred  and  Mary  Colby,  Henry  and  John 
McOmber,  Fred  Bryant,  Atrus  McCullum  and 
Henry  Brown.  Although  hampered  as  to  educa- 
tional advantages,  Mr.  Colby's  retentive 
memory  enabled  him  to  acquire  a  large  fund  of 
facts  and  reminiscences  in  connection  with  the 
early  history  of  that  region,  which  are  invalu- 
able to  the  local  historian  He  assisted  his 
father  to  clear  and  improve  the  homestead, 
and  when  the  latter  died  in  1843,  he  assumed 
charge  of  the  family  and  became  administrator 
of  the  estate.  He  was  married  in  October, 
1844,  to  Caroline  M.  Smith,  who  was  born  at 
Johnson,  Vt.,  June  8,  1827,  the  daughter  of  John 
W.  and  Clarissa  (Clemmens)  Smith.  His  wife's 
father  was  a  pioneer  of  McHenry  County,  hav- 
ing settled  there  in  1844.  After  his  marriage, 
Mr.  Colby  settled  in  the  old  homestead,  but, 
about  1850,  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Ring- 
wood,  McHenry  County,  where  he  had  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land. 
Having  partly  improved  this  tract,  he  sold  it  in 
1854,  and  removed  to  his  present  location. 
Here  he  became  the  owner  of  230  acres  (partly 
improved),  completed  the  improvements  and 
erected  substantial  farm  buildings.  Of  this 
tract  he  retains  140  acres,  having  transferred 
the  remainder  to  his  children.  Mrs.  Colby 
died  May  19,  1856,  leaving  four  children — 
Emma,  Luella,  Wallace  and  Clarissa.     On  Oct. 

11,  1857,  he  was  married  a  second  time  to 
Emily  Jane  Sanborn,  at  Danville,  Vt.,  born  Jan. 

12,  1S35,  the  daughter  of  Joel  R.  and  Charlotte 


(Haviland)  Sanborn.  Mr.  Haviland,  the  bride's 
grandfather,  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812, 
while  her  father  (Joel  Sanborn)  was  of  English 
descent  but  of  early  Puritan  and  colonial  stock 
— being  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Martha  (or 
"Patty"  Watson)  Sanborn  of  Vermont.  Joel 

Sanborn  was  a  farmer,  who  had  cleared  up  and 
opened  a  farm  in  the  woods  of  that  State.  The 
children  of  the  Sanborn  family  were:  Catherine, 
Warren  W.,  Emily  J.  (the  wife  of  Mr  Colby), 
Gardner  J.,  Mary  A.,  Martin  S.,  and  Charlotte 
H.  Mr.  Sanborn  died  on  his  farm  in  Vermont, 
and  his  wife  at  Danville,  in  the  same  State, 
having  reached  the  age  of  about  eighty  years. 
As  the  result  of  his  second  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Colby  are  the  parents  of  three  children: 
Caroline  Eva,  Charlotte  Anna  and  Cora 
Augusta.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Universalist 
and  assisted  to  build  the  Universalist  church 
at  McHenry.  Politically  he  was  an  old  line  and 
anti-slavery  Whig,  but  supported  John  P.  Hale 
for  President  in  1852,  becoming  a  Republican 
on  the  organization  of  that  party,  and  a  sup- 
porter of  Fremont  and  Lincoln  in  1856  and 
1860.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  re- 
liable and  substantial  citizens  of  McHenry 
County.  The  public  positions  held  by  him  in- 
clude those  of  Road  Commissioner  (for  thirty 
years),  member  of  the  School  Board  and 
Deputy  Sheriff  for  four  years  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  Christopher  Walkup,  the  first 
Sheriff  of  McHenry  County. 


THE  COLE   FAMILY. 

The  Puritan  settlers  of  the  New  England 
colonies  had  no  conception  of  the  vast  extent 
of  our  country,  and  many  of  their  descendants, 
although  not  prompted  by  religious  persecution, 
endured  semi-privations  to  found  a  new  empire 
in  the  great  western  world,  in  a  territory  that 
the  most  sanguine  of  the  pilgrim  fathers  never 
dreamed  would  ever  be  inhabited  by  civilized 
men.  Many  of  the  early  settlers  of  Illinois 
were  natives  of  New  England.  In  their  ad- 
vent to  the  West  they  retained  their  habits  of 
industry,  economy  and  integrity,  which  they 
had  formed  in  the  early  period. 

The  ancestry  of  the  Cole  family  may  be 
traced  through  the  Puritan  New  England 
branch  to  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  as  early  as 
1696,  the  name  is  found  in  the  annals  of  Ameri- 


708 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


can  colonization.     The  following,  though  frag- 
mentary, gives  some  trace  of  its  early  history: 
"John  Cole,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  was  a  cooper  by 

trade  and  married  to  Sarah .      Their 

children  were:  Samuel,  born  Dec.  27,  1687, 
and  Anna,  horn  Aug.  5,  1690.  In  1717  Samuel 
came  to  Boxford,  Mass.,  with  his  father  and,  for 
£110,  purchased  of  Ebenezer  Burbank  a  farm 
(the  estate  of  the  late  Manley  H.  Cole,  in  West 
Parish),  on  which  his  posterity  have  resided 
until  within  a  few  years.  This  was  the  tract  of 
land  laid  out  to  Thomas  Seaver  In  1666.  John 
Cole,  the  father,  died  very  suddenly  in  1737, 
aged  sixty-eight  years.  Samuel  died  in  1765, 
and  his  widow,  Susannah,  in  1785,  being  then 
ninety-five  years  of  age.  Samuel's  children 
were:  Samuel,  Jr.,  John,  Rebecca,  Susannah 
and  Mary.  John  Cole  moved  to  Amherst,  N.  H., 
about  1763." 

The  foregoing  extract  from  the  History  of 
Boxford,  Mass.,  contains  some  ancestral  infor- 
mation up  to  the  time  that  John  Cole  and  his 
son,  Samuel,  moved  to  Boxford,  in  1717,  which 
may  be  briefly  summarized  as  follows:  First 
generation  was  John  Cole,  a  cooper.  Second 
generation,  Samuel,  his  son.  Third  generation, 
another  Samuel  who  had  a  family  of  several 
children,  one  of  whom  (John)  moved  to  Am- 
herst, N.  H.,  about  1763,  where  he  settled  and 
spent  his  life.  He  raised  a  family  of  four  sons 
and  seven  daughters  named  as  follows:  John, 
who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill: 
Aisa,  Tyler,  Nathan,  Priscilla,  Abigail,  Hannah, 
Sally,  Susannah,  May,  and  one  whose  name  is 
not  remembered.  Fourth  generation,  John,  the 
father  of  Nathan  Cole  and  the  grandfather  of 
Miles  Flint  Cole,  who  was  the  head  of  the  fam- 
ily that  settled  in  McHenry  County,  111.  Fifth 
generation.  Nathan  Cole,  who  lived  in  Am- 
herst, N.  H.,  until  after  the  birth  of  all  of  hio 
children,  when  he  moved  to  Antrim  in  tne 
same  State,  and  afterwards,  about  1809,  moved 
to  New  Chester.  He  was  born  in  Boxford, 
Mass.,  in  1758,  died  in  Danbury,  N.  H.,  June  20, 
1833,  and  was  buried  at  Hill  Center  beside  his 
wife.  His  wife,  Mollie  (Flint)  Cole,  was  born 
in  Danvers,  Mass.,  Jan.  10,  1755,  and  died  in 
New  Chester,  N.  H.,  Aug.  20,  1823.  Nathan 
and  Molly  (Flint)  Cole  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  grow  up  to 
be  men  and  women,  and  were  named  as  follows 
in  the  order  of  their  birth:  Polly,  born  July 
25,  1775;  John,  born  Jan.  23,  1777;  Nathan, 
born  October,  1778;  Betsy,  born  Aug.  3,  1780; 
Levi;  Miles  F.,  born  March  16,  1785,  died  July 
22,  1859;   Susanna;  Jehat;   Lucy,  born  in  1791. 


Sally  (Bixby)   Cole,  wife  of  Miles  F.  Cole,  was 
born  Oct.  3,  1795,  and  died  Oct.  27,  1863. 


MILES   H.  COLE. 

Miles  H.  Cole,  who  is  one  of  the  substantial 
pioneer  citizens  of  McHenry  County,  belongs  to 
the  army  of  intelligent,  persevering  and  cour- 
ageous people,  whose  parents  came  from  the 
East  to  build  up  new  homes  on  the  broad 
plains  of  the  West.  He  is  naturally  a  public- 
spirited  man  and  all  movements  of  a  public 
character,  tending  to  promote  the  welfare  of 
the  place  of  his  adoption,  have  as  a  rule  re- 
ceived his  countenance  and  assistance. 

The  Coles  are  of  sterling  Scotch-Irish  an- 
cestry who  were  early  settlers  of  New  England. 
The  founders  of  the  family  were  among  th» 
English  Puritans  of  the  old  Massachusetts 
Colony  at  Amesbury,  Mass. 

Nathan  Cole,  the  grandfather  of  Miles  II., 
was  a  blacksmith  and  resided  in  Andover, 
N.  H.,  where  he  died  about  seventy-five  or 
eighty  years  of  age.  His  children  were: 
Nathan,  John,  Jedediah,  Miles,  Levi,  Betsy, 
Susan  and  Lucy.  His  oldest  son  Nathan  Cole, 
Jr.,  moved  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  the  early  days 
of  the  settlement  of  that  town  and  became  a 
prominent  citizen. 

Miles  Flint  Cole,  the  father  of  Miles  H.,  wa? 
born  in  Amherst,  Mass.  He  received  a  com- 
mon school  education,  followed  the  occupation 
of  a  farmer,  and  married  Sallie  Bixby,  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  the  daughter  of  John  and 

(Goodale)    Bixby.     After  marriage. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  settled  on  his  farm  in  the 
town  of  Hill,  N.  H.  After  living  here  four 
years  they  removed  to  Andover  in  the  same 
State,  where  Mr.  Cole  purchased  a  farm  which 
was  their  residence  for  ten  years  following.  In 
1838  Mr.  Cole  came  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  with  team  and  wagon  to  Burton  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  where  he  bought  a 
claim  of  an  Englishman  named  William  Foles. 
He  then  returned  to  New  Hampshire  and  the 
same  year  brought  his  family  to  Illinois,  leav- 
ing Andover,  Sept.  10,  1838.  Mr.  Cole  and  his 
family  were  seven  weeks  on  the  road  and  his 
outfit  consisted  of  two  covered  wagons  and  six 
horses.  During  the  journey  they  occasionally 
stopped  over  night  in  the  houses  of  friendly 
settlers,  but  often  slept  in  a  tent  which  they 


od4     Iru        C^r-Cc 


/^  £  3  StH^ 


^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


■709 


brought  with  them  for  use  in  case  of  necessity. 
They  arrived  in  Burton  Township  in  the  early 
days  of  November,  1838.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole'3 
children  were:  Mandana,  Miles  H.,  Martha  L., 
John  H.,  Franklin  M.  and  Ransom  B.,  all  of 
whom  were  born  in  New  Hampshire  and  ac- 
companied their  parents  to  Illinois.  Jonathan 
Kimball  and  family  came  with  the  Coles  to  Illi- 
nois, in  a  covered  wagon  drawn  by  four  horsen. 
Mr.  Kimball's  mother-in-law,  Nancy  Gay,  an 
aged  lady  eighty-two  years  old,  accompanied 
the  Kimball  family  and  rode  in  Mr.  Cole's 
spring  wagon,  which  was  then  considered  a 
model  vehicle  for  ease  and  comfort  in  travel. 

Mr.  Cole  settled  on  land  in  Burton  Township. 
His  claim  had  previously  been  improved  with 
a  log  house  with  an  oak  shake  roof,  puncheon 
floor,  a  loft  reached  by  a  ladder  and  a  wide 
fire-place  with  a  stick  chimney  pointed  with 
mud.  Mr.  Cole  lived  here  until  1853  and,  in  the 
meantime,  built  a  frame  addition  to  the  log 
structure  and,  later,  a  substantial  frame  house. 
He  bought  his  land  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment for  $1.25  per  acre,  and  by  industry  and 
good  management,  added  to  it  until  he  owned 
600  acres.  Mr.  Cole  raised  the  first  apples  on 
his  farm  that  were  produced  in  Burton  Town- 
ship, the  orchard  being  originally  started  from 
seeds  which  he  brought  from  New  Hampshire. 
In  political  opinion  Mr.  Cole  was  first  a  Demo- 
crat, but  afterwards  became  a  firm  believer  in 
the  principles  of  the  Republican  party.  He 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  Burton  Township 
and  was  much  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
AS  a  citizen  he  had  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  those  who  appreciated  an  upright  and 
straight-forward  life,  and  aided  materially  in 
the  development  of  McHenry  County.  Mrs. 
Cole  was  a  woman  of  more  than  ordinary 
energy  and  ability.  To  her  help  and  advice 
Mr.  Cole  was  largely  indebted  for  his  success. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  both  died  in  Burton  Town- 
ship; he  at  the  age  of  seventy-four,  and  Mrs. 
Cole  at  sixty-eight. 

Miles  H.  Cole,  the  principal  subject  of  this 
article,  was  born  in  Andover,  N.  H.,  April  23, 
1829,  and  was  about  nine  years  old  when  he 
came  with  his  parents  and  their  family  to  Mc- 
Henry County.  When  the  family  first  settled 
in  Burton  Township,  the  Indians  were  still 
quite  numerous  in  McHenry  County,  and 
Mr.  Cole  can  well  remember  their  fre- 
quent    visits     to     his     father's     house.        In 


the  winter  of  1838  Mr.  Cole  attended  the 
first  school  in  Burton  Township,  which  was 
taught  by  William  Stearns  in  an  old  log  dwell- 
ing house  owned  by  Martin  L.  Huffman. 
Among  the  scholars  were  all  the  Cole  children  £ 
(except  Ransom  B.),  the  Wrays,  Kimbalk, 
Stillsons,  and  others.  Mr.  Cole  attended  school 
eight  winters  and  worked  on  the  farm  during 
the  intervening  summer  months.  He  began  to 
work  on  the  farm  when  a  small  boy  and  has 
made  farming  his  life  business.  Feb.  18,  1858, 
when  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  he  married  in 
Bloomfield,  Wis.,  Caroline  E.  Cooley,  born  Nov. 
8,  1 834,  in  Long  Meadow,  Mass.,  daughter  of 
Gideon  and  Caroline  (Nichols)  Cooley. 

Gideon  Cooley  was  twice  married;  first  to 
Caroline  Nichols,  and  they  had  but  one  child, 
Caroline  E.  Mrs.  Cooley  died  in  November, 
1834,  after  which  Mr.  Cooley  married  her  sis- 
ter, Emeline  Nichols.  Their  children  were: 
Joseph  H.,  William  H.,  Everett  (who  died  at 
the  age  of  eleven  years)  and  Mary  Evelyn.  Mr. 
Cooley  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and,  in 
]844,  removed  to  Illinois,  coming  by  the  way  of 
Buffalo  to  Southport  (now  Kenosha,  Wis.),  and 
by  team  to  Burton  Township,  where  he  settled 
in  the  autumn  of  1844.  He  bought  240  acres 
of  land  which  he  improved  and  upon  which 
he  resided  until  his  death  in  1872,  aged  sixty- 
seven  years.  In  political  opinion  he  was  first 
an  old-line  Whig  and  later  became  one  of  the 
early  members  of  the  Republican  party.  He 
was  a  substantial  citizen,  the  son  of  Gideon 
and  Dinah  (Sikes)  Cooley. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  settled  in 
Burton  Township,  where  he  purchased  330 
acres  of  partly  improved  land.  Mr.  Cole  com- 
pleted the  improvements  of  his  farm  and  added 
to  it  until  he  owned  about  one  thousand  acres, 
and  by  good  management  and  industrious 
habits  became  a  well-to-do  citizen.  He  moved 
to  Richmond  in  1874.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  are 
the  parents  of  Howard  E.,  who  died  when 
thirty  years  of  age;  Miles  Richard,  and  Grace 
L.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  party  and  voted 
for  Abraham  Lincoln.  Mr.  Cole  has  never 
been  an  office-seeker,  his  time  being  fully  occu- 
pied with  his  own  affairs.  In  1853,  when  twen- 
ty-three years  of  age,  he  went  to  California  via 
New  York  City  and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
and  mined  for  gold  one  year  in  the  placer 
mines  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  return- 


710 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing  home  by  way  of  New  York.  In  1897  he 
built  an  attractive  residence  in  the  village  of 
Richmond.  Mr.  Cole  is  a  man  of  independent 
views.  He  belongs  to  no  secret  order.  He  has 
built  up  a  fine  estate  and,  as  a  citizen  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  he  is  both  prominent  and  highly 
esteemed.  Mrs.  Cole  attended  school  in  the 
first  school  house  on  English  Prairie,  which 
was  a  red  frame  building.  The  teacher  was 
Ann  Case,  a  sister  of  J.  I.  Case,  the  manufac- 
turer of  agricultural  machinery  at  Racine,  Wis. 

Benjamin  and  Sarah  Cooley  were  the  an- 
cestors of  Mrs.  Cole,  in  the  first  American  gen- 
eration. They  were  among  the  first  settlers  in 
that  part  of  Springfield,  called  Long  Meadow, 
and  from  them  descended  all  of  that  name  in 
America  of  whom  there  is  any  record.  Of  the 
second  generation,  Obadiah,  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Sarah  Cooley,  who  married  Rebecca  Wil- 
liams. Third  generation,  Jonathan,  son  of 
Obadiah  and  Rebecca  (Williams)  Cooley,  who 
married  Joanna  Colton.  Fourth  genration, 
Stephen,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Joanna  (Colton) 
Cooley,  who  married  Mary  Field.  Fifth  gen- 
eration, Gideon,  son  of  Stephen  and  Mary 
(Field)  Cooley,  and  Nov.  29,  1798,  married 
Dinah,  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Sikes, 
born  Nov.  13,  1765.  He  died  Nov.  21,  1838,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  Their  children  were:  Electa, 
born  Sept.  9,  1799,  and  married  Joseph  Hixon; 
Quartus,  born  Sept.  9,  1801,  and  married  Abi- 
gail Bliss;  Gideon,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Cole, 
born  Sept.  27,  1804,  and  Mary,  born  Sept.  7, 
1806. 

The  chlidren  of  Miles  H.  and  Caroline  E. 
(Cooley)  Cole  married  as  follows: 

Howard  E.  Cole,  born  March  1,  1859,  and 
married  Sept.  27,  1888,  Ida  M.  Denison,  born  at 
Richmond,  111.,  July  2,  1869.  He  died  Nov.  23, 
1889. 

Miles  R.  Cole,  born  Dec.  10,  1865,  married 
in  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  Dec.  1,  1898,  Mary 
C.  Shibley,  M.  D.,  born  at  Randall,  Kenosha 
County,  Wis.,  Jan.  4,  1868. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miles  H.  Cole  have  been  the 
parents  of  three  other  children,  Willie,  Frank 
and  Harry,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Grace  L.  Cole,  born  Dec.  8,  1867,  married 
June  7,  1888,  J.  Niles  Burton,  a  merchant  of 
Richmond,  111.,  born  at  New  Hartford,  N.  V., 
June  8,  1854.  They  have  one  child,  Richard 
Cole  Burton,  born  Jan.  30,  1897. 


FRANKLIN    M.    COLE. 

Franklin  M.  Cole  (deceased)  was  one  of  Mc- 
Henry County's  most  enterprising  citizens  and 
did  much  to  aid  in  the  development  of  his  com- 
munity. Following  the  occupation  of  a  farmer, 
he  owned  one  of  the  largest  farms  in  Burton 
Township,  and  built  one  of  the  pleasantest  and 
most  attractive  homes  in  McHenry  County.  Ho 
was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  born  in  East 
Andover,  Merrimack  County,  that  State,  Jan. 
4,  1835,  son  of  Miles  F.  and  Sallie  (Bixby) 
Cole.  He  received  a  common-school  education, 
and  from  actual  experience  became  a  well-in- 
formed and  practical  business  man.  In  1838, 
when  three  and  a  half  years  of  age,  he  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  parents,  who  made  the 
journey  from  Andover,  N.  H.,  to  Burton  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  with  a  team  and  wagon. 
Although  very  young  at  the  time,  in  later  life 
he  remembered  many  incidents  of  the  eventful 
journey,  especially  crossing  the  Miami  River. 
He  was  reared  among  the  pioneers  in  Burton 
Township,  as  his  father  settled  on  the  farm 
where  the  Franklin  Cole  family  now  lives,  and 
the  old  log  house  in  pioneer  days  stood  on  the 
site  of  the  present  residence.  Mr.  Cole  was 
married  at  the  Universalist  parsonage,  in  Mc- 
Henry, March  31,  1864,  by  the  Rev.  Roberts, 
to  Emily  M.  Stevens,  born  in  Ithaca,  Tompkins 
County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  27,  1841,  daughter  of  Peter 
and  Elizabeth  (Dart)  Stevens. 


RANSOM   B.  COLE. 

Among  the  prominent  citizens  of  McHenry 
County,  there  are  few  who  have  been  more 
closely  connected  with,  or  more  deeply 
interested  in  every  thing  pertaining  to 
its  advancement  and  welfare,  than  has  the  sub- 
ject of  this  article,  Ransom  B.  Cole. 

Born  in  Andover,  N.  H.,  Sept  20,  1837,  he  is 
the  youngest  son  of  Miles  F.  and  Sallie  (Bixby) 
Cole,  and  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Mc- 
Henry County  when  about  one  year  old.  He 
received  the  usual  common-school  education 
afforded  in  the  early  schools  of  Burton  Town- 
ship. He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  married 
at  Genoa,  Wis.,  Jan.  10,  1864,  to  Mary  R.  Wil- 
son, who  was  born  in  Richmond  Township,  Jan. 
19,  1840,  daughter  of  Harvey  and  Betsy  (Thomp- 
son)   Wilson.     Harvey  Wilson  was   a  pioneer 


su  fa 


cecals 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


711 


of  McHenry  County  and  was  born  in  Massa- 
chusetts, Nov.  23,  1799. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  settled  on 
a  partially  improved  farm  of  240  acres  near 
English  Prairie,  in  Burton  Township.  Mr.  Cole 
purchased  his  farm  of  Harvey  Wilson,  com- 
pleted the  improvements  and  built  upon  it  a 
substantial  frame  dwelling  house  and  a  large 
barn.  He  lived  here  until  1873,  then  moved 
to  Richmond  and  bought  a  one-third  interest 
in  a  flouring-mill  in  company  with  his  brother, 
Miles  H.  Cole  and  W.  H.  Cooley,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Cole,  Cooley  &  Company.  The 
enterprise  proved  successful  and  they  conduct- 
ed an  extensive  business  until  1895,  when  the 
firm  dissolved.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Cole  has 
given  his  entire  attention  to  the  management 
of  his  farm,  as  he  is  now  disabled  for  active 
work.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican  and  cast 
his  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  i Abraham 
Lincoln.  He  has  served  as  Township  Collector 
and  School  Director  in  Burton  Township,  and 
as  Highway  Commissioner  in  the  Township  of 
Richmond.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  are  the  parents 
of  Wilson  Miles,  born  Jan.  31,  1865 ;  Chase  Bix- 
by,  born  July  15,  1866;  Lewis  H.,  born  June  24, 

1872,  and     Ransom     Verne,     born     Nov.     9, 

1873.  Their  son,  Chase  Bixby,  conducts  the 
home  farm.  He  married  July  16,  1889,  Maud 
Frances  Van  Every,  and  they  have  two  child- 
ren, LeRoy  and  Harold  Glenn. 

Lewis  H.  Cole,  the  third  son  of  Ransom  and 
Mary  E.  (Wilson)  Cole,  married  Sept.  26,  1901, 
Alice  Elizabeth  Anderson,  daughter  of  Robert 
David  and  Margaret  Ann  (Mullen)  Anderson, 
who  was  born  in  Richmond  Township,  July  31, 
1880. 

Harvey  Wilson,  father  of  Mrs.  Cole,  was  the 
son  of  Warren  and  Hannah  (Hunt)  Wilson. 
His  father,  Warren  Wilson,  was  of  English 
Puritan  ancestry,  and  settled  in  the  town  of 
Jay,  Essex  County,  N.  Y.  His  children  were 
Sylvester,  Loyal  Marshall,  Juna,  Harvey,  Al- 
phonso,  Hadasah,  Rosetta,  Aichsah  and  Esther. 
Harvey  Wilson  was  reared  a  farmer,  received 
a  common-school  education  and  married  in 
Wellington,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  12,  1825,  Betsy  Thomp- 
son, born  May  2,  1804.  After  marriage  they 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Clintonville,  Clinton  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.  In  1832  he  moved  to  St.  Lawrence 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  in  the  spring  of  1837  settled 
at  Solon  Mills,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  residents.    He  made  the 


journey  from  New  York  to  McHenry  County 
with  horses  and  wagon.  Mr.  Wilson  bought 
240  acres  of  land  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, built  a  log  house,  and  with  other  general 
improvements  made  a  comfortable  home.  He 
moved  to  English  Prairie,  Burton  Township,  in 
1849,  and  purchased  a  farm,  but  later  moved  to 
a  farm  of  101  acres  adjoining  the  village  of 
Richmond  on  the  east,  where  he  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  and  died  Feb.  12,  1883,  at 
the  venerable  age  of  eighty-three  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  children:  Wyman,  born  June  9,  182S; 
Harriet  Adeline,  born  Dec.  22,  1830,  died  when 
two  years  of  age;  Lorillard  AJmon,  born  June 
10,  1833;  Pauline  Annette,  born  May  22,  1835; 
William  Warren,  born  Sept.  8,  1837,  and  died 
an  infant;  Mary  Rosette,  born  Jan.  19,  1840; 
Sarah  Esther,  born  May  5,  1842;  Otis  Thomp- 
son, born  Dec.  27,  1844;  Thomas  Hunt,  born 
Oct.  22,  1848.  Politically  Mr.  Wilson  was  a 
Republican  and  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  Postmaster  and  Township  Treasurer, 
serving  in  each  for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  were  both  members  of  the  Universalist 
Church.     Mrs.  Wilson  died  Nov.  12,  1875. 


ELI   T.  CHASE. 

Eli  T.  Chase,  of  Ringwood,  111.,  is  a  pioneer 
settler  of  McHenry  County  and  descends  from 
Puritan  English  stock,  his  remote  ancestors  com- 
ing from  England  in  early  colonial  times.  Ac 
cording  to  a  well-authenticated  family  tradition, 
three  Chase  brothers — one  of  whom  was  a  sea 
captain — came  to  America  in  the  days  of  early 
immigration,  and  were  the  founders  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  family. 

Stephen  Chase,  the  grandfather  of  Eli  T., 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
He  married  a  Miss  Blodget,  and  afterwards 
settled  in  Newbury,  Vt,  where  he  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer.  His  children  were: 
David,  Stephen,  Joshua,  Marian,  Sally,  Betsy 
(who  died  in  childhood)  and  Beniah,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  Mr.  Chase  lived 
to  be  about  fifty  years  of  age  and  died  at  Top- 
sham,  Vt. 

Joshua  Chase,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  at  Newbury,  Vt.,  June 
22,    1797.     He   received  a  common-school  edu- 


712 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


cation  and  later  enlisted  in  the  War  of  1812, 
but  saw  no  service.  Being  naturally  inclined 
to  mechanics,  he  became  a  carpenter  and  join- 
er, and  could  manufacture  almost  any  article 
from  wood.  He  was  married  to  Mary  Fowler, 
a  native  of  Newbury,  Vt.,  and  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  Fowler,  a  farmer  who,  at  one  time,  was 
possessed  of  considerable  wealth.  Mr.  Chase 
settled  at  Johnson,  Vt.,  where  he  owned  and 
conducted  a  farm  and  worked  at  his  trade,  but 
in  June,  1848,  he  removed  to  Illinois,  making 
the  journey  with  teams  to  Burlington,  Vt., 
crossed  Lake  Champlain  to  Whitehall,  N.  Y.. 
thence  via  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  complet- 
ing the  trip  to  Waukegan,  111.,  via  the  lakes. 
He  settled  at  Smith's  Corners,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, removing  a  few  years  later  to  Ringwood, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days, 
dying  June  25,  1882,  aged  eighty-five  years.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joshua  Chase  the  following 
named  children  were  born,  viz.:  Melvina,  Mary 
Ann,  Eli  T.,  Minard  M.,  Ruth  Ann,  Freeman  J. 
and  Harper  J.  Mr.  Chase  was  a  Universalist 
in  religious  belief,  while  his  wife  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church.  In  political  opinions 
he  was  first  a  Jacksonian  Democrat,  but  be- 
came a  Republican  at  the  time  the  party  was 
organized,  and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont  and 
Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  a  strong  Union 
man,  and  three  of  his  sons — Minard  M.,  Free- 
man J.  and  Eli  T. — served  in  the  Civil  War. 
Minard  M.  was  a  Sergeant  in  Company  A,  Fif- 
teenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  enlisted 
for  three  years  and  participated  in  many 
important  battles.  He  is  still  living.  Freeman 
J.  Chase  was  a  private  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-fourth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. He  enlisted  for  one  hundred  days  and 
died  from  the  effects  of  sun-stroke  at  Colum- 
bus, Ky.,  while  in  the  service. 

Eli  T.  Chase,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  at  Johnson,  Vt.,  Feb.  10,  1829, 
the  son  of  Joshua  and  Mary  (Fowler)  Chase. 
He  received  a  common-school  education  and 
afterwards  attended  an  academy  for  a  short 
time  at  Johnson,  Vt.  When  a  youth  he  worked 
with  his  father  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  came  to  Illinois, 
making  the  journey  with  his  father's  family  as 
far  as  Kenosha,  Wis.  In  November,  1848,  Mr. 
Chase  came  to  Smith's  Corners,  McHenry, 
County,  where  he  engaged  as  a  farm  hand  to 
John   W.    Smith,    and    was    also    employed    in 


several  other  capacities,  such  as  working  in 
the  lumber  woods  in  Michigan  and  operating 
a  threshing  machine.  In  1850  he  crossed  the 
western  plains  to  California  with  the  John  W. 
Smith  expedition.  (See  sketch  of  Freeman 
Whiting).  On  Oct.  19,  1858,  he  was  married  in 
Sycamore.  111.,  to  Lucia  Tabor  (nee  Jones), 
widow  of  Levi  Atwood  Tabor.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chase  located  on  their  present 
homestead,  then  consisting  of  forty-one  acres 
adjoining  the  village  of  Ringwood,  but  by  a 
subsequent  addition,  their  estate  now  consists 
of  161  acres.  Several  years  previously  Mr. 
Chase  had  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  one 
mile  north  of  Ringwood,  which  he  cultivated 
for  a  few  years,  and  in  addition  operated  a 
threshing  machine,  but  disposing  of  this  pro- 
perty, he  bought  his  present  homestead.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Chase  had  one  daughter,  Florence  M.. 
who  was  born  Aug.  26,  1860,  and  died  April  16. 
1863. 

On  Aug.  6,  1864,  Mr.  Chase  enlisted  in  the 
Union  Army  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  being  honorably  discharged  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  O,  in  January,  1865.  He  returned  from 
the  army  without  having  received  a  wound  or 
spent  a  day  in  hospital.  He  took  part  in  the 
last  battle  fought  in  Virginia.  The  captain  of 
Mr.  Chase's  regiment,  Capt.  John  Delaney,  to- 
gether with  seven  of  his  men,  was  captured 
by  the  guerrillas  and  taken  to  Libby  Prison. 
Mr.  Chase  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Mc- 
Henry Post,  G.  A.  R.,  and,  as  a  citizen,  is  well 
known  and  highly  estemed  for  straightfor- 
ward character. 

Lucia  (Jones)  Tabor  was  born  at  Topsham, 
Vt.,  Nov.  3,  1827,  the  daughter  of  Moses  and 
Annette  (Wallace)  Jones.  She  was  first  mar- 
ried at  Bradford,  Vt,  Feb.  12,  1850,  to  Levi  A. 
Tabor,  who  was  born  at  Topsham,  April  2, 
1827.  He  was  a  well-educated  man  and 
taught  school  for  a  while,  but  later  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  in  his  native  village, 
where  he  died  Nov.  10,  1856,  leaving  one  son. 
Oscar  A.,  who  was  born  Feb.  6,  1854.  The 
Joneses  were  an  old  New  England  family  who 
settled  in  Connecticut  in  the  days  of  early 
colonial  history,  while  the  Wallaces  were  of 
Scotch  ancestry  and  settled  in  Vermont. 
Joseph  Jones,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Chase, 
was  born  in  Connecticut  and  was  among  the 
earliest  pioneer  settlers  of  Topsham,  Vt.,  where 
he  became  a  substantial  farmer  and  lived  to  a 


rt.    f£J2     if 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


713 


venerable  age.  His  children  were:  Joseph, 
Moses  (father  of  Mrs.  Chase),  Jonathan,  Sallie 
and  Olive. 

Moses  Jones  was  born  at  Topsham,  Vt.,  Jan. 
27,  1801,  the  son  of  Joseph  Jones.  He  was  a 
lumberman  by  occupation  and  married  in 
Corinth,  Vt.,  to  Annette  Wallace,  who  was  a 
native  of  the  same  State  and  a  daughter  of 
Moses  and  Betsy  (McKeith)  "Wallace. 

Leander  Wallace,  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  Chase, 
was  in  early  times  (1837-40),  a  teacher  among 
the  Puget  Sound  Indians.  On  one  occasion  Mr. 
Wallace,  having  learned  that  the  Indians  were 
planning  a  general  massacre  of  the  white  peo- 
ple in  that  section,  cross'ed  the  Oregon  Rivor 
and  notified  the  inhabitants  of  the  impending 
danger.  He  was  then  chosen  by  the  people  as 
one  of  a  committee  of  twelve  to  visit  the 
Indians  in  an  effort  to  avoid  trouble.  On  reach- 
ing the  tribe  the  redskins  seized  the  entire 
party  and  bound  them  to  standing  trees,  except 
Mr.  Wallace,  who  was  bound  to  a  fallen  tree 
and  skinned  alive.  Mr.  Wallace  lived  for  six 
hours  in  this  dreadful  condition  after  the 
Indians  had  completed  their  fiendish  torture. 
The  other  members  of  the  committee  were 
afterwards  released  and  allowed  to  return  to 
their  settlement.  With  the  assistance  of  friend- 
ly Indians  a  party  of  white  people  succeeded 
in  capturing  the  tribe  that  murdered  Mr.  Wal- 
lace, and  six  of  their  chiefs  were  hung  for  the 
atrocious  crime. 

Victor  M.,  a  brother  of  Leander  Wallace, 
was,  in  all  probability,  born  in  the  old  Spring 
Hotel,  at  Newbury,  Vt.,  Aug.  22,  1807,  the  son 
of  Moses  and  Betsy  (McKeith)  Wallace.  He 
possessed  a  native  talent  for  music  and  be- 
came a  professional  clarionet  player,  and  also 
made  several  improvements  in  the  construction 
of  that  instrument.  About  1835,  he  removed 
to  St.  Louis,  and  opened  a  gunsmith  shop,  giv- 
ing special  attention  to  repairing  pistols  and 
guns,  and  in  the  same  year  perfected  and  ob- 
tained a  patent  for  a  model  of  the  first  breech- 
loading  pistol.  In  1841  he  was  married  to  a 
Miss  Roy,  a  lady  of  Scotch  parentage,  and  they 
shortly  afterwards  removed  to  Pettis  County, 
Mo.,  where  their  first  child  was  born.  In  May, 
1847,  accompanied  by  three  other  families, 
they  started  for  the  State  of  Oregon  with  two 
wagons  and  five  yoke  of  oxen.  Six  months 
later  the  little  party  reached  Whitman,  Oregon, 
where  they  remained  for  two  weeks  and  then 
proceeded  to  Oregon  City,  arriving  at  the  latter 


place  just  a  fortnight  before  Christmas.  Here 
Mr.  Wallace  made  the  first  die  with  which  the 
ten-dollar  gold  pieces,  coined  at  the  Oregon 
mint,  were  stamped.  He  also  constructed  the 
first  threshing  machine  used  in  Oregon  and  the 
printing  press  upon  which  the  "Free  Press," 
a  newspaper  edited  by  Mr.  Curry  (who  later 
became  Governor  of  the  Territory  of  Oregon), 
was  printed.  When  the  discovery  of  gold  in 
California  created  so  much  excitement,  Mr. 
Wallace  started  for  the  mines,  and  he  was  one 
of  a  party  of  sixty  men  who  first  opened  the 
way  from  the  Willamette  to  the  Sacramento 
River.  In  1850  he  removed  to  the  Cowlitz  Valley, 
Washington  Territory,  where  he  took  up  land 
upon  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
In  political  opinions  Mr.  Wallace  was  a  Repub- 
lican, and  was  twice  elected  County  Treasur- 
er, and  twice  County  Commissioner. 

Colonel  William  Wallace,  grandfather  of 
Leander  and  Victor  M.  Wallace,  came  from 
Scotland  in  pre-Revolutionary  days  and  opened 
a  store  at.  Newbury,  Vt,  and  the  building  in 
which  he  conducted  his  business  is  still  stand- 
ing being  one  of  the  oldest  structures  in  the 
town.  Colonel  Wallace  conducted  an  extensive 
trade,  buying  furs  of  all  kinds,  whichj  he 
shipped  direct  to  Glasgow,  Scotland.  In  the 
days  of  the  American  Revolution,  he  was  pay- 
master for  the  troops  stationed  at  Corr,  and 
was  also  sent  to  Montreal,  Canada,  to  negotiate 
an  exchange  of  prisoners.  He  was  High  Sheriff 
of  his  county,  and,  for  many  years,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  in  that  section.  In  the 
last  few  years  of  his  life,  he  met  with  several 
financial  failures  and  lost  most  of  his  property. 
He  is  buried  in  an  unknown  grave  in  Oxbow 
Cemetery.  His  wife  was  Hannah  Carleton,  a 
sister  of  Mrs.  Col.  Thomas  Johnson  and  Dudley 
Carleton,  and  among  their  children  were:  John, 
who  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  and 
practiced  law  in  Newbury,  Vt.,  but  died  in  early 
manhood:  Ann  (Mrs.  Will  Brock),  and  Moses 
who  married  Betsy  McKeith,  daughter  of  Dea- 
con Thomas  McKeith. 

Deacon  Thomas  McKeith  arrived  in  New- 
bury, Vt.,  from  Scotland,  Oct.  1,  1774,  being 
then'  nineteen  years  of  age.  Later  he  settled 
at  Topsham,  Vt.,  where  he  cleared  a  farm  and 
died  in  1823,  his  wife  dying  two  years  later. 
Among  their  children  were:  Duncan  McKeith, 
who  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Newbury,  and 
Catharine,  who  married  Peter  Martin. 


714 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


IRA  ROZEL  CURTISS. 

Hon.  Ira  Rozel  Curtiss,  banker,  ex-legislator 
and  retired  lawyer,  Marengo,  111.,  is  of  English- 
Puritan  and  Vermont  colonial  ancestry,  the 
founders  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family 
having,  as  is  believed,  come  to  Massachusetts 
during  the  period  of  Puritan  emigration  be- 
tween 1628  and  1640.  Elias  Curtiss,  one  of 
the  early  members  of  this  family  in  New  Eng- 
land, was  one  of  the  founders  of  Royalton,  Vt., 
which  was  settled  in  1771.  He  was  captured 
by  Indians  during  a  raid  in  1780 — the  Revo- 
lutionary War  being  then  in  progress — as 
shown  by  the  following  extract  from  a  History 
of  the  town  of  Royalton: 

"On  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  October,  1780, 
before  the  dawn  of  day,  the  inhabitants  of 
Royalton  were  surprised  by  the  approach  of 
about  300  Indians  of  various  tribes.  They  had 
left  Canada  for  the  purpose  of  destroying 
Newburg,  a  town  on  the  Connecticut  River. 
A  British  Lieutenant  of  the  name  of  Hortou 
was  the  chief  commander,  and  one  De  Mott,  a 
Frenchman,  was  the  second.  Several  people 
were  killed  on  the  outskirts,  and  they  then 
went  to  the  house  of  Elias  Curtis,  where  they 
took  as  prisoners  Mrs.  Curtis,  John  Kent  and 
Peter  Mason.  Mrs.  Curtis  had  just  risen  from 
her  bed,  when  she  was  attacked  by  an  Indian, 
knife  in  hand,  who  made  a  threatening  move- 
ment as  if  to  cut  her  throat,  but  the  savage 
happened  to  observe  a  string  of  gold  beads 
around  the  woman's  neck,  which  he  at  once 
took  and  left  her  undisturbed.  To  prevent  an 
alarm  being  sounded,  the  Indians  commanded 
the  prisoners  to  keep  silence  on  pain  of  death. 
Continuing  their  attack,  the  Indians  killed  sev- 
eral of  the  inhabitants  and  carried  off  twenty- 
six  persons  from  Royalton,  who  were  all  de- 
livered up  to  The  British  in  Canada  as  prison- 
ers of  war." 

In  the  early  records  of  Royalton,  Elias  Curtis 
is  also  mentioned  as  one  of  the  parties  to 
whom  an  extension  of  the  time  of  payment  of 
certain  fees  was  granted  by  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature, on  account  of  his  Indian  raid. 

The  name  "Curtiss"  has  been  variously 
spelled  by  different  branches  of  the  family,  as 
frequently  happened  as  to  early  New  England 
names,  and  it  has  been  only  within  the  last 
two  or  three  generations  that  uniformity  has 
been  attained.  For  at  least  this  period  the 
branch  of  the  family  to  which  Mr.  Curtiss  of 
Marengo  belongs  has  used  the  spelling  adopt- 
ed in  this  sketch.  The  first  of  this  branch  of 
the  family  to  come  to  America  was  "William 
Curtis,  who  came  from  Appledore,  Canterbury, 


in  Kent,  England  and  settled  at  Roxbury, 
Mass.,  in  1632.  He  married  Sarah  Eliot,  the 
sister  of  Rev.  John  Eliot,  the  famous  mission- 
ary who  translated  the  Bible  into  the  Indian 
language.  The  coat-of-arms  of  the  family  in 
England  is  described  as  follows : 

Arms:  Ermine  a  chevron,  sable  between 
three  fleurs-de-lis.  Crest:  An  arm  embowered, 
habited  in  mail,  holding  in  the  hand  proper  a 
scimiter,  kilt  and  pommel.  Motto:  Velle  berine 
of  Acere. 

Rozel  M.  Curtiss,  as  he  spelled  the  name, 
who  was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  at  Royalton,  Vt.,  received  a 
more  than  ordinarily  good  education  in  his 
younger  days,  was  a  teacher  for  a  time  and  be- 
came a  leading  man  in  his  community.  A 
Latin  book  of  his  bearing  the  date  "1802"  is 
still  preserved  in  the  family.  He  married 
Rachael  French,  who  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, the  daughter  of  Obadiah  French,  a  na- 
tive of  London,  N.  H.,  and  moved  from  his  na- 
tive place  to  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  settling  at 
Castile,  where  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness and  became  the  proprietor  of  a  saw-mill. 
In  1834  he  removed  to  Mt.  Morris,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  continued  in  the  lumber  trade  and  bought 
land.  A  year  later  (1835)  he  came  to  Illinois 
and  made  the  first  claim  on  land  at  DeKalb 
Center.  He  did  not  settle  here  at  that  time, 
however,  but  bought  out  a  number  of  farmers 
who  had  made  claims  upon  Government  lands 
which  had  not  yet  come  into  market.  He  also 
started  a  number  of  farmers  in  business, 
furnishing  them  with  money,  implements,  sup- 
plies, etc.,  in  this  way  investing  some  $7,000 
and,  leaving  his  business  in  the  hands  of  an 
agent,  returned  to  New  York.  On  June  15, 
1838,  he  died  at  his  home  in  New  York,  aged 
about  fifty-six  years.  As  a  consequence  of  his 
early  death,  his  investments  in  Illinois  proved 
a  complete  loss.  Owing  to  the  distance  and 
the  consequent  difficulties  of  communication 
with  the  West  at  that  time,  the  lands  on  which 
he  had  purchased  claims,  fell  into  the  hands 
of  other  parties  who  entered  them  at  the 
Government  Land  Office.  Mr.  Curtiss  occupied 
a  prominent  position  in  his  community  and  was 
a  Brigadier  General  of  Militia  in  New  York. 
He  and  Mrs.  Curtiss  had  six  sons  of  whom  five 
grew  up  to  maturity,  viz.:  Charles,  George, 
Jerome,  Frank  S.  and  Ira  Rozel. 

Ira  R.  Curtiss,  the  last  named,  was  born  at 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


715 


Mt.  Morris,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  9,  1836,  and  was  about 
eighteen  months  old  at  the  time  of  the  death 
of  his  father.  His  mother,  who  was  a  woman 
of  great  force  of  character,  carried  on  the  farm 
after  her  husband's  death,  and  gave  her  sons 
a  good  education.  At  her  husband's  death, 
finding  the  estate  involved  in  consequence  of 
the  western  investments  already  mentioned, 
and  the  home  farm  somewhat  encumbered,  she 
devoted  her  attention  to  carrying  on  the  latter 
with  the  aid  of  her  sons,  with  such  success 
that  she  succeeded  in  freeing  it  from  encum- 
brance and,  besides  adding  to  it  thirty-eight 
acres  more,  insured  a  good  home  for  her  chil- 
dren. Of  her  five  sons  whose  names  have  been 
mentioned,  two — Frank  S.  and  Ira  R. — received 
collegiate  educations,  and  three — Frank  S., 
George  and  Ira  R. — served  their  country  in  the 
Civil  War.  Frank  S.  attained  the  rank  of 
Colonel  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
seventh  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers,  while  his 
brother  George  met  a  patriot's  death  during  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg.  To  the  training  of  such 
noble  mothers  as  Mrs.  Ourtiss  we,  the  Ameri- 
can people,  are  indebted  for  that  galaxy  of 
patriotic  sons  whose  heroic  service  resulted 
in  maintaining  the  integrity  of  the  Union  and 
securing  the  freedom  of  a  race.  Honesty  and 
truthfulness  are  distinctive  virtues  of  the  civil- 
ized races,  imbibed  with  the  mother's  milk  and 
learned  at  the  mother's  knee  as  character  de- 
velops; and  seldom  do  we  see  a  dishonest  son 
issue  from  the  home  of  an  honest  and  patriotic 
mother.  Mrs.  Curtiss  moved  from  New  York 
to  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  where  she  educated 
her  family.  In  1861  she  removed  with  her  son 
Ira  R.,  to  Marengo,  where  she  died  in  1898.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Ira  R.  Curtiss  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools,  meanwhile  working  on  the  farm  in  his 
boyhood.  His  brother,  Frank  S.,  became  a 
student  at  Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  and,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  Ira  R.,  entered  the  preparatory 
department  of  the  same  institution,  of  which 
Dr.  Finney,  the  famous  divine  and  anti-slavery 
champion,  was  the  President  and  leading  spirit. 
During  the  next  year  his  college  course  was 
interrupted  by  having  to  remain  upon  the  farm, 
although  this  became  an  important  part  of 
that  practical  education  by  which  his  life  was 
broadened  and  rendered  all  the  more  useful. 
Later  he  and  his  brother  Frank  S.  became 
students   at  Antioch   College,   then   under   the 


direction  of  its  founder  and  first  President, 
Horace  Mann,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
educators  of  his  time.  Here  Mr.  Curtiss  com- 
pleted his  preparatory  course  and  spent  three 
years  in  the  college  proper.  President 
Mann  died  in  1859,  one  of  his  last  business 
transactions  being  with  young  Curtiss  who 
represented  "The  Star  Literary  Society"  in  the 
collection  of  $78,  a  draft  for  which  President 
Mann  endorsed,  besides  giving  Mr.  Curtiss  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  a  banker  at  Xenia, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Curtiss'  last  college  year  was  spent 
at  Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  under 
the  Presidency  of  the  famous  Dr.  Nott,  where 
he  graduated  with  honor  from  the  classical 
department  in  a  class  of  105  members,  of  which 
only  thirteen  were  honored  by  being  selected 
to  deliver  orations,  of  which  Mr.  Curtiss  was 
one.  It  has  seldom  fallen  to  the  lot  of  any 
young  man  to  pass  under  the  tutorship  of  so 
distinguished  a  trio  of  educators  as  those  who 
presided  over  the  three  institutions  just  men- 
tioned, At  this  time  Ira  R.  Curtiss'  brother 
Frank  S..  who  had  previously  read  law  in  Chi- 
cago with  the  firm  of  Van  Arnam,  Walker  <SL 
Dexter,  was  practicing  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  in 
partnership  with  J.  W.  Keifer,  afterwards 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  at. 
Washington.  Ira  R.  read  law  with  his  brother 
for  a  few  months  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  when 
they  came  to  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  arriv- 
ing there  Feb.  6,  1861.  Here  the  older  brother 
opened  a  law  office,  but  the  Civil  War  breaking 
out  almost  immediately,  he  enlisted  in  April 
following  under  the  first  call  of  President  Lin- 
coln, as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Fifteenth 
Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  of  which 
he  became  First  Lieutenant,  still  later,  as  al- 
ready explained,  becoming  Colonel  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  during  the  last 
two  years  of  the  war.  During  the  first  few 
months  of  its  service,  the  Fifteenth  was  em- 
ployed chiefly  in  guarding  railroads  and  break- 
ing up  rebel  camps  in  Missouri;  and,  for  a  part 
of  that  time,  was  divided  into  two  or  three 
separate  detachments,  but  being  reunited  re- 
turned to  St.  Louis,  where  they  slept  on  the 
sidewalks.  After  spending  some  time  in  Ben- 
ton Barracks,  the  regiment  went  to  Raleigh, 
Mo.,  where  Mr.  Curtiss  was  taken  sick  and 
finally  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability. Returning  home  he  was  sick  for  a 
year,  when  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  the  Pro- 


71G 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


vost  Marshal's  ornce  at  Marengo,  remaining  in 
this  position  to  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then 
resumed  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  the 
late  A.  B.  Coon,  and  in  June,  1865,  was  formally 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  began  practice  at 
Marengo.  In  1876  he  was  elected  States  At- 
torney for  McHenry  County,  serving  by  re  ■ 
elections  eight  years,  and  proving  himself  an 
efficient  prosecutor.  His  last  important  ap- 
pearance in  this  office  was  in  the  prosecution 
of  the  celebrated  Dacy-Gainor  murder  trial,  in 
which  Dacy,  the  murderer,  was  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  be  hung  at  Woodstock — which 
was  the  first  execution  in  the  history  of  Mc- 
Henry County.  During  his  incumbency  in  the 
office  of  State's  Attorney,  Mr.  Curtiss  gave 
evidence  of  his  honesty  by  setting  the  example 
— for  the  first  time,  it  is  said,  in  the  history  of 
the  county — of  paying  over  to  the  Superintend- 
ent of  Schools  the  funds  coming  into  his  hands 
under  the  statute  in  the  form  of  fines  and  for- 
feitures. A  considerable  sum  was  turned  over 
to  the  school  fund  in  this  manner,  and  the  benef- 
icent effect  of  the  example  is  seen  in  the  fact 
that  it  completely  revolutionized  the  methods 
in  respect  to  this  fund  in  the  State's  Attorney's 
office.  Mr.  Curtiss  also  served  for  fifteen  years 
as  Attorney  for  the  village  of  Marengo. 

Ira  R.  Curtiss  has  been  twice  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature,  first  in  1870  as  a  member  of 
the  House  in  the  Twenty-seventh  General  As- 
sembly, and  for  the  second  time  in  1S84  as 
Senator  in  the  Thirty-fourth  and  Thirty-fifth 
General  Assemblies.  The  session  first  named 
was  that  held  immediately  following  the  adop- 
tion of  the  Constitution  of  1870  and  including 
the  period  of  the  Chicago  fire.  Much  of  the 
time  of  the  Legislature  was  taken  up  in  a 
general  revision  of  the  State  laws  made  neces- 
sary under  the  new  Constitution,  and  Mr.  Cur- 
tiss served  as  Chairman  of  the  House  Com- 
mittee having  charge  of  the  revision  of  the 
election  laws.  Besides  the  regular  session, 
this  General  Assembly  held  an  adjourned  and 
two  special  sessions — in  all  occupying  293  days. 
The  Thirty-fourth  General  Assembly  (1885)  is 
memorable  for  the  long  contest  over  the  elec- 
tion of  United  States  Senator,  which  resulted 
in  the  choice  of  Gen.  John  A.  Logan  for  the 
last  time.  This  General  Assembly  commenced 
its  session  with  102  Republican  members  on 
joint  ballot,  to  the  same  number  in  opposition, 
of  whom  100  were  Democrats,  one  Greenback 


Democrat  and  one  (E.  M.  Haines)  self-styled 
"Independent."  During  the  session  three  mem- 
bers— one  Republican  and  two  Democrats — 
died;  and,  in  the  election  of  their  successors, 
the  Republicans  gained  one  member,  giving 
them  103  members  to  101  opposition,  resulting, 
on  May  18th,  after  a  struggle  of  over  three 
months,  in  the  re-election  of  General  Logan. 
During  his  first  session  in  the  Senate  Mr.  Cur- 
tiss introduced  one  of  the  first  bills  to  prohibit 
the  sale  of  oleomargarine  as  pure  butter.  Two 
years  later  he  served  as  Chairman  of  the  Sen- 
ate Committee  on  Appropriations,  and  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  investigation  of  abuses 
in  connection  with  the  State  printing  contracts, 
and  in  securing  the  enactment  of  a  number  of 
reformatory  measures,  including  one  requiring 
the  payment  of  salaries  of  clerks  and  other 
subordinates  in  the  various  departments  of  the 
State  Government  directly  to  the  employes, 
instead  of  to  the  heads  of  departments.  The 
provisions  of  this  law  are  still  retained  in  the 
language  of  the  original  act.  Mr.  Curtiss  also 
participaated  during  this  session  in  the  election 
of  Hon.  C.  B.  Farwell  to  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate, as  a  successor  to  General  Logan,  deceased. 

In  1890  Mr.  Curtiss  assisted  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  "Dairymen's  State  Bank  of  Maren- 
go," of  which  he  was  elected  Vice-President 
and,  a  year  later,  became  its  President,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  This  bank  has  a  capi- 
tal stock  of  $25,000  with  a  surplus  of  $14,500 
and  does  a  prosperous  business,  the  dividends 
for  1901  amounting  to  12  per  cent.  The  other 
officers  are:  Lorin  Woodard,  "Vice-President, 
and  A.  S.  Norton,  Cashier. 

In  political  opinions  Mr.  Curtiss  is  a  Repub- 
lican, having  cast  his  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln for  President  in  1860.  During  the  memor- 
able campaign  of  that  year,  he  was  an  active 
member  of  the  "Wide-Awake  Club,"  which  ex- 
erted such  a  strong  influence  in  arousing  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  people  for  the  Republican 
candidates.  This  was  the  pioneer  of  political 
marching  clubs,  its  uniform  consisting  of 
enameled  cloth  capes  and  glazed  caps,  in  the 
night  processions  each  marcher  bearing  a 
torchlight.  Mr.  Curtiss  visited  Chicago  with 
his  club  during  the  session  of  the  Republican 
National  Convention  of  1860,  and,  while  stand- 
ing outside  the  old  "Wigwam,"  heard  William 
H.  Seward's  stentorian  voice,  as  he  described 
slavery  as  "a  giant  serpent  winding  along  Its 
slimy  folds." 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Fraternally  Mr.  Curtiss  is  a  32d  degree 
Mason,  having  first  united  with  the  Marengo 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  1863,  where  he  also 
took  the  chapter  degrees.  He  joined  the  Com- 
mandery  of  Knights  Templar  at  Rockford,  bu' 
is  now  affiliated  with  the  Woodstock  Com- 
mandery,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Con- 
sistory (32d  degree)  in  Chicago.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Marengo  A.  O.  U.  W.,  Lodge  No. 
231,  and  has  been  a  charter  member  of  both 
the  Marengo  and  the  Woodstock  Posts  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  being  the  Com- 
mander of  the  former  for  the  first  two  years 
after  its  organization. 

On  May  27,  1874,  Mr.  Curtiss  was  united  in 
marriage,   by  the  Rev.  Robert  Collyer  in  Chi- 
cago, to  Josephine  Dayton,   who  was   born  in 
Huntley,  111.,  in    1852,    the    daughter    of    Rev. 
Elisha   and   Mary    (Whittemore)    Dayton.    Mi- 
Dayton,  who  was  born  in  Suffolk  County  N  Y 
was  a  Universalist  minister,  became  a  pioneer 
of  Huntley,  and  died   at  Marengo,  aged   fifty- 
eight  years.     Mrs.  Curtiss  was  his  only  child 
His  parents  were  Deacon     Henry    and     Sarah 
(Robinson)   Dayton,  the  former  born  on  Long 
Island  of  combined  French  and  German  extrac- 
tion.    Mrs.  Curtiss  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement 

Mr.  Curtiss  received  the  honorary  degree  of 
A.  M.  from  his  Alma  Mater  (Union  College   N 
Y.),  in  June,  1890,  on  the  fortieth  anniversary 
of  his  graduation,     seventeen     of    his    former 
classmates  being  present  on  that  occasion 


717 


DR.   CHARLES   E.  COOK. 

Dr.  Charles  E.  Cook,  a  leading  physician  and 
prominent  business  man  of  Huntley,  has  for 
the  past  twenty  years  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  public  interests  of  that  place  and 
for  ten  years  has  served  as  Coroner  He 
possesses  a  large  capacity  for  directing  affairs 
and  his  power  of  turning  off  work  is  something 
marvelous. 

Dr.  Cook  was  born  in  Franklinville,  McHenry 
County,  111.,  Jan.  27,  1853,  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  Jane  (Coquillette)  Cook.  The  doc- 
tor's grandfather  Cook,  was  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  resided  in  Rockland,  not  far  from 
the  City  of  New  York.  By  his  marriage  there 
were  two  sons:  John  was  a  silversmith  in 
New  York  City;   Thomas  Masters  Cook,  father 


of  Dr.    Charles  E.,   for  many  years   a  leading 
farmer  and   prominent  politician   of  McHenry 
County,  and  during  the  Civil  War,  Provost  Mar- 
shal for  Northern  Illinois,  was  bom  in  Rock- 
land County,  N.  Y.    Losing  his  parents  at  an 
early  age  he  passed  seven  years  as  the  adopted 
son  of  people   who  made  life   so  disagreeable 
for  hlm  that,  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  ran 
away    to    New    York    City     In    the    meantime 
he  had  received  a  limited  education,  and  once 
in  the  city,  he  there  learned  the  cooper's  trade 
which  he  followed  for  some  years.     On  Dec.  25 
3  843,  he  married  Sarah  Jane  Coquillette    who 
was  born  in  Rockland  County,  N.  Y.,  in  March, 
1821,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Maria  (Gar- 
rison)   Coquillette,   who  are  mentioned   below 
Mr   and  Mrs.  Cook  had  six  children,  of  whom 
the  first  three  were:     Louisa,  George  Washing 
ton  who  died  in  childhood  in  New  York  City 
and   Charles  Edgar,  who  is   mentioned  below.' 
William  Wallace  Cook  was  for  many  years  the 
leading  physician    and    surgeon    of    McHenry 
County,  residing  at  Woodstock  for  fifteen  years 
where  he  acted  ,as  surgeon  for  the  North- West- 
ern Railroad.     He  died  in  that  city  at  the  age 
of  thirty-six.    Jobn  Arthur  died  when  a  child. 
Edward  Herbert,  a  leading    business    man    of 
Huntley,    born    in    Franklinville,    111     Feb     10 
1863,  was  reared  to  farm     work    and,    in'  the 
Marengo  high  school,  procured  a  thorough  edu- 
cation     graduating     in     1882.    After     leaving 
school  he  assisted  in  the  management  of  the 
home  place  until  1895,     when    he    located     in 
Huntley  and  purchased  a   half-interest  in  his 
brothers  drug  store,  where  he  has  since  been 
engaged.     In  Marengo,  July  13,  1887,  he  mar- 
ried Myrtle  Louisa  Sisson,  who  was  born  near 
Marengo,  Aug.    24,   1862,   daughter  of  Allen   P 
and  Laura    (Wisner)    Sisson,   who   as    pioneer 
farming  people,  were  the  second  family  to  set- 
tle on  Coon  Creek,  near  Marengo.     He  moved 
to  Marengo  in  1883,and  died  in  1899,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-three  years.     His  children 
were:      Charj.es,  Angus,  Franklin,  Fred,  Marv 
Belle,  Myrtle    (Mrs.   Cook),  Lizzie,  Anna,   and 
Carrie.     Mr.    Cook   has   prospered  in    business 
and  now  owns  a  half  interest  in  the  Glazier 
block,  a  fine  residence,  and  other  city  property 
He  is   popular  in  the  place,   has   served   four 
years  as  village  clerk,   and  is   now   acting  as 
Postmaster   having  received    his    appointment 
in  1902,  under  President  Roosevelt.     Politically 
he  is  a  strong  Republican.     Consistent  Chris- 


(18 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tians,  both  he  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  Fraternally  he  affiliates 
with  the  K.  of  G.,  and  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Huntley 
having  taken  all  the  degrees  in  the  last  named 
lodge,  including  Noble  Grande,  and  at  five  dif- 
ferent times  he  has  acted  as  representative  for 
the  State  at  the  Grand  Lodge. 

Thomas  Masters  Cook,  the  father  of  this  en- 
terprising family  of  children,  settled  in  Jersey 
City  for  a  short  time  after  his  marriage,  and 
then,  in  1851,  moved  to  a  farm  in  Franklinville, 
McHenry  County,  111.,  but  shortly  afterward 
sold  the  property,  and  purchased  a  more  de- 
sirable farm,  in  the  same  locality,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  agriculture  very  successfully  for  many 
years.  Then  the  desire  to  give  his  children 
better  educational  advantages,  led  him  to  sell 
this  place  and  move  to  Aurora,  Kane  County. 
He  finally,  however,  returned  to  McHenry 
County,  and  purchased  another  farm  near 
Franklinville,  where  he  resided  for  the  rest  of 
his  life.  He  greatly  improved  his  property, 
and  became  very  prosperous,  but  died  on  the 
farm  in  1893. 

Mr.  Cook  was  one  of  the  popular  political 
leaders  of  his  section.  First  a  Whig,  he  took 
part  in  one  of  the  early  conventions  held  at 
Galena  which  christened  the  Republican  party, 
and  in  186"0  was  present  in  the  convention 
which  met  in  the  old  wigwam  at  Chicago,  and 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  Presidency 
for  the  first  time.  A  strong  Union  man  in  the 
early  days  of  the  Civil  War,  he  rendered  valu- 
able service  in  raising  the  soldiers  to  fill  the 
quota  for  McHenry  County.  As  already  stated 
he  served  during  this  period  as  Provost  Mar- 
shal for  his  district  in  Northern  Illinois,  filling 
the  position  with  marked  ability.  For 
many  years  he  served  as  class-leader  in  the 
Methodist  Church,  of  which  he  and  his  wife 
were  members.  Possessed  of  legal  ability  he 
was  often  appointed  as  administrator  for  valu- 
able estates,  and  he  also  acted  as  guardian  for 
several  families  of  children. 

Dr.  Charles  Edgar  Cook  spared  himself 
neither  time,  hard  work  nor  money  in  prepara- 
tion for  his  lifework  as  a  physician.  At  an 
early  age  he  attended  the  public  schools  of  Mc- 
Henry County,  and  later  Jennings  Seminary, 
at  Aurora,  for  four  years,  laying  the  foundation 
of  a  literary  and  scientific  education.  Having 
chosen  a  medical  career  he  then  entered  the 
medical  department  of  the  Northwestern  Uni- 


versity, where,  after  a  five  years'  course,  he 
graduated  in  1880,  securing  in  the  meantime 
some  most  valuable  surgical  practice  in  Mercy 
Hospital.  Well-equipped  for  his  profession. 
May  1,  1880,  he  opened  an  office  in  Huntley,  and 
began  regular  practice.  Close  attention  to 
every  patient,  and  correct  diagnosis  of  every 
case  won  him  the  confidence  of  the  community, 
and  he  soon  had  a  large  practice,  which  has 
steadily  increased  from  year  to  year.  He  has 
made  a  speciality  of  surgery,  and,  in  connection 
with  his  brother  Dr.  William  Wallace  Cook,  has 
performed  some  remarkable  operations.  He 
now  has  probably  the  largest  practice  of  any 
physician  in  the  place.  Besides  attending  to 
the  duties  of  his  profession,  Dr.  Cook  has  found 
time  to  engage  in  business,  and  in  1886. 
opened  a  drug-store  in  Huntley.  This  business 
was  successful  from  the  start,  and  in  1893  it 
had  become  so  large  that  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  move  to  more  commodious  quarters;  so 
he  erected  the  fine  business  block,  a  part  of 
which  he  now  occupies.  About  the  same  time 
he  received  his  brother,  Edward  H.,  into  part- 
nership, and  the  two  are  now  carrying  on  a 
successful  trade.  Dr.  Cook  now  owns  a  hand- 
some residence,  and  two  large  business  blocks. 

In  Franklinville,  Jan.  27,  1874,  Dr.  Cook,  at 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  married  Mary  Grace 
McNish,  who  was  born  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  April 
1,  1852,  and  they  have  two  children;  Harry  and 
Bessie.  Dr.  Cook  has  always  been  especially 
prominent  in  public  affairs,  served  as  Coroner 
from  1886  to  1896,  on  the  Board  of  Education 
for  a  long  time,  and  for  several  years  as  Village 
Treasurer.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with 
the  Woodstock  Commandery,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
the  Blue  Lodge,  Marengo  Chapter,  Knights 
Templar.     Politically  he  is  a  strong  Democrat. 

The  Coquillette  family,  maternal  ancestors  of 
Dr.  Cook,  are  of  royal  blood.  The  first  Ameri- 
can representative  was  a  half-brother  of  Louis 
XIV.,  Francis  Capet,  a  French  Huguenot,  who, 
in  his  native  country,  resided  on  his  handsome 
estate  at  LaRochelle.  During  the  Roman 
Catholic  persecution,  he  with  his  wife  and  son 
Daniel,  fled  to  America,  leaving  in  their  haste, 
a  daughter  who  was  away  at  school.  Upon 
his  arrival  in  America  he  assumed  the  name 
Coquillette,  and  was  thus  known  at  New 
Rochelle,  Westchester  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
first  resided.  Later  he  settled  in  Rockland  Coun- 
ty near  New  City,  but  finally  moved  to  a  farm 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


71'J 


in  Rockland  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  passed  his 
last  days.  He  was  married  twice.  By  his  first 
union  there  was  a  son,  Daniel,  who  is  men- 
tioned below;  and  the  daughter,  left  in  France, 
of  whom  he  never  afterward  heard.  By  his 
second  marriage  there  were  two  daughters, 
Frances  and  Katie.  He  was  buried  beside  his 
wives  in  New  York  City. 

Daniel  Coquillette,  but  a  small  child  when  his 
parents  came  to  New  York,  was  reared  upon 
the  farm  in  Rockland  County,  and  upon  reach- 
ing manhood  followed  agriculture  for  an  occu- 
pation. He  was  prosperous  in  his  business  and 
a  man  of  influence  in  his  community.  In  mili- 
tary affairs  he  was  especially  active,  and 
served  as  a  "minute-man"  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  He  married  Maria  Stevens,  sister  of 
Judge  Peter  Stevens,  of  Rockland  County,  and 
their  children  were:  Peter,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Peter  (2),  who,  upon  reaching  manhood, 
changed  the  spelling  of  his  name  to  Cokelet; 
Mary,  Phoebe,  Daniel,  who  took  the  surname 
Cocalet;  and  William,  who  retained  the 
original  spelling  of  his  name. 

William  Coquillette,  son  of  Daniel,  and 
grandfather  of  Dr.  Cook,  was  born  in  Rockland 
County,  N.  Y.,  in  1791,  and  as  a  boy  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade.  After  reaching  manhood, 
he  carried  on  farming  in  summer,  working  at 
his  trade  in  winter.  He  was  thus  employed 
until  the  opening  of  the  War  of  1812,  when  ho 
enlisted  in  a  light-foot  troop,  and  going  to  the 
front  served  valiantly,  acting  for  some  time  as 
one  of  the  guards  at  Harlem  Heights.  After 
the  war  he  went  to  New  York  City  and  was 
employed  for  a  time  as  a  carman,  but  eventu- 
ally returned  to  his  farm  in  Rockland  County, 
where  he  passed  the  rest  of  his  life,  dying  at 
the  age  of  forty-two  years.  He  is  buried  in 
New  York  City.  During  his  young  manhood 
Mr.  Coquillette  married  Maria  Garrison,  and 
they  had  ten  children:  Daniel,  William, 
James,  Francis,  Marquis  LaFayette,  Sarah 
Jane  (the  doctor's  mother),  Ellette  Ann,  Wil- 
liam Edgar,  Abraham,  and  Emily  and  John, 
both  of  whom  died  young. 

William  McNish,  father  of  Mrs.  Charles  E. 
Cook,  was  born  in  Scotland,  came  to  America 
in  early  life,  and  finally  to  Illinois,  settling  on 
a  farm  in  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County. 
Here  he  built  up  a  good  home  for  himself,  and 
became  a  successful  farmer  and  prosperous 
citizen.     During  his  young  manhood  he  married 


Grace  Stewart,  and  they  had  ten  children: 
William,  John,  Jane,  Belle,  Alexander,  Nathan, 
Charlotte,  Mary,  May  and  David.  Alexander 
and  Nathan  served  as  soldiers  of  the  Union  un- 
der their  uncle.  Captain  Nish,  during  the  Civil 
War. 


JAMES  F.  CASEY. 

James  Francis  Casey,  Esq.,  is  a  native  of  Mc- 
Henry County  who  has  been  conspicuously  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  and  has  achieved 
an  enviable  success  at  the  McHenry  County 
bar  chiefly  by  his  own  unaided  efforts.  Mr. 
Casey's  grandfather,  Daniel  Casey,  who  was  a 
native  of  County  Limerick,  Ireland,  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and,  in  1847,  came  with 
his  family  to  America,  this  being  during  the 
period  of  the  celebrated  famine  which  began 
in  1846.  He  settled  in  Virginia,  where  he 
Anally  died.  His  children  were:  Robert,  Daniel, 
Jr.,  Michael  and  Mary.  Daniel  Casey,  Jr.,  who 
was  born  in  his  father's  native  county,  was 
about  thirteen  years  old  when  brought  by  his 
parents  to  America.  He  received  a  common- 
school  education,  adopted  his  father's  occupa- 
tion as  a  farmer  and  married  in  Boston,  Mass., 
Nancy  Byron  Fitzgerald,  also  a  native  of 
County  Limerick,  Ireland,  the  daughter  of  Gar- 
rett Fitzgerald.  Her  father  was  a  man  of  su- 
perior education  and  had  been  a  teacher  in  his 
native  country.  Coming  from  Ireland  to  Amer- 
ica in  1848,  he  first  settled  in  Boston,  but  two 
years  later  (1850)  came  to  Chicago,  where  he 
finally  died  between  eighty  and  ninety  years 
of  age.  The  children  of  Garrett  Fitzgerald 
were:  James,  Garrett,  Mary,  Kate  and  Eliza 
— all  of  whom  were  well  educated.  The  oldest 
son  James,  who  was  a  promising  young  lawyer 
in  Chicago  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War, 
enlisted  and  became  Captain  of  Company  I, 
Twenty-third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  Col. 
James  A.  Mulligan,  popularly  known  as  the 
famous  "Irish  Brigade,"  and  participated  in 
many  hard-fought  battles.  Captain  Fitzgerald 
was  a  zealous  member  of  the  Fenian  organiza- 
tion. The  daughter,  Eliza,  who  was  the  young- 
est member  of  the  family  married  and,  at  an 
early  day,  moved  to  Kansas,  where  she  was 
massacred  at  the  time  of  the  Quantrell  raid 
against  Lawrence  in  that  State.  Shortly  after 
his  marriage  Daniel  Casey,  Jr.,  and  wife  came 


720 


M  c  H  E  N  R  Y      C  O  U  N  T  Y. 


to  Chicago,  where  they  resided  about  four 
years,  but  in  1851  they  moved  to  MeHenry 
County  settling  near  Huntley,  where  Mr.  Casey 
bought  land  and  began  improving  a  farm.  He 
died  in  1861  of  typhoid  fever,  aged  about  forty 
years.  Mrs.  Casey  survived  him  many  years, 
dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  She 
was  a  very  devout  Christian,  and  during  her 
life  was  the  correspondent  of  some  of  the  dig- 
nitaries of  the  Catholic  church,  among  them 
Bishop  Foley  and  Father  Daman  of  Chicago. 
She  was  a  faithful  mother,  and,  after  the 
death  of  her  husband,  maintained  a  good 
home  for  her  children,  early  instilling  into 
their  minds  the  precepts  of  virtue  and  right  liv- 
ing. Self-sacrificing  to  a  remarkable  degree, 
she  labored  with  untiring  zeal  to  bring  up  and 
educate  her  family  that  they  might  occupy 
good  positions  in  life. 

James  F.  Casey,  the  son  of  Daniel  Casey  and 
wife,  was  born  in  Huntley,  111.,  March  6,  1861, 
and  was  only  three  days  old  when  his  father 
died.  He  was  brought  up  in  Huntley  by  his 
mother,  and  to  the  early  training  received  at 
her  hands  is  due  the  underlying  principles  of 
character  on  which  his  success  in  life  has  been 
founded.  He  was  kept  at  school  regularly  un- 
til he  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  found  employment  at  farm  work,  his  first 
duty,  as  a  boy,  being  the  watching  of  sheep 
at  two  dollars  per  month.  Later,  when  able 
to  do  general  farm-work,  he  received  five  dol- 
lars per  month,  his  highest  wages  amounting 
to  eleven  dollars  per  month,  when  he  quit  farm- 
work,  while  still  young.  After  this  he  found 
employment  at  Huntley  and  in  Chicago,  mean- 
time keeping  up  his  studies  by  close  applica- 
tion during  his  spare  hours.  By  careful  econ- 
omy he  saved  a  little  money  and,  at  sixteen 
years  of  age,  graduated  from  the  high  school 
at  Huntley.  He  then  attended  the  Elgin  Acad- 
emy for  three  winters  while  working  during 
the  summers.  When  about  twenty  years  old, 
he  received  a  first-class  certificate  as  teacher 
from  the  County  Superintendent  of  Schools, 
and  thus  began  teaching  before  he  had  reached 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  In  1881  he  organ- 
ized a  private  grammar  school  in  Elgin,  mean- 
while, having  devoted  his  spare  time  to  reading 
law,  in  1883,  he  entered  as  a  student  the  law- 
office  of  Judge  Ranstead,  a  prominent  attorney 
of  Elgin,  and,  after  attending  the  Union  Col- 


lege of  Daw  at  Chicago,  for  a  time,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  March,  1887.  On  Septem- 
ber 6,  of  the  same  year,  he  located  in  Wood- 
stock where  he  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. He  soon  secured  a  good  practice  and, 
in  1888,  formed  a  partnership  with  Hon.  M.  L. 
Joslyn,  of  Woodstock,  which  was  continued 
until  March,  1897,  when  he  began  practice 
alone,  which  he  has  since  continued. 

Mr.  Casey  has  been  engaged  on  one  side  or 
the  other  in  most  of  the  important  cases  tried 
in  MeHenry  County  for  the  past  decade.  Some 
of  his  leading  cases  include  the  J.  G.  Temple- 
ton  murder  case,  in  which  he  was  on  the  side 
of  the  defense,  the  defendant  being  acquitted. 
He  was  also  retained  for  the  defense  in  the 
case  of  Mrs.  Woollert  for  shooting  her 
daughter.  Mrs.  Woollert  was  adjudged  insane. 
He  appeared  for  the  defense  in  the  Joseph 
Held  and  Dr.  Koehler  murder  case,  resulting 
in  the  discharge  of  the  prisoners.  In  the  case 
of  John  Flusky  p^gainst  James  Clancy,  Mr. 
Casey  succeeded  in  saving  an  estate  valued  at 
$150,000  to  its  rightful  owner.  This  case  was 
carried  to  the  Supreme  Court.  Politically  Mr. 
Casey  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  has  been  active  on  the  stump  in  every 
campaign  since  the  candidacy  of  James  G. 
Blaine;  has  also  served  one  term  as  Chairman 
of  the  MeHenry  County  Republican  Central 
Committee. 

Mr.  Casey  is  one  of  the  well-known  lawyers 
of  Northern  Illinois,  where  he  enjoys  an  ex- 
tensive practice.  Personally  he  is  one  of  the 
most  affable  of  men,  greeting  every  one  with  a 
pleasant  word  and  taking  especial  pains  to 
show  a  friendly  feeling  toward  strangers.  He 
is  a  close  student  of  many  subjects,  especially 
those  of  a  public  character,  his  strong  men- 
tality enabling  him  to  grasp  questions  of  a  so- 
cial and  political  character  affecting  the  public 
welfare.  Withal  he  is  an  instructive  and  enter- 
taining conversationalist. 

Mr.  Casey  was  married  in  October,  1888,  to 
Minnie  Simmons,  a  native  of  Woodstock,  who 
is  now  deceased,  leaving  one  daughter  named 
Sylvia. 


JOHN  J.  COONEY. 

Among   the   rising   young    attorneys    of   Me- 
Henry County,  deservedly  stands  the  name  of 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


721 


John  J.  Cooney,  of  Woodstock,  who  has  re- 
cently entered  into  partnership  with  C.  P. 
Barnes,  Esq.,  and  is  now  rapidly  pushing  to 
the  front  in  his  profession.  Mr.  Cooney  was 
born  in  Woodstock,  111.,  April  21,  1879,  the 
son  of  R.  D.  and  Annie  M.  (Hallisy)  Cooney.. 
both  of  whom  belonged  to  pioneer  families  of 
McHenry  County.  The  son  received  his  prepar- 
atory education  in  the  high  school  at  Wood- 
stock, after  which  he  attended  Notre  Dame 
University,  at  South  Bend,  Ind.,  graduating 
from  the  Law  Department  of  that  institution 
in  1901  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  Having 
been  admitted  to  the  bar  in  his  native  State, 
he  promptly  entered  into  partnership  with  C.  P. 
Barnes,  one  of  the  most  prominent  attorneys 
of  McHenry  County,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  January,  1903,  when  he  became  associated 
with  his  present  partner,  C.  P.  Barnes,  Esq., 
under  the  firm  name  of  Barnes  &  Cooney,  who 
are  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  prosperous 
business. 

During  his  brief  professionel  career,  Mr. 
Cooney  has  given  evidence  that  he  is  one  of 
those  young  men  who  rise  by  inherent  ability 
and  native  energy,  coupled  with  strict  atten- 
tion to  business  and  personal  integrity  of  char- 
acter. In  his  native  town  of  Woodstock,  where 
he  has  been  known  all  his  life,  he  stands  de- 
servedly high  for  all  those  elements  which  go 
to  make  up  the  personal  character  of  the  suc- 
cessful professional  or  business  man,  and  his 
future  is  looked  to  as  one  of  assured  pros- 
perity and  success.  Mr.  Cooney  was  elected 
City  Attorney  of  the  City  of  Woodstock  in 
1903. 

RODERICK  D.  COONEY,  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  the  above  sketch,  and  one  af  the  early 
settlers  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Co- 
lumbia County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  4,  1844,  the  son  of 
Martin  and  Mary  A.  (McKenna)  Cooney. 
Martin  Cooney  was  a  native  of  Galway,  Ire- 
land, where  he  was  born  July  15,  1815.  His 
wife,  Mary  A.  McKenna,  was  born  in  County 
Monaghan,  Ireland,  April  20,  1820.  The  father 
of  Martin  was  Roderick  Cooney,  who  followed 
the  life  of  a  shepherd  in  his  native  country, 
and  there  died.  When  between  twelve  and 
fifteen  years  of  age,  Martin  Cooney  came  to 
America  and,  in  his  early  days,  found  employ- 
ment at  farm  work  among  the  Quakers.  In 
1841,  having  accumulated  some  money  by  his 


industrious  and  thrifty  habits,  he  came  to  Hart- 
land  Township,  McHenry  County,  and  bought 
160  acres  of  land  where  his  son  Roderick  now 
lives.  There  were  no  improvements  upon  this 
land  at  that  time  except  a  little  log-house  on 
one  side  of  it.  Mr.  Cooney  soon  after  re- 
turned to  Columbia  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
worked  for  Thomas  J.  Rider,  a  wealthy  Quaker 
fanner,  who  had  a  farm  of  600  acres,  of  which 
Mr.  Cooney  became  manager.  On  Oct.  21,  1843, 
he  was  married,  in  Columbia  County,  to  Mary 
A.  McKenna  and,  in  1844,  removed  with  his 
wife  and  infant  son,  Roderick  D.,  to  Hartland 
Township  where,  as  already  stated,  he  had 
bought  land  three  years  before.  Having  ar- 
rived here  in  June,  1845,  he  proceeded  to  im- 
prove his  land,  building  on  it.  a  log-house  on 
the  site  where  the  barn  now  stands.  After 
living  here  nearly  twenty  years,  in  1864  he 
bought  the  Hale  farm  of  260  acres,  upon  which 
he  lived  until  his  death,  Dec.  16,  1866,  at  the 
age  of  about  fifty-two  years.  Here  he  became 
a  substantial  and  prosperous  farmer,  at  the 
time  of  his  death  being  the  owner  of  460  acres 
of  land.  Mrs.  Cooney  survived  him  over 
twenty-five  years,  dying  Jan.  21,  1892.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cooney  were  members  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic church  and,  in  politics,  he  was  a  Demo- 
crat, as  were  most  of  his  nationality  who  came 
to  America  at  an  early  day.  This  was  not 
to  be  wondered  at  in  the  view  or  the  oppression 
which  they  had  endured  in  their  native  country 
at  the  hands  of  England's  aristocracy,  and  it 
was  as  natural  for  them  to  be  attracted  by  the 
word  "Democrat"  when  they  set  foot  on 
American  soil,  as  it  was  to  resist  tyranny  in 
their  native  home.  The  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Martin  Cooney  were:  Roderick  D.,  born 
Oct.  4,  1844;  Patrick,  born  Dec.  22,  1845;  John 
Henry,  born  Nov.  15,  1847;  Thomas  F.,  born 
Jan  1,  1849;  James,  born  Oct.  15,  1850;  Mary, 
born  June  19,  1852;  Anna  M.,  born  Feb.  14, 
1854;  Martin  and  Michael  Edward  (twins), 
born  Jan.  14,  1856;  Francis  Peter,  born  Jan. 
7,  1858;  William,  born  March  7,  1860— all  born 
in  Hartland  Township  except  Roderick  D., 
who  was  born  in  Columbia  County,  N.  Y. 

Roderick  D.  Cooney  was  about  nine  months 
old  when  his  parents  came  to  Hartland  Town- 
ship, and  he  grew  up  among  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  that  vicinity.  Here  he  received  the 
common-school  education  of  that  locality  and 


722 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


period,  and  from  his  early  days  was  reared 
to  the  life  of  a  farmer.  On  Jan.  24,  1877,  he 
was  married  to  Anna  M.  Hallisy,  who  was 
born  in  Hartland  Township,  July  22,  1845. 
(See  sketch  of  Hallisy  Family  elsewhere  in 
this  volume).  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cooney  settled  in  Woodstock  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  selling  live-stock,  and  also 
owned  an  interest  in  a  grocery  establishment. 
He  was  also  quite  extensively  engaged  for  a 
time  in  the  butter  and  cheese  manufacturing 
business,  for  which  he  erected  a  building  in 
Hartland  Township,  and  another  near  the 
present  Dorr  factory  south  of  Woodstock,  be- 
sides owning  an  interest  in  a  factory  on  the 
Franklinville  road  southwest  of  Woodstock.  For 
some  time  we  was  the  owner  of  a  cattle  ranch 
in  Nebraska,  to  which,  at  one  time,  he  shipped 
169  cattle  from  Hartland  Township.  This  he 
finally  sold  and  engaged  in  the  milk  business  in 
Chicago,  which  he  carried  on  a  few  years.  Up  to 
1892  his  home  had  been  in  Woodstock,  but  dur- 
ing that  year  he  returned  to  his  home  farm  in 
Hartland  Township,  where  he  now  has  200 
acres  of  land  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roderick  D.  Cooney  have  had  the 
following  named  children:  Martin  Francis, 
born  October,  1877,  died  October,  1881;  John 
J.,  born  April  21,  1879;  Roderick,  born  April 
15,  1881,  died  December,  1889;  Anna,  born 
April  20,  1885. 

In  politics  Mr.  Cooney  is  a  Democrat  and 
has  served  as  Supervisor  of  Hartland  Town- 
ship several  years;  was  also  Tax  Collector 
one  year,  and  has  served  several  years  as  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace.  He  has  proved  himself  dur- 
ing his  active  career  a  practical  farmer  and  an 
enterprising  business  man. 


ALBERT  S.  CORL. 

Although  the  Corl  family,  on  the  paternal 
side,  is  of  French  descent,  by  intermarriage 
the  blood  of  nearly  every  principal  nationality 
in  the  United  States  now  flows  through  their 
veins.  In  addition  to  the  original  French,  this 
includes  German,  Holland-Dutch,  English, 
Scotch,  and  Swedish  descent — most  of  these 
being  prominently  represented  among  the  pio- 
neers of  New  York  State,  where  the  founders 
of  the  American  branch  of  the  family  resided. 


Henry  Corl,  the  earliest  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican branch  of  whom  any  record  exists,  was 
married  to  Susan  Grote,  of  Schenectady,  N.  Y., 
he  being  of  French  and  she  of  German  extrac- 
tion. Their  son  William,  the  great-grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Springer  at  Schenectady,  N.  Y., 
and  both  died  there.  His  occupation  was  that 
of  a  farmer.  Her  father,  David  Springer,  was 
of  Swedish  blood,  and  her  mother,  Mary 
Oliver,  English.  David  Springer  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  was 
killed  during  the  struggle.  His  family  finally 
removed  to  Canada,  where  each  received  200 
acres  of  land.  Mary  having  returned  to  New 
York,  as  already  stated,  married  William  Corl, 
who  had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 

The  children  of  this  marriage  were:  David, 
Mary,  Margaret,  Effle,  Susan,  Keziah  and 
Henry.  The  last  named  enlisted  in  the  War 
of  1812  and  was  reported  killed.  David,  the 
older,  was  born  August  9,  1788,  and  married 
Jane  Elder,  born  March  24,  1789,  and  both  died 
in  Schenectady,  N.  Y. — he  in  October,  1872, 
and  she  in  18G7.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Dutch  Reformed  church,  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  Their 
children  were:  William,  John,  Henry  D.. 
Mehitabel,  Richard,  Maria,  James,  Susan,  an;l 
Hannah. 

Jane  (Elder)  Corl's  parents  were  John  and 
Mehitabel  (Merrick)  Elder,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  and  a  weaver  by 
occupation,  and  the  latter  of  English  and 
German  descent,  and  born  in  Cambridge,  Vt. 
Both  died  at  Schenectady,  N.  Y.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Mary,  Hannah,  Jane,  Mehitabel 
(who  became  the  wife  of  David  Corl),  Mar- 
garet and  John. 

Henry  D.  Corl,  the  third  son  of  David  Corl, 
and  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  at  Rotter- 
dam, Schenectady  County,  N.  Y.,  August  2,  1814. 
He  became  a  farmer,  and,  on  Jan.  20,  1841, 
married  Mary  Schryver,  at  Florida,  Montgom- 
ery County,  N.  Y.  Mary  (Schryver)  Corl  is 
descended  from  Stephen  and  Sarah  (Manning) 
Schryver  (her  grandparents),  the  former  a 
native  of  Wirtemberg,  Germany.  His  wife  was 
the  daughter  of  Joshua  Manning,  and  her 
mother  an  exiled  French  Princess  named  De- 
Roselle,  who  settled  in  Westchester,  N.  Y. 
Mr.    Manning   was   a  farmer   and   he   and    his 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


723 


wife    were    married    and    lived    near      Pough- 
keepsie,  N.  Y. 

Stephen  Schryver's  children  were  Albert, 
Frederick,  Joshua,  John  and  Melissa.  Albert 
Schryver,  the  oldest  of  this  family,  was  born 
Nov.  30,  1788,  and  married  Hannah  Wines, 
the  only  child  of  James  and  Susannah  (Hultz- 
hopple)  Wines,  born  Jan.  1,  1795.  Mr.  Schryver 
was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  followed, 
at  different  times,  the  occupation  of  a  shoe- 
maker, farmer  and  lumberman.  He  died  in 
Lake  County,  111.,  Jan.  17,  1873,  and  Mrs. 
Schryver,  Sept.  5,  1873.  Their  children  were: 
Sarah,  Albert,  Mary  (who  became  Mrs.  Henry 
D.  Corl),  John,  Jacob,  Stephen  and  Almira. 
James  Wines,  the  father  of  Hannah  Wines, 
was  a  native  of  Holland,  and  his  wife,  Susan- 
nah (the  daughter  of  Nicholas  Hultzhopple) 
was  of  German  descent,  their  marriage  taking 
place  at  Livingston  Manor,  now  Columbia 
County,  N.  Y.  By  occupation  he  was  a  ship 
carpenter. 

Mrs.  Mary  (Schryver)  Corl  was  born  at 
Manlius,  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  March  18. 
1818;  in  1819,  removed  with  her  parents  to 
Dutchess  County;  in  1834  to  Warren  County, 
then,  in  1835,  to  Duanesburg,  Montgomery 
County,  and  finally  to  Florida  in  the  same 
county,  where  her  marriage  took  place,  as  al- 
ready stated,  Jan.  20,  1841.  At  first  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Corl  located  at  Schenectady,  '«ut  on  Sept. 
21,  1848,  started  for  Illinois,  finally  settling 
on  a  farm  in  Algonquin  Township,  McHenry 
County,  where  they  resided  until  May  31,  1878. 
They  then  removed  to  Dundee,  Kane  County, 
where  Mr.  Corl  died  Sept.  8,  1894.  He  was  an 
influential  citizen  and  a  zealous  Methodist,  for 
many  years  being  a  class-leader  in  the  church. 
In  politics,  he  was  originally  a  Jeffersonian 
Democrat,  and  later  an  original  Republican  and 
supporter  of  John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham 
Lincoln.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Corl's  children  were: 
Anna  (died  in  infancy),  John,  Hannah  (died 
about  two  years  of  age),  Albert,  Sarah,  David 
and  Louis.  John  enlisted  in  1862  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
came  home  on  a  sick  furlough,  March  27,  1863. 
and  died  two  hours  after  his  arrival.  David, 
another  brother,  died  Nov.  27,  1873.  Mrs.  Corl 
still  lives  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years, 
resided  with  her  daughter  Sarah,  at  Dun- 
dee, 111. 


Albert  S.  Corl,  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Algonquin  Township,  Oct.  9,  1849,  and  grew  up 
among  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  that  section. 
He  attended  the  first  school  in  his  district  (No. 
8),  taught  in  a  primitive  log  school-house  by 
Miss  Louisa  Andrus,  who  was  followed  later 
by  Miss  Louisa  Perkins.  Among  his  school- 
mates were  Henry  Keys  (present  Sheriff  of 
McHenry  County),  Oscar  and  Henry  Ford,  Ed- 
ward Webster,  and  John,  Robert  and  William 
Morton.  After  leaving  the  district  school,  Mr. 
Corl  spent  two  years  in  the  Elgin  Academy, 
and,  at  twenty-four  years  of  age,  began  teach- 
ing in  a  frame  school  house  in  his  home  dis- 
trict, continuing  two  terms.  In  September, 
1870,  he  went  to  Kansas,  and  there  engaged  in 
teaching  in  Lyon  and  Coffey  Counties,  in  which 
he  spent  four  terms,  also  giving  attention  to 
the  management  of  a  farm  of  120  acres,  which 
he  had  bought  in  Lyon  County.  On  April  7, 
1875,  he  was  married  in  that  State  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Suttle,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Lucretia  (Chapin)  Suttle,  born  at  Marysville, 
Iowa,  Sept.  27,  1854.  Mr.  Suttle  was  a  native 
of  Virginia,  who,  after  removing  west,  first 
settled  in  Illinois,  removed  thence  to  Iowa 
and  finally  to  Lyon  County,  Kan.,  where  he 
became  a  pioneer  farmer  and  where  he  died. 
His  children  were:  Horace,  Sophronia,  Julia, 
Edwin,  George,  Mary,  Charles  and  Francis. 
After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Corl  set- 
tled on  his  farm  in  Lyon  County,  where  Mrs. 
Corl  died,  April  5,  1882,  leaving  three  daughters 
named  Sadie  May,  Cora  Lillian  and  Rena  Alice 
— the  last  named  dying  at  the  age  of  nine 
months.  Mrs.  Corl  was  a  devout  Christian 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and, 
in  her  younger  days,  an  active  worker  and 
teacher  in  the  Sabbath  school.  After  the 
death  of  his  wife  in  1882,  Mr.  Corl  returned  to 
Dundee,  111.,  and  during  the  winter  of  1882-3 
taught  school  in  Algonquin  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County.  In  the  spring  of  1883  he  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  in  Dundee, 
in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Louis  J.,  which 
was  continued  five  years.  At  the  end  of  this 
period,  having  bought  his  brother's  interest,  he 
removed  the  stock  to  Nunda,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  resides,  continuing  in  business  there 
eight  years.  In  October,  1897,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  McKinley,  Postmaster  of 
the  village  of  Nunda — a  position  which  he  has 


?'24 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


filled  with  satisfaction  to  the  patrons  of  the 
office,  and  which  he  still  holds.  Other  offices 
held  hy  him.  at  different  times  include  those  of 
Town  Clerk  of  Blmondero  Township,  Lyon 
County,  Kan.,  Village  Clerk  of  Nunda,  Town 
Clerk  of  Nunda  Township,  member  of  the  Vil- 
lage Board  of  Trustees  for  two  years,  and 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  Corl  has  been  a  life-long  and  consist- 
ent Republican.  The  various  positions  held 
by  him  indicate  his  standing  as  a  citizen  and 
the  high  esteem  in  whch  he  is  held  in  the  com- 
munity. 


JAY    L.    CONOVER. 

Jay  L.  Conover  is  of  sturdy  Holland-Dutch 
stock  and  ranks  as  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  where  his  father  settled  in 
the  early  '40s.  The  remote  ancestors  of  the 
family  were  among  the  founders  of  the  Nether- 
lands. The  grandfather  of  Jay  L.  Conover 
was  a  farmer  of  Montgomery  County,  N.  Y., 
and  his  son  Marcus,  a  native  of  the  same  State, 
adopted  the  life  of  a  farmer,  and,  in  early 
manhood,  was  married  to  Sarah  Schuyler,  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Schuyler.  He  made  his 
home  in  Montgomery  County,  in  that  State, 
where  he  opened  up  an  extensive  farm  in  the 
woods  fifteen  miles  from  Schenectady.  His 
farm  occupied  680  acres  and  he  became  an 
extensive  stock-raiser,  especially  cattle  and 
horses,  and  accumulated  a  large  property.  He 
sold  out  his  farm  in  New  York  in  1843,  and 
the  next  spring  removed  with  his  family  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the  journey  by 
the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo  and  thence  by  the 
lakes.  Arriving  at  Chicago,  he  purchased  a 
two-horse  team  and  proceeded  to  Huntley,  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  he  bought  320  acres  of 
partly  improved  land.  Having  shipped  a 
large  amount  of  goods  by  way  of  the  lakes  to 
Chicago,  he  went  there  with  several  teams  to 
remove  them  to  Huntley.  While  engaged  in 
loading  his  goods  and  transporting  them  over 
the  almost  impassable  roads,  he  over-exerted 
himself,  was  taken  sick  at  Clybourne  Avenue 
and  died  in  a  few  hours.  Mr.  Conover  was  a 
member  and  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and,  in  politics,  a  Whig  of  that  period.  He 
was  energetic  and  enterprising  and  acquire-.! 
a  considerable  property  by  his  own  exertions. 


The  children  were:  George  W.,  William  H., 
Jacob  S.,  John  S.,  Jay  L.,  James,  Alvah,  Martha 
A.,  Jane,  Marietta  and  Sarah — all  born  in  New 
York.  All  came  to  Illinois  except  Martha  and 
Marietta,  who  died  in  their  native   State. 

Jay  L.  Conover  was  born  in  Montgomery 
County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  22,  1826,  received  a  com- 
mon-school education  and  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  AVhen  between  eighteen  and  nine- 
teen years  of  age  he  came  to  Illinois,  by  way 
of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes,  arriving  at 
Huntley,  June  2,  1844,  whither  his  parents  had 
preceded  him  two  years  before.  His  father 
had  already  died  as  related  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  and  his  mother  died  one  week  after 
his  arrival.  Both  are  buried  in  the  cemetery 
at  Dundee,  Kane  County,  Mr.  Conover  soon 
after  engaged  in  farming  on  the  home  farm, 
but.  two  years  later  sold  his  interest  to  his 
brother  John  S.,  who  still  lives  upon  the  old 
homestead.  He  then  went  to  Crystal  Lake, 
and  in  March,  1846,  embarked  in  general  mer- 
chandising, but  not  being  satisfied  with  the 
business,  soon  sold  out  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  wagons  and  carriages  in  part- 
nership with  S.  P.  Parker,  continuing  in  this 
line  until  the  opening  up  of  the  railroads. 
Meanwhle,  having  bought  a  fine  farm  of  250 
acres  in  Crystal  Lake  Township,  he  again 
turned  his  attention  to  farming  for  the  next 
five  years.  At  the  end  of  this  period  he  be- 
came foreman  carpenter  for  C.  S.  Dole,  the 
stock-man,  built  the  ice-houses  at  Crystal  Lake, 
Mr.  Dole's  spacious  residence  and  many  other 
structures.  In  all  he  remained  with  Mr. 
Dole  sixteen  years,  when  he  again  resumed 
farming.  Having  received  a  severe  sun-stroke, 
which  greatly  impaired  his  health  and  from 
which  he  never  fully  recovered,  he  sold  his 
farm  about  1883  and  engaged  in  the  furniture 
trade  at  Crystal  Lake,  but  two  months  later, 
having  removed  to  Nunda,  took  up  the  furni- 
ture and  undertaking  business  there,  in  which 
he  is  still  actively  engaged  in  spite  of  his 
nearly  seventy-eight  years.  This  being  the 
only  establishment  of  the  kind  in  Nunda,  the 
business  has  proven  remunerative. 

Mr.  Conover  was  married  at  Huntley,  Dec. 
10,  1846,  to  Louisa  Butler,  daughter  of  Morgan 
and  Sarah  (Norton)  Butler,  born  in  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  16,  1826.  Morgan  Butler 
was  a  native  of  the  same   county,  became  a 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


725 


farmer  and  removed  to  McHenry  County  about 
the  same  time  the  Conovers  did,  settling  on  a 
farm  on  the  prairie  west  of  Huntley,  where  a 
log  house  had  been  erected  and  some  breaking 
and  clearing  done.  He  was  a  reliable  man 
and  prominent  citizen,  and  highly  esteemed 
by  his  neighbors.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
about  sixty  years.  His  children  were  named 
Frank,  Louisa  and  Marion. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conover  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  at  Nunda  in  1896.  Their  children 
are:  Eugene,  Oscar  F.,  Jay  L.,  Jr.,  Albert  B., 
William,  Marion,  Louisa  and  Myrtle.  They 
are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  assisted  to  erect  the  first  Methodist 
church  edifice  in  Nunda.  Politically  he  was  an 
old  line  Whig  casting  his  vote  for  Zachary 
Taylor  for  President,  but,  on  the  organization 
of  the  Republican  party,  identified  himself  with 
that  party  and  was  a  supporter  of  John  C. 
Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1856  and 
1860.  Beyond  serving  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Town  Trustees,  he  has  taken  no 
part  in  office-holding  politics,  but  has  proved 
himself  a  friend  of  morality  and  temperance, 
and,  by  a  course  of  upright  and  honorable 
dealing,  has  won  the  respect  of  all  good  cit- 
izens. 


JOHN    S.   CONOVER. 

John  S.  Conover  was  born  near  Schenectady, 
Montgomery  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  15,  1824,  and 
is  a  son  of  Marcus  and  Sarah  (Schuyler)  Con- 
over.  His  father  and  mother  were  both  of 
sturdy  Holland-Dutch  stock,  and  the  name  Con- 
over  was  originally  spelled  "Covenhoven." 
Marcus  Conover,  the  father,  was  born  in  Sche- 
nectady, N.  Y.,  Oct.  11,  1788,  the  son  of  a 
sturdy  Holland-Dutch  farmer,  who  owned  a 
large  farm,  well  improved  and  having  upon  it 
substantial  buildings.  The  grandfather  was  a 
prosperous  man  and  lived  to  be  nearly  one 
hundred  years  of  age,  and  served  as  a  patriot 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Marcus  Conover  married  Jan.  1,  1809,  Sarah 
Schuyler,  who  was  a  descendant  of  an  old 
New  York  family  by  that  name.  He  and  his 
wife  settled  on  a  part  of  his  father's  farm  on 
the  Mohawk  River,  and  lived  in  a  log  house. 
Mr.  Conover  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  and, 
at  one  time  during  the  war,  when  some  British 


soldiers  were  passing  their  house,  Mrs.  Con- 
over hid  with  her  first-born  child  until  they 
were  safely  by,  which,  perhaps,  proved  the 
means  of  saving  their  lives.  The  Conover 
homestead  was  a  fine  farm  of  200  acres,  and 
here  the  twelve  children  of  Marcus  and  Sarah 
(Schuyler)  Conover  were  born,  as  copied  from 
the  old  family  Bible,  in  the  following  order: 
George  Washington,  born  Nov.  19,  1812;  Wil- 
liam Henry,  born  Jan.  29,  1814;  Martha  Ann, 
born  Nov.  9,  1815;  Jane,  born  -Sept.  22,  1817; 
Jacob  S.,  born  Sept.  15,  1820;  Maryetta,  born 
Feb.  15,  1822;  John  S.,  born  Feb.  15,  1824;  Jay 
Lansing,  born  Feb.  22,  1826;  James  L.,  born 
March  9,  1828;  Sarah  Louise,  born  Dec.  13, 
1830;  Marquis,  born  March  11,  1833,  and  Al- 
vory,  born  April  22,  1835.  Marcus  Conover  was 
a  very  prosperous  man  and  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  a  farmer  and  accumulated  a  large 
estate.  He  also  engaged  extensively  in  buying 
horses  and  drove  them  to  Boston  and  New 
York,  where  he  sold  them  in  the  city  markets. 
He  handled  and  sold  many  finely  matched 
teams,  frequently  receiving  $1,000  for  a  nicely 
matched   team   of  carriage  horses. 

James  Winne  married  Jane,  daughter  of 
Marcus  and  Sarah  (Schuyler)  Conover,  and 
settled  in  1843,  near  Huntley,  111.,  and  this 
was  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  removal  of  the 
Conover  family  to  the  Western  frontier. 

Marcus  Conover  and  his  family  made  the 
trip  to  Illinois  via  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo 
and  then  by  steamboat  to  Chicago.  The 
journey  from  Chicago  to  Huntley  was  made 
with  team  and  wagon  and  they  arrived  at  the 
latter  place  in  June,  1844.  Immediately  after 
arriving  Mr.  Conover  bought  233  acres  of  land, 
forty  acres  of  which  had  previously  been 
broken.  After  settling  in  Huntley,  Mr.  Con- 
over returned  to  Chicago  for  his  goods,  which 
had  been  shipped  by  freight,  and,  in  handling 
the  heavy  commodities,  he  over-exerted  himself 
and  died  while  absent  from  home,  from  the 
effects  of  the  injuries  received,  on  June  28, 
1844,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years,  three  months 
and  fourteen  days.  His  wife  died  June  29,  1845. 
aged  fifty-one  years.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Con- 
over were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  were  hard-working  people,  highly  respected 
by  all  of  their  acquaintances. 

Mr.  John  S.  Conover  received  a  common- 
school  education,  and,  when  nineteen  years  of 


726 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


age,  came  with  his  parents  to  McHenry  County. 
Chicago  was  then  but  a  small  village  and  Mc- 
Henry County  was  thinly  settled.  Mr.  Conover 
maried  in  Grafton  Township,  Feb.  6,  1851, 
Sarah  J.  Vanderveer,  born  in  Florida,  Mont- 
gomery County,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  21,  1831,  daughter 
of  Tunis   Vanderveer. 

Tunis  Vanderveer  was  born  in  New  York 
State,  belonged  to  the  old  Vanderveer  family 
of  Holland-Dutch  ancestry  and  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  removed  with  his 
family  to  McHenry  County  in  1849  and  lived 
for  a  few  years  on  the  Conover  homestead. 
Later  he  bought  land  in  the  same  township, 
but  died  shortly  afterwards  at  the  age  of  fifty 
years.  His  children  were:  Henry,  Garret, 
George,  Sarah  J.,  Maria  and  Sumner.  After 
her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Vanderveer  lived 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  aided  by  her  willing 
and  industrious  children,  added  to  the  original 
possession  until  she  owned  333  acres  of  fine 
farming  land. 

John  S.  Conover  improved  his  farm  with 
substantial  buildings  and  about  twelve  years 
ago  bought  a  pleasant  residence  property  in 
Huntley,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  Jan. 
25,  1902.  In  politics  Mr.  Conover  was  formerly 
an  old-line  Whig,  but  after  the  dissolution  of 
that  party,  advocated  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party.  The  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Conover  are:  "Warren  S.,  born  Aug.  17, 
1857;  William  H.,  born  July  14,  1853;  John  S., 
born  Feb.,  16,  1861;  Anna,  born  April  16,  1866; 
Marcus,  born  Jan.  16,  1872,  and  Jay  L.,  born 
March  16,  1876. 

Mr,  Conover  devoted  his  entire  attention  to 
farming  interests,  and  he  was  widely  known, 
highly  respected  by  his  acquaintances  as  a 
man  of  sterling  character,  honest  and  honor- 
able in  all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow-men. 
By  his  energy,  perseverance,  and  excellent 
management  he  accumulated  a  valuable  estate. 

Jay  L.  Conover,  the  youngest  son,  is  now  a 
student  at  the  Northwestern  University  at  Ev- 
anston.  He  married  Lucy  Rude,  a  prominent 
teacher  of  McHenry. 


JOHN    S.   CUMMINGS. 

John  S.  Cummings,  Huntley,     111.,     descends 
from  an  old   Puritan   New  England  family  of 


Scotch  and  English  descent.  His  father,  Guy 
C.  Cummings,  born  in  Herkimer  County.  N.  Y., 
1789,  was  left  an  orphan  in  parly  boyhood  and 
became  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  being 
present  at  the  battle  of  Plattsburg,  where  he 
served  as  a  teamster.  In  Herkimer  County, 
N.  Y.,  he  married  Eleanor  Wheeler,  born  in 
Pittstown,  Conn.,  in  1798,  daughter  of  a  Rev- 
olutionary soldier  of  English  ancestry.  Guy 
C.  Cummings  settled  in  Cortland  County,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  cleared  up  a  farm,  and,  in  1838, 
came  to  Illinois  in  advance  of  his  family, 
making  the  journey  overland  with  horses  and 
a  wagon  and  bringing  with  him  his  son,  Stew- 
art Cummings,  then  a  boy  of  about  sixteen 
years  of  age.  Mr.  Cummings  located  in  Kane 
County,  111.,  three  miles  east  of  Huntley,  where 
he  took  up  a  half-section  of  land,  later  dispos- 
ing of  part  of  it.  In  August,  1838,  his  family 
came  to  Illinois  making  the  trip  via  the  lakes. 
Mr.  Cummings  met  them  at  Buffalo  and  accom- 
panied them  on  the  remainder  of  the  journey. 
After  his  arrival  he  settled  on  his  land  in 
Kane  County,  where  he  lived  about  six  years, 
when  he  sold  this  property  and  purchased  a 
farm  of  200  acres  one-half  mile  west  of  where 
Huntley  is  now  located.  This  land  he  bought 
at  second-hand,  but  it  was  unimproved.  He 
improved  his  farm,  erected  on  it  good  farm 
buildings  for  the  time,  and  made  of  it  a  pleas- 
ant and  comfortable  home.  His  children  were: 
Alexander,  Harriet,  Lucy,  Stewart,  William, 
Lucy  (2),  Waity,  John  S.,  Jane,  Albert,  Wil- 
lard,  Charlotte  and  Roxsan,  all  of  whom  are 
deceased  excepting  Waity,  John  S.  and  Jane. 
Politically  Mr.  Cummings  was  a  Democrat,  but 
voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  a  well- 
known  and  influential  citizen  and  held  the 
office  of  Overseer  of  the  Poor  and  Highway 
Commissioner  for  many  years.  He  died  April 
14,  1862.  He  had  two  sons,  John  S.  and  Wil- 
lard,  in  the  Civil  War.  Willard  was  in  Com- 
pany I,  Eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Cavalry,  and 
was  promoted  to  orderly  Sergeant;  served  four 
years  and  afterwards  veteranized,  taking  part 
in  many  conflicts,  among  them  being  the  Battle 
of  Gettysburg.  He  died  several  years  later 
from  the  effects  of  army  life. 

John  S.  Cummings  was  born  in  Cortland 
County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  22,  1830,  and  was  but 
eight  years  of  age  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Illinois.    He  first  attended  school  in 


IJBRABY 


UNJVEf 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


727 


a  log  house  owned  by  a  Mr.  Kibby  and  taught 
by  Mr.  Kibby's  daughter  Melissa.  He  after- 
wards attended  school  in  the  first  log  school 
house  built  in  Dundee  Township,  where  he  was 
one  of  the  first  scholars.  Later,  a  three-year 
course  at  the  Elgin  Academy  completed  his 
education,  which  was  considered  very  good  for 
those  days.  He  was  raised  a  farmer  and  mar- 
ried in  Huntley,  111.,  July  4,  1859,  Mary  Eliza- 
beth Baldwin,  born  in  Plattsburg,  Clinton 
County,  N.  Y.,  July  28,  1831.  Her  father  died 
in  New  York  State,  and  her  mother  afterwards 
came  west  to  live  with  a  daughter  who  had 
married  Peter  Ferris  and  settled  in  Coral  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County.  She  died  when  about 
sixty-seven  years  of  age.  The  Baldwin  chil- 
dren were:  Mary  E.  and  iSeth  W.,  both  of  whom 
are  now  deceased.  In  1852,  before  marriage, 
Mr.  Cummings,  then  but  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  crossed  the  plains  to  California.  Besides 
Mr.  Cummings,  the  party  consisted  of  Lewis 
Holdridge  and  family,  two  men  by  the  name  of 
Calhoun,  Thomas  and  William  Lumley,  Thomas 
Welch  and  Frank  Colgrove.  The  latter  had 
four  good  horses  and  a  covered  wagon,  and  Mr. 
Cummings  and  three  others  each  paid  him  $100 
cash  to  take  them  to  California.  The  party 
left  Huntley,  March,  24,  1852,  went  to  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  where  they  laid  in  supplies,  then 
proceeded  to  Fort  Kearney  on  the  Piatt  River, 
next  to  Fort  Laramie,  finally  reaching  Salt  Lake 
City,  where  they  stopped  a  few  weeks  to  re- 
cruit. Mr.  Cummings  had  walked  almost  all 
of  the  way,  as  Mr.  Colgrove  was  sick  and  but 
one  man  could  ride  at  a  time.  The  party, 
after  leaving  Salt  Lake  City,  passed  along  the 
Humboldt  River  to  "the  Sink,"  and  thence  to 
the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  and  around  the 
range  to  Placerville,  where  they  disbanded, 
having  been  about  four  months  on  the  journey. 
There  were  a  great  many  Indians  on  the  plains 
but  they  had  no  trouble  with  them.  While 
passing  near  the  head  of  the  Humboldt  Range, 
they  met  a  party  of  white  men  who  had  been 
robbed  by  the  Indians  the  night  before.  The 
following  night  the  party  camped  on  the  same 
spot.  The  Indians  were  rather  wily,  but  they 
arrested  the  chief  and  told  him  that  if  they 
were  molested,  they  would  shoot  him  first,  and 
then  as  many  of  his  party  as  they  could  cap- 
ture. He  was  instructed  to  carry  this  mes- 
sage to  the  rest  of  the  tribe.     They  took  the 


chief  with  them  for  half  a  day,  and  then  re- 
leased him.  On  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains, 
between  what  is  known  as  the  two  summits, 
Mr.  Cummings  saw  a  deep  canyon  about  one 
mile  in  width,  which  his  party  crossed  July 
15th.  It  was  filled  mostly  with  a  large  body 
of  ice  that  never  melted,  summer  or  winter. 
The  ice  was  believed  to  be  more  than  150  feet 
thick,  and  large  pine  trees  were  growing 
through  it  their  trunks  extending  above  the 
ice  so  one  could  take  hold  of  the  branches, 
while  the  roots  were  imbedded  in  the  soil 
at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below.  It 
is  believed  that  the  ice  was  deposited  there 
after  the  trees  were  full  grown. 

In  Placerville,  Mr.  Cummings  found  himself 
without  money  and  $150  in  debt.  Placerville 
was  then  (1852)  a  rough  mining  camp,  full  of 
gamblers  and  other  reckless  characters.  Mr. 
Cummings  hired  out  to  a  man  who  was  build- 
ing a  flume  from  the  American  River  to  Placer- 
ville (known  in  pioneer  days  as  "Hangtown"). 
He  received  $75  a  month  and  board  and  worked 
for  about  four  months.  In  building  this  flume, 
big  sugar-pine  trees  were  used,  one  of  them, 
worthy  of  special  mention,  measured  twenty- 
two  feet  through,  and  many  others  were  one 
hundred  and  eighty  feet  in  height.  They 
split  out  50,000  posts,  four  and  one-half  inches 
square  and  four  and  one-half  feet  long,  from 
this  immense  tree,  and  there  was  still  as  much 
more  lumber  left  in  the  unused  portion.  Mr. 
Cummings  engaged  in  mining  in  Cedar  Canyon, 
near  Placerville,  and  cleaned  up  about  five  dol- 
lars a  day,  but  being  obliged  to  pay  one  dollar 
a  pound  for  flour,  he  saved  but  little.  In 
February,  1853,  he  engaged  to  work  for  Lewis 
Holdridge,  a  hotel-keeper,  and  had  charge  of 
his  farm  for  three  years,  sometimes  having  as 
many  as  200  horses  to  keep  over  night.  He 
afterwards  bought  a  team  and  worked  with  it 
for  about  one  year.  In  1857  he  returned  home 
via  San  Francisco  and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
thence  by  steamer  to  New  York,  and  then 
home,  where  he  arrived  May  20,  1857,  and  soon 
afterwards  married.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
stock  business,  settling  at  Huntley,  111. 

At.  St.  Charles,  Kane  County,  111.,  May  15. 
1861,  he  enlisted  as  a  musician  in  a  brass  band 
for  a  term  of  three  years,  and  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  witn  Company 
A,  Seventh  Regiment     Illinois     Volunteer     In- 


728 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


fantry,  the  first  Illinois  regiment  to  be  mus- 
tered into  the  service.  Mr.  Cummings  served 
in  the  army  nearly  two  years  and  was  actively 
engaged  in  the  battles  of  Belmont  (Mo.),  Fort 
Henry  (Tenn),  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  Farming- 
ton  and  Corinth.  It  was  a  part  of  the  duty  of 
musicians,  in  time  of  battle,  to  look  after  and 
carry  the  wounded  from  the  field.  They  were 
under  fire  and  often  exposed  to  great  danger. 
At  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson  he  took  part 
as  a  soldier,  and,  finding  a  musket  on  the 
battle-field,  performed  service  in  the  ranks.  At 
the  battle  of  Shiloh  Mr.  Cummings  received  an 
injury  to  the  left  leg,  from  which  he  has  never 
recovered.  He  was  always  with  his  regiment 
and  on  active  duty,  never  losing  a  day  in  the 
service.  He  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Corinth,  Miss.,  in  November,  1863,  on  account 
of  the  disbanding  of  the  regimental  bands. 
Having  returned  to  Huntley,  in  1864-65,  Mr, 
Cummings  conducted  a  mercantile  business, 
afterwards  changing  to  the  agricultural  imple- 
ment business,  in  which  he  continued  for  sev- 
eral years.  Since  1894  he  has  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  insurance  and  real  estate.  In  this 
he  has  succeeded  well,  and  now  owns  a  good 
farm  of  240  acres  in  Sac  County,  Iowa,  an  im- 
proved farm  in  Lyon  County,  Minn.,  and  res- 
idence property  in  Huntley.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Republican  and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont 
and  later  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  been 
prominent  in  public  affairs,  and  has  held  all 
the  township  offices  from  Constable  to  Super- 
visor, which  last  office  he  held  for  six  years. 
He  was  Coroner  of  McHenry  County  for  one 
term.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic Order,  and  held  the  office  of  Master  of 
the  Lodge,  at  Huntley,  which  is  now  discon- 
tinued. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cummings  were  the  parents 
of  one  son,  Dr.  Fred  S.,  who  attended  the  Med- 
ical Department  of  the  Chicago  University, 
but  died  March  22,  1901.  Mrs.  Cummings  died 
June  16,  1901,  aged  nearly  seventy  years.  Mr. 
Cummings,  thus  left  alone  in  his  declining 
years,  fortunately  has  his  son's  widow,  Mrs. 
Jennie  Cummings,  to  manage  his  household  and 
attend  to  his  wants  with  kindly  care. 

The  following  beautiful  poem  by  Mr.  Cum- 
mings, was  read  on  the  ninetieth  anniversary 
of  his  mother's  birth,  Oct.  19,  1887,  at  a  re- 
union of  her  children  at  Dundee,  111.       Until 


about  fifty  years  prior  to  this  date,  Mrs.  Cum- 
mings was  a  resident  of  New  York,  when  she 
and  her  husband  settled  in  Kane  County,  111. 
Like  all  early  settlers,  she  endured  the  many 
privations  and  hardships  of  pioneer  life,  which 
stamped  upon  character  the  qualities  of  in- 
dustry, economy  and  piety.  Mrs.  Cummings 
was  the  mother  of  fourteen  children,  five  of 
whom  were  living  and  present  at  the  reun- 
ion, viz.:  Mrs.  Robert  Duff  and  Mrs.  "William 
Daff,  of  Dundee,  111.;  Mrs.  Daniel  Duff,  of 
Chicago;  Stewart  Cummings  and  J.  S.  Cum- 
mings, of  Huntley,  111.  They  and  their  families, 
together  with  a  goodly  number  of  grand-child- 
ren and  a  few  old  neighbors  were  present  on 
the  occasion  when  the  following  poem  was 
read: 

Ninety   Years   Old. 
What  is  more  pleasing  to  behold 
Than   aged   manhood,   strong   and   bold, 
Erect   in  form   and   clear  in   thought, 
Wise  of  the  knowledge  years  have  brought; 
With   heart  and   soul   to  right  inclined, 
Possessed  of  all  that's  good  and  kind,  ■ 
And  stood  the  sunshine  and  the  tears 
Of  ninety  long,  eventful  years? 

Such  is  our  mother:    bless  that  name! 
It  thrills  my  heart  to  speak  the  same, 
And  language  poorly  can  supply, 
To  speak  the  love  my  lips  would  try, 
Or  of  the  heart's   emotion  tell 
In  praise  of  her  we  love  so  well; 
Our  mother,  wrinkled,  old  and  grey, 
Who's   lived   her   ninety  years   today. 

'Twas  she  that  watched  our  early  years, 
Supplied  our  wants  and  stayed  our  tears; 
With  kisses  sweet  our  lips  would  press 
And  soothe  our  cares  with  loves  caress. 
Our  every  want  she  seemed  to  know, 
No  task  so  hard  she  would  not  do; 
Our  mother,   gentle,  kind   and   true, 
The  dearest  friend  we  ever  knew. 

Today,  four  generations   share 

This   natal   gathering,   'round   the   chair 

Where  sits  our  mother,  like  a  queen, 

The    central   figure   of   the    scene; 

Laughing,  chatting,  bright  and  gay, 

Talks  of  her  ninety  years  today, 

With  child  and   grandchild,  just  the  same, 

She  knows  us  all  and  speaks  each  name. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


729 


Of  early  years   she  much  will  tell, 
Of  childhood's  days  she  loved  so  well; 
Of  youthful  friends  that  once  she  knew, 
To  life  long  since  have  bid  adieu: 
While  she,  of  all  that  youthful  throng, 
Is  left  alone  to  journey  on — 
A  living  milestone  on  life's  way, 
That  marks  her  ninety  years  today. 

Then,  is  this  not  a  day  most  rare, 

When  age  with  youth  and  childhood  fair, 

Commingle  in  our  happy  throng, 

In  social  chat,  in  feast  and  song? 

To  celebrate  this  ninetieth  year 

Of  her  we  cherish  and  revere; 

Who  has  walked  so  long  life's  rugged  road. 

And  bore  so  well  life's  weary  load? 

But  life,  at  best,  is  but  a  span; 
It  almost  ends  when  first  began. 
The  future,  with  its  sable  hue, 
Is  ever  closed  to  mortal  view. 
The  past,  replete  with  joy  ana  pain, 
In  thought  we  live  it  o'er  again; 
And  so,  in  doubt,  we  linger  here, 
Yet  hope   to   meet  another   year. 

J.   S.   CUMMINGS. 


WILLIAM  W.  CHANDLER. 

William  W.  Chandler,  the  efficient  business 
manager  and  editor  of  the  "Woodstock  Senti- 
nel," has  been  engaged  in  his  line  for  over 
twenty  years,  with  extended  experience  in 
some  of  our  largest  cities,  including  Omaha, 
and  Chicago.  He  is  now  about  forty-three 
years  old,  in  the  full  vigor  of  manhood,  and  in 
securing  his  services  the  "Sentinel"  has  been 
especially  fortunate. 

Mr.  Chandler  is  the  son  of  Chancey  B.  and 
Sarah  (St.  John)  Chandler,  and  a  descendant 
of  several  fine  old  colonial  families.  His  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Samuel  St.  John,  son  of  a 
New  York  pioneer  farmer,  was  of  French  ex- 
traction, and  his  early  ancestors  residents  of 
Massachusetts.  Mr.  St.  John  was  born  in 
Ulster  County,  N.  Y.,  and  upon  reaching  man- 
hood engaged  in  farming  in  that  State.  When 
the  War  of  1812  broke  out,  he  enlisted  and 
valiantly  went  to  the  front.  Returning,  he  set- 
tled in  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there,  at  an 


advanced  age,  he  died.  In  Ulster  County  he 
married  Ruth  Carpenter,  of  German  ancestry. 
She  died  in  Steuben  County  in  her  eighty-first 
year.  Their  children  were:  Jane,  Harvey, 
Eliza,  Daniel,  Rebecca,  Sarah  (Mrs.  Chandler), 
who  is  mentioned  below;  Samuel,  Mary,  Wil- 
liam, who  served  as  Lieutenant  in  a  New  York 
regiment  for  three  years  during  the  Civil  War, 
and.  Wealthy.  The  parents  were  worthy  citi- 
zens and  noble  Christian  characters,  both  being 
consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

The  Chandler  Family  is  of  colonial  Massa- 
chusetts lineage.  Chancey  E.  Chandler,  father 
of  William  W.,  and  for  years  a  prominent  hotel- 
keeper,  was  born  in  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y., 
Jan.  13,  1828,  and  procured  a  good  common- 
school  education.  He  embarked  in  life  as  a 
cooper,  but  later  spent  a  few  years  as  a  school 
teacher  at  Palmyra,  N.  Y.  In  Steuben  County, 
N.  Y.,  April  16,  1848,  Mr.  Chandler  married 
Sarah  St.  John,  who  was  born  on  a  farm  in 
Ulster  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  29,  1829,  and  there 
received  a  common-school  education,  and  after- 
ward moved  with  her  parents  to  Steuben  Coun- 
ty. She  is  now  a  venerable  woman  and  resides 
with  her  children.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chandler 
were  born  three  children:  Dwight  J.,  Albert 
C,  and  William  W.,  who  is  mentioned  below. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Chandler  began  life  as 
a  hotel-keeper,  passing  a  varied  career  of  nine 
years  in  that  line,  two,  in  Cohocton,  N.  Y. ;  the 
same  period  in  the  American  Hotel,  at  Madi- 
son, Wis.,  and  five  years  at  Portage  City,  Wis. 
He  next  conducted  a  first-class  hotel  for  fif- 
teen  years  at  Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  where  his 
patronage  was  large,  and  his  profits  generous. 
To  meet  the  increasing  demands  of  the  public 
he  finally  erected  a  commodious  and  elegant 
new  building,  which,  five  months  later,  was 
totally  destroyed  by  fire.  In  a  large  hotel  at 
St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and  later  at  Sabula,  Iowa,  he 
continued  his  business,  and  about  1882,  en- 
gaged in  the  same  line  at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
Meeting  with  excellent  success  here,  he  re- 
mained until  1900,  in  all  eighteen  years.  Then, 
retiring  from  active  work,  he  removed  to  Eau 
Claire,  Wis.,  where,  Sept.  2,  1901,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four  years,  he  died. 

Mr.  Chandler  was  a  thoroughly  successful 
business  man,  not  only  succeeding  in  Jiis  busi- 
ness ventures,  but  winning  for  himself  a  wide 
popularity.    In  fraternal  circles  he  stood  high, 


730 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and  for  forty-five  years  was  affiliated  with  the 
Masonic  Order.  He  served  as  recruiting  offi- 
cer during  the  Civil  War,  and  as  such  was  espe- 
cially interested  in  the  military  doings  of  that 
period.  It  was  in  front  of  his  hotel  at  Eau 
Claire,  that  the  famous  war  eagle,  "Old  Abe," 
was  presented  to  the  Wisconsin  Regiment;  and 
here,  after  the  war,  the  bird  boarded  for  sev- 
eral weeks,  until  taken  to  the  capital,  where  it 
eventually  died. 

William  W.  Chandler  was  reared  in  an  at- 
mosphere of  business  and  intellectuality.  Born 
in  Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  Aug.  1,  1860,  he  was  about 
fourteen  years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to 
Sabula,  Iowa.  In  well-regulated  public  schools 
he  received  his  education,  finishing  with  a 
thorough  course  in  a  high  school.  When  about 
eighteen  years  old  he  settled  with  his  parents 
in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and  there  two  yean- 
later,  in  1880,  entered  the  office  of  a  Society 
Weekly,  where  he  applied  himself,  both  to  job 
printing  and  to  composition.  At  the  end  of 
three  years,  having  thoroughly  mastered  the 
details  of  the  work,  he  secured  a  position  on 
the  "Cedar  Rapids  Evening  Gazette,"  where,  as 
reporter,  soliciting  agent  and  collector,  he 
worked  for  several  years.  During  this  period, 
in  Springville,  Iowa,  June  3,  1885,  he  married 
Allie  Copeland,  daughter  of  Loren  P.  and 
Amanda  S.  (Carter)  Copeland,  who  are  men- 
tioned below.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chandler  have  had 
two  children,  the  first,  Ethel  O..  dying  in  Chi- 
cago in  1897,  and  Olive,  who  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago, June  8;  1898. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Chandler  resided  in 
'Cedar  Rapids,  where  he  held  his  position  on 
the  "Evening  Gazette,"  for  about  four  years. 
Then,  in  1889,  he  moved  to  Omaha  and  opened 
a  job-printing  office.  Artistic  work  and  prompt- 
ness in  filling  orders  won  for  him  a  large  pat- 
ronage, establishing  the  business  upon  a  firm 
financial  basis.  He  did  work  for  the  best  firms 
in  the  city,  having  many  large  jobs,  and  he  was 
for  some  time  connected  with  the  American 
Press  Association  there.  Encouraged  by  his 
success,  in  1896  he  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he 
carried  on  a  similar  office.  Two  years  later,  in 
1898,  he  received  a  call  to  the  "Woodstock  Sen- 
tinel," which  he  accepted.  Closing  out  his  Chi- 
cago business,  he  at  once  moved  to  Woodstock, 
and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  foreman  in  the 
"Sentinel"  office.  Efficient  work  soon  marked 
him  as  a  man  with  a  future,  and  upon  the  re- 


tirement of  C.  A.  Lemmers,  he  was  promoted 
to  business  manager  and  editor,  a  position, 
which  he  has  since  filled.  Mr.  Chandler  under- 
stands his  work  from  beginning  to  end,  Is 
practical,  and  at  the  same  time  artistic.  There 
are  few  men  in  the  country  with  more  extended 
knowledge  of  the  art  of  printing.  He  has  re- 
cently erected  an  attractive  residence  in  Wood- 
stock. 

Mr.  Chandler  is  a  cautious  business  man, 
highly  conscientious,  and  has  thoroughly  at 
heart  the  interest  of  the  paper  with  which  he 
is  connected.  Personally  he  is  genial,  courteous 
and  magnetic,  and  has  hosts  of  friends.  His 
wife  is  a  lady  of  refinement,  especially  promi- 
nent in  social  functions,  and  a  leading  member 
of  the  Congregational  Church. 

The  Copeland  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler is  a  member,  is  of  colonial  ancestry.  Her 
grandfather,  Jacob  Carlton  Copeland  married 
Melvina  Waite,  and  became  a  pioneer  of  Cort- 
land County,  N.  Y.  Their  son,  Loren  Copeland, 
father  of  Mrs.  Chandler,  an  engineer,  traveling 
salesman,  farmer  and  soldier,  was  born  in 
Marathon,  Cortland  County,  N.  Y.,  and  received 
an  academic  education.  Upon  reaching  man- 
hood he  married  at  Marathon,  Amanda  Carter, 
who  died  in  Springville,  Iowa,  when  about 
forty-eight  years  old.  By  this  union  there 
were  seven  children:  George  G.,  Jacob  C, 
Althea  (Mrs.  Chandler) ;  Olive  M.,  Fred  A., 
Loren  E.  and  Benson  F.  After  his  marriage 
Mr.  Copeland  resided  at  Marathon  for  some 
time.  During  the  Civil  War  he  enlisted  at 
Syracuse,  in  Company  G,  Seventy-sixth  Regi- 
ment, New  York  Volunteer  Infantry.  For  meri- 
torious conduct  in  the  service  he  was  pro- 
moted to  Orderly  Sergeant.  In  1869  Mr.  Cope- 
land moved  to  Springville,  Iowa,  where  he  set- 
tled upon  a  farm,  and  where  he  remained  for 
eighteen  years.  He  died  in  that  place  from  the 
effects  of  injuries  received  during  the  war.  Ho 
was  a  capable,  conscientious,  influential  man. 
and  a  power  for  good,  wherever  chance  placed 
him.  His  wife  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 


THE   CRABTREE    FAMILY. 

One  of  the  earliest  and  most  notable  of  the 
pioneer  families  of  McHenry  County  is  that 
whose  name  heads  this  article.    The  Crabtrees 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


731 


are  of  colonial  Puritan  stock,  the  founders  of 
the  family  in  America  having  come  from  Eng- 
land during  the  period  of  early  migration  to 
Massachusetts  Colony.  Benjamin  Crabtree,  the 
pioneer  founder  of  the  family  in  McHenry,  who 
was  the  grandfather  of  George  and  William 
Crabtree,  now  of  Cary  Station,  was  born  either 
in  Massachusetts  or  in  Vermont,  May  9.  1770, 
the  son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Rice)  Crabtree. 
Their  children  were:  Benjamin  (1),  born  July 

15,  1755,  and  died  at  an  early  age;  Sarah  (1), 
born  July  5.  1757,  and  died  in  infancy;  Sarah 
(2),  born  Aug.  23,  1758;  Abigail  (1),  born  May 
2,  1761,  and  died  in  infancy;  Elizabeth,  born 
Nov.  2,  1764;  Abigail  (2),  born  April  27.  1765; 
John,  born  March  23,  1768  and  Benjamin  (2). 
born  May  9,  1770.  The  last  named  was  a  mill- 
wright, but  followed  the  occupation  of  bridge- 
building  during  much  of  his  life.  He  married 
Polly  Newman,  also  of  New  England  ancestry, 
born  Sept.  12,  1774,  the  daughter  of  Moses  and 
Susannah  Newman.  The  latter  were  pioneer 
settlers  of  Aillegany  County,  where  the  father 
cleared  up  a  farm  from  the  woods  in  Friend- 
ship Township  and  built  a  saw-mill,  which 
his  sons  managed  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  built  the  first  bridge  across  Bay 
Canton,  near  Buffalo,  and  set  out  an  or- 
chard on  his  land,  which  was  one  of  the 
first  in  his  section.  Some  of  the  trees  of 
this  orchard,  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter  and 
still  thrifty  and  vigorous,  were  standing  and 
bearing  large  crops  of  fruit  a  few  years  ago. 
The  children  of  Benjamin  and  Polly  (Newman) 
Crabtree  were:  Newman,  born  Nov.  28,  1795; 
Lucy,  born  Jan.  5,  1798;  Susannah,  born  July 
27,  1800;  Betsy,  born  Dec.  11,  1804;  Elias,  born 
Dec.  20  1806;  Daniel,  born  Sept.  18,  1809;  Ben- 
jamin, born  Jan.  6,  1812;  Polly,  born  May  12, 
1814;  Henry,  born  May  5,  1816;  Levi,  born  Dec. 

16,  1818,  and  Susannah,  born  Dec.  20,  1821.  Of 
these  Levi  became  a  prominent  physician  and 
practiced  his  profession  for  many  years  at 
Dundee,  111.  Another  son,  Henry,  settled  at  an 
early  day  at  Barrington,  Cook  County,  111., 
where  he  was  a  well-known  citizen. 

Benjamin  Crabtree,  the  father  of  this  family, 
moved  to  Illinois  in  1838,  making  the  journey 
by  land  from  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  with  one 
four-horse  and  one  two-horse  team,  encounter- 
ing much  difficulty  in  crossing  the  Maumee 
Swamp  in  Michigan.  He  had  made  a  visit  dur- 
ing the  previous  spring  to  McHenry  County. 


HI.,  accompanied  by  two  of  his  sons,  Newman 
and  Henry,  for  the  purpose  of  looking  over  the 
land  and  selecting  a  place  for  settlement.  On 
his  second  trip,  besides  his  wife,  he  was  ac- 
companied by  his  sons  Henry  and  Benjamin 
and  his  daughter  Susan.  After  his  arrival  in 
McHenry  County,  he  located  a  claim  upon  a 
large  tract  of  land  in  Algonquin  Township,  but 
when  it  came  into  market  was  able  to  enter 
only  160  acres  in  Section  12.  At  first  the  family 
"camped  out,"  living  in  their  wagons  until  they 
built  a  log  shanty.  Later  he  erected  a  log- 
house,  the  logs  being  hewed  on  both  sides.  Al- 
ready about  sixty-eight  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  removal  to  McHenry  County,  he  con- 
tinued to  live  there  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred March  23,  1848,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years,  ten  months  and  fourteen  days. 
Mr.  Crabtree  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  church,  and  in  political  sentiments  he 
was  an  old  line  Whig.  A  typical  American 
citizen,  he  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and 
high  integrity  of  character.  Mr.  Crabtree  had 
been  preceded  in  his  settlement  in  McHenry 
County  by  his  son  John,  who  came  from  New 
York  State  in  1835-36,  in  company  with  a  man 
named  Cisco,  walking  the  entire  distance  and 
carrying  their  packs  on  their  backs.  John 
Crabtree  settled  in  Algonquin  Township  at  a 
place  called  by  the  pioneers  "Trouble  Hollow," 
but  now  known  by  the  more  euphonious  title 
of  "Silver  Lake."  Here  he  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers,  erecting  a  log-shanty  and  keeping 
bachelor's  hall  until  he  brought  out  his  family 
between  1836  and  1838. 

Newman  Crabtree,  the  oldest  son  of  Ben- 
jamin and  the  father  of  George  and  William 
Crabtree  of  Cary  Station,  McHenry  County, 
was  born  at  Friendship,  Allegany  County,  N. 
Y.,  Nov.  28,  1795  and  received  a  fairly  good 
common-school  education  for  his  time.  He 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  being 
disabled  by  a  wound.  He  was  a  natural  me- 
chanic, and  while  being  owner  of  a  farm,  also 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  carpenter  and 
mill-wright.  He  was  married  in  his  native 
county  in  New  York,  Nov.  18,  1819,  to  Sally 
Hicks,  who  was  born  Nov.  12  1802,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Comfort  Hicks.  Her  father,  Comfort 
Hicks,  was  of  New  England  stock,  was  a  farm- 
er, and  finally  died  in  New  York.  His  children 
were:  William,  Sylvester,  Nehemiah,  Samuel, 
Deborah,  Sallie  and  Cynthia. 


733 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


After  marriage  Newman  Crabtree  settled  on 
a  farm  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  built  a  saw- 
mill, but  subsequently  removed  to  Allegany 
County,  New  York,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Friend- 
ship Township.  In  1840  he  removed  to  Illinois, 
making  the  journey  with  a  team  to  Buffalo, 
where  he  embarked  with  his  goods  and  team 
by  steamer  around  the  lakes  to  Chicago.  Hav- 
ing driven  his  team  across  country  from  Chi- 
cago to  McHenry  County,  he  settled  on  Sec- 
tion 6  in  Algonquin  Township,  where  he  entered 
120  acres  of  land,  built  a  log-cabin  and  began 
improving  a  farm,  but  was  overtaken  by  death 
Dec.  1,  1843.  In  political  views  he  was  an  old 
line  Whig,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Baptist  church.  Their  children  were: 
Benjamin  O,  born  Nov.  12,  1820;  John  H.,  born 
Feb.  9,  1823;  George,  born  Jan.  9,  1825; 
William,  born  Jan.  11,  1827;  Louis,  born  July 
5,  1829;  Samuel,  born  July  11,  1831;  Elizabeth, 
born  April  15,  1833;  Diantha,  born  July  3,  1835; 
Edwin,  born  April  9,  1837;  Sylvester,  born  May 
27,  1839;  Polly  P.,  born  Sept.  1,  1843.  Of  these, 
Samuel,  Edwin  and  Sylvester  were  soldiers  in 
the  Civil  War,  serving  in  the  Illinois  "Volunteer 
Infantry,  Samuel  being  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Guntown,  Miss. 


GEORGE  CRABTREE. 

George  Crabtree,  of  Cary  Station,  McHenry 
County,  born  Jan.  9,  1825,  received  the  usual 
common-school  education  in  his  boyhood  and, 
in  1840,  came  with  his  father,  Newman  Crab- 
tree,  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  arriving  in  Ju'.y 
of  that  year.  Chicago  at  that  time  presented 
the  appearance  of  a  rural  village,  and  it  would 
have  been  possible  to  cut  a  swath  of  grass  on 
Lake  street.  The  journey  from  Chicago  to 
Algonquin  Township  occupied  two  days  and 
one  night,  and  the  family,  on  their  arrival  in 
Algonquin,  stopped  with  Benjamin  Crabtree, 
the  father  of  Newman.  A  log  pen  was  soon 
built  which,  without  a  roof,  furnished  a  tem- 
porary home  for  the  family;  this  was  after- 
wards partially  roofed,  and  finally  a  good  log- 
house,  roofed  with  split  shingles,  was  erected. 
The  father,  Newman  Crabtree,  died  some  three 
years  later,  when  George  was  about  eighteen 
years  old.  The  farm  then  consisted  of  200 
acres,  with  fairly  good  improvements  for  those 
days.    George  remained  at  the  paternal  home 


until  twenty-seven  years  of  age  and,  in  the 
meantime,  assisted  in  caring  for  the  family. 
On  Jan,  1,  1852,  he  was  married  in  Algonquin 
Township  to  Betsy  H.  Hubbard,  who  was  born 
in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  June  22,  1825, 
the  daughter  of  Lemuel  and  Mercy  (Gill)  Hub- 
bard. Lemuel  Hubbard  was  of  an  old  New 
England  Puritan  family,  and  was  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  serving  chiefly  on  the  St. 
Lawrence  River.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
but  lived  on  a  farm  in  St.  Lawrence  County. 
N.  Y.  He  passed  his  active  life  there,  but  in 
his  later  years,  came  to  Wisconsin,  where  he 
resided  with  his  daughter  Lucy,  dying  at  an 
advanced  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  and  a  reputable  citizen.  His 
children  were:  Gill,  Whitford,  Isaac,  Lucy, 
Sarah  and  Betsy. 

After  marriage  George  Crabtree  settled  on 
a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Algonquin  Township 
near  the  old  homestead.  He  had  bought  this 
land  before  marriage  and  built  a  frame  house 
on  it.  He  improved  it  from  a  state  of  nature, 
making  a  good  home.  He  lived  here  until 
1865,  when  he  bought  another  farm  of  ninety- 
two  acres,  upon  which  he  resided  until  1887, 
when,  retiring  from  farm  life,  he  settled  at 
Gary  Station,  where  he  built  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence. He  now  owns  two  farms,  one  of  176 
acres  and  the  other  of  ninety-two  acres.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican  of  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crabtree  have 
had  two  children:  Newman  G.,  who  was  born 
Oct.  8.  1852,  and  died  in  March,  1875,  having 
been  previously  married,  and  Edith  S.,  born 
March  8,  1862.  While  a  young  man  Mr.  Crab- 
tree traveled  extensively  throughout  the  West, 
during  which  time  he  had  many  interesting  ex- 
periences. Much  of  the  country  over  which 
he  traveled  was  then  in  a  state  of  nature.  Mc- 
Henry County  in  his  boyhood  days  was  but 
sparsely  settled,  and  he  was  personally  ac- 
quainted with  many  of  the  early  pioneers.  He 
has  been  an  industrious  citizen  and  maintains 
a  reputation  for  high  integrity  and  probity  of 
character. 


WILLIAM    CRABTREE. 

William  Crabtree,  the  fourth  son  of  New- 
man Crabtree,  of  Algonquin  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  born  in  Allegany  County,  N.  Y., 


: 


cSw    •%£,    s&l*^£U 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


733 


Jan.  11,  1827,  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when 
his  father  came  to  Illinois,  and  well  remem- 
bers many  incidents  of  the  journey.  When 
his  father  made  the  journey  to  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, much  of  the  land  between  Chicago  and 
Sand  Ridge,  where  Jefferson  now  stands,  was 
covered  with  water,  and  travel  was  difficult. 
Years  afterwards  Mr.  Crabtree  was  ac- 
customed to  haul  grain  from  McHenry  to  the 
Chicago  market,  and  was  frequently  compelled 
to  unload  on  the  way  on  account  of  the  muddy 
roads.  In  these  pioneer  days  the  chances  of 
obtaining  an  education  were  limited,  and  as 
Mr.  Crabtree  attended  school  but  a  short  time 
before  leaving  his  native  State  of  New  York, 
he  became  practically  a  self-educated  man. 
During  most  of  his  life  he  has  been  a  farmer, 
although  he  learned  the  mason's  trade  while 
young,  and  pursued  it  more  or  less  constantly 
for  a  number  of  years. 

On  Feb.  2,  1855,  Mr.  Crabtree  was  married, 
in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  to  Betsy  Ann 
Weaver,  who  was  born  in  Oswego  County, 
N.  Y.,  Nov.  14,  1837,  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Sarah  Maria  (Heath)  Weaver.  Her  father, 
David  Weaver,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  the  son  of  George  and  Betsy  (Crisman) 
Weaver.  George  Weaver  was  of  Holland-Dutch 
ancestry  in  tbe  Mohawk  Valley,  and  was  a 
pioneer  of  Oswego  County,  where  he  owned  a 
good  farm.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
dying  at  'Sandy  Creek,  Oswego  County.  His 
children  were:  David,  George,  Catharine, 
John,  Mary,  Chester  and  William.  David — the 
oldest  of  these  and  the  father  of  Mrs.  Crabtree 
— married  Sarah  M.  Heath,  the  daughter  of 
Josiah  and  Mary  Heath.  Josiah  Heath  was  of 
old  New  England  stock,  and  a  pioneer  farmer 
of  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.  His  children  were. 
Harvey,  Lovina,  Talitha,  Sally,  Asa,  Nathaniel 
and  Emily.  David  Weaver  lived  for  many 
years  on  the  Weaver  homestead  in  Oswego 
County,  but  in  1841  or  '42  removed  to  Illinois, 
coming  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and 
going  thence  to  Dundee,  where  he  spent  one 
summer.  He  then  purchased  land  near  by  in 
Cook  County  and  improved  a  farm,  remaining 
for  some  years.  After  several  changes,  he 
finally  became  the  proprietor  of  a  hotel,  where 
he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  In 
politics    he    was    a    Democrat.       His    children 


were:       Lorenzo,  Betsy  Ann   (Mrs.  Crabtree  i, 
Electa  and  Mary. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Crab- 
tree settled  on  a  part  of  his  father's  home- 
stead, and,  by  industry  and  thrifty  manage- 
ment, prospered  until  they  had  a  farm  of  229 
acres.  Mr.  Crabtree  improved  his  farm,  erect- 
ing on  it  good  substantial  buildings,  but  in 
1894  removed  to  Cary  Station,  where  he  built 
an  attractive  home.  He  is  an  honored  citizen 
of  Algonquin  Township,  and  held  the  office  of 
Town  Trustee  (or  Township  Supervisor)  for 
twenty-four  consecutive  years;  was  also 
School  Director  about  the  same  length  of  time, 
until  six  years  ago,  when  lie  declined  a  re- 
election. Politically  he  is  a  friend  of  freedom 
and  a  believer  in  the  principles  advocated  by 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crabtree  are 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Effie,  Minnie,  Guy,  Glenn,  George  and  Asa.  Mr. 
Crabtree  has  always  maintained  a  reputation 
for  strict  integrity,  and,  aided  by  his  faithful 
and  industrious  wife,  has  reared  an  excellent 
family.  Both  he  and  his  sons  are  conscien- 
tious abstainers  from  the  use  of  either  to- 
bacco or  intoxicating  liquors.  Mr.  Crabtree 
and  his  brother  George  were  expert  handlers 
of  the  axe  in  their  younger  days,  and  followed 
the  example  of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  rail-split- 
ters, sometimes  making  one  hundred  rails  in  a 
short  winter's  day,  besides  attending  to  neces- 
sary "chores"  on  the  farm.  A  day's  work,  at 
that  time,  covered  the  entire  period  from  sun- 
rise to  sunset.  The  example  of  a  life  of  prob- 
ity and  industry,  which  Mr.  Crabtree  has  set 
for  his  children,  is  worthy  of  all  praise<  and 
has  resulted  in  the  rearing  of  men  and  women 
of  high  moral  character. 


GEORGE   W.   CARPENTER. 

George  W.  Carpenter,  early  settler  of  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  and  later  a  pioneer  of 
Wabashaw  County,  Minn.,  where  he  located  in 
Territorial  days,  is  descended  from  an  old  New 
England  family.  His  father,  Timothy  P.  Car- 
penter, was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  became  a 
blacksmith,  and  in  early  manhood  removed  to 
Meadville,  Penn.,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
for  a  number  of  years.  Here  he  was  married 
to  Emeline  Webster,  the  daughter  of  Russell 


734 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and  Tvyphosa  (Joslyn)  Webster,  who  was 
born  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  in  August,  1812. 
The  Webster  family  consisted  of  four  brothers 
— Allen,  Ephraim,  Russell  and  Nathaniel — of 
whom  the  three  first  named  removed  to  Craw- 
ford County,  Pa.,  where  they  improved  farms 
adjoining  each  other  in  that  heavily  timbered 
region,  and  there  reared  families.  The  Web- 
sters  were  of  the  same  stock  as  Daniel  Web- 
ster, the  great  statesman,  and  Allen,  the  older 
brother,  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  181,2. 
Russell  Webster  was  twice  married,  all  his 
children  being  born  of  his  first  marriage,  viz.: 
Sanford,  Prudence,  Julia,  Emeline,  Malinda, 
Adaline  and  Eliza.  Although  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation, Russell  Webster  had  acquired  some 
knowledge  of  the  law,  and  was  accustomed  at 
times  to  act  as  local  counsel  in  cases  before 
Justices  of  the  Peace.  He  was  a  wide  reader 
of  history  and  general  literature,  in  religion  a 
stanch  Presbyterian,  and  in  politics  an  old-line 
Whig.  His  daughters  Malinda  and  Eliza  re- 
ceived a  liberal  education  at  Meadville,  Pa., 
and  made  a  profession  of  teaching.  Both 
came  west  and  were  teachers  in  McHenry 
County,  111.,  and  also  in  the  State  of  Iowa. 
Russell  Webster  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  in  1847,  but  subsequently  returned  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  while  on  a  visit  with  his 
daughter  Eliza,  at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  died  at  the 
age  of  about  eighty  years. 

Timothy  P.  Carpenter's  children,  all  (except 
the  two  younger  ones)  born  at  Meadville, 
were:  George  W.,  born  May  16,  1832;  Sanford 
W.,  bom  Oct.  10,  1834,  died  in  infancy;  Russell 
W.,  born  Sept.  16,  1837;  Adaline  A,.,  born  in 
1839,  and  after  coming  to  McHenry  County. 
111.,  married  Henry  Wynn,  and  now  resides  in 
Marengo;  Ellen,  date  of  birth  not  given;  Ann. 
born  May  8,  1843;  Amelia,  born  in  June,  1850, 
died  in  infancy,  and  Hiram  S.,  born  Sept.  10, 
1846.  The  latter  became  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
War,  enlisting  in  McHenry  County.  George  W.. 
the  older  brother  and  subject  of  this  sketch, 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  with  his  grand- 
father, Russell  Webster,  in  1847,  which  his 
lather,  Timothy  P.  Carpenter,  had  visited  two 
years  earlier.  Timothy  P.  Carpenter  did  not 
remove  to  this  region  until  some  years  later, 
when  he  came  with  his  family,  having  been 
preceded  by  his  son.  The  elder  Mr.  Carpenter 
settled  with  his  family  at  Pranklinville,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade,  remaining  until  1874, 


when  he  removed  to  Wabasha w  County,  Minn., 
where  his  son  George  W.,  had  previously  lo- 
cated. Here  he  resided  some  years,  but  while 
on  a  visit  to  his  daughter  Ellen,  died  suddenly 
at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  He  was  an 
industrious  citizen  of  strong  moral  character, 
in  politics  an  old-line  Whig  and  early  Repub- 
lican, casting  his  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  for 
President,  and  in  his  home  town,  held  several 
local  offices. 

George  W.  Carpenter,  born  in  Meadville,  Pa., 
May  16,  1832,  as  already  stated,  in  early  child- 
hood went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  Russell 
Webster,  and  still  retains  pleasant  recollec- 
tions of  rural  life  upon  the  farm  the  green 
fields  and  shady  woods;  the  farm  stock  — 
horses,  cattle  and  sheep;  and,  best  of  all,  the 
fruits,  the  apples  and  cider.  He  attended  the 
district  school,  learned  farming  and  when 
about  fifteen  years  of  age,  as  previously  stated 
in  this  narrative,  came  with  his  grandfather 
Webster  to  McHenry  County,  making  the 
journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago  and 
thence  to  McHenry  County  by  teams.  On  his 
arrival  in  McHenry,  he  at  once  went  to  work 
for  Pliny  Hayward  in  Dorr  Township,  remain- 
ing seven  years.  During  this  time  he  attended 
school  two  winters  in  the  McGee  School 
House,  and  one  winter  each  in  Coral  Town- 
ship, in  Franklinville,  in  Greenwood  and  m 
Woodstock,  after  which  he  spent  some  time  in 
the  Woodstock  High  School — the  first,  taught 
in  that  place — under  the  principal  strip  of  Prof. 
David  Richardson.  In  the  meantime,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years,  he  began  work  operating 
a  threshing  machine  with  his  employer,  Mr. 
Hayward.  When  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age,  he  bought  a  team,  and  Mr.  Hayward,  who 
had  always  treated  him  with  great  kindness, 
let  him  have  a  threshing  machine,  and  he  began 
business  on  his  own  account.  In  this  he  suc- 
ceeded well  and,  by  the  time  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  old,  he  had  accumulated  a  sum  of 
$1,000.  Then,  having  spent  a  winter's  term  in 
the  Woodstock  High  School,  by  the  advice  of 
his  friend,  Mr.  Hayward,  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, conducting  a  school  at  Greenwood  during 
the  winter  of  1853-54.  Among  his  pupils  here 
were  Mr.  John  Short  and  Mrs.  Senger.  On 
Jan.  1,  1855,  he  was  married  at  Woodstock,  to 
Lucy  J.  Judd,  daughter  of  Alvin  Judd,  a 
pioneer  of  Woodstock.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carpen- 
ter spent  the  first  year  after  their  marriage  on 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


735 


a  farm  in  Hartland  Township,  after  which  they 
living  for  a  time  in  Woodstock,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  but  in  May, 
1856,  removed  to  Wabashaw  County,  Minn., 
making  the  journey  by  Mississippi  River 
steamer  to  Lansing,  Iowa,  and  thence  by  team 
to  their  final  destination.  On  this  journey 
they  had  an  interesting  experience,  meeting 
many  pioneer  home-seekers  on  the  way  to  the 
far  Northwest.  On  his  arrival  in  Minnesota 
Mr.  Carpenter  located  a  claim  on  a  quarter- 
section  of  timber  and  prairie  land  in  what  had 
been  part  of  an  Indian  reservation,  now  in 
Plainview  Township,  Wabashaw  County,  built 
a  log-house  18x20  feet,  and  improved  his  farm. 
He  also  resumed  the  management  of  a  thresh- 
ing machine,  procuring  his  machine  from  J.  I. 
Case,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
engaged-  in  this  industry  in  that  region.  This 
business  he  followed  successfully  for  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  years,  at  first  using  horse-power, 
but  during  the  last  fifteen  years  employing 
steam-power.  He  added  to  his  land,  but  in 
1866  sold  out  and,  in  1870,  bought  a  farm  in 
the  adjoining  Township  of  Highland.  Mr.  Car- 
penter was  twice  imiarried,  his  children  by  his 
first  wife  (Lucy  J.  Judd)  being  Oscar  E.,  born, 
in  McHenry  County,  111.,  Sept.  30,  1855,  now  a 
farmer  in  Minnesota;  Clara  A.,  born  April  1, 
1860,  now  the  wife  of  James  Forman  of 
Woodstock,  and  William  H.,  born  Aug.  29,  1867, 
at  present  a  machinist  in  Chicago.  On  Jan. 
27,  1878,  Mr.  Carpenter  married  Mahala  Maria 
Clark,  a  widow  lady  with  two  children — Wil- 
liam F.  and  Lucy  A.  Clark — to  whom  he  gave 
a  good  education.  For  the  son  Mr.  Carpenter 
obtained  an  appointment  as  a  cadet  at  West 
Point  Military  Academy,  and  he  is  now  a  cap- 
tain in  the  regular  army,  having  seen  service 
during  the  Spanish-American  War.  The 
daughter,  Lucy  A.,  having  graduated  at  a 
normal  school,  is  now  a  teacher  in  Minnesota. 
While  a  resident  of  Minnesota,  Mr.  Carpenter 
served  as  a  member  of  the  School  Board  in 
his  district.  In  1896,  having  sold  out  his  lands 
in  Minnesota,  he  returned  to  Woodstock, 
McHenry  County,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
In  his  early  days  Mr.  Carpenter  received  his 
first  lessons  in  the  struggle  of  life  among  the 
pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  and  has  never 
forgotten  the  friends  of  his  youth  and  early 
manhood.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal     church     and    of    the     Independent 


Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  in  politics  a  Repub- 
lican. Of  genial  and  pleasant  temperament, 
his  well-known  courtesy  of  manners  proceeds 
naturally  from  a  kindly  heart. 


CHARLES  COVELL. 

Charles  Covell,  Richmond,  111.,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  McHenry  County,  comes  of 
sturdy  Mohawk-Dutch  ancestry,  who  were 
early  settlers  on  the  Mohawk  River  in  New- 
York.  James  Covell,  the  grandfather  of 
Charles,  was  born  on  the  Mohawk,  and  when 
a  young  man  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution.  He  married  Lydia  Black 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Onondaga  County, 
near  the  village  of  Marcellus,  where  he  was  a 
pioneer  citizen  and  was  known  as  a  Baptist 
exhorter.  His  children  were:  Asa,  Lemuel, 
Jonathan,  Elisha,  Sallie  and  one  who  married 
a  crockery  manufacturer.  Mrs.  Covell  died 
when  seventy-five  years  of  age,  and  Mr.  Covell, 
in  his  old  age,  moved  to  Chautauqua  County, 
and  lived  with  his  son  Elisha.  He  was  a  man 
of  strict  integrity  and  enjoyed  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. 

Elisha  Covell  was  born  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  having  received  a  common-school 
education,  followed  the  occupation  of  a  con- 
tractor and  builder,  also  owned  and  conducted 
a  farm.  He  married  Levina  Copp,  born  iu 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  daughter  of  Timothy 
Copp.  Mr.  Covell  worked  at  his  trade  in  Mar- 
cellus, and  in  early  days  moved  to  Chautauqua 
County,  where  he  followed  his  business  at 
Ellery  for  several  years,  and  then  moved  to 
Ripley,  where  he  continued  in  the  same  line 
of  work  and  bought  a  farm  which  his  sons  cul- 
tivated. After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  moved 
to  Michigan  and  lived  with  his  children,  and 
here  h©  died  when  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
In  political  opinion  he  was  an  old-line  Whig. 

Charles  Covell,  the  principal  subject  of  this 
article,  was  born  July  10,  1819,  in  Marcellus, 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  received  the  usual 
limited  common-school  education  afforded  in 
the  pioneer  schools,  and  was  about  seven 
years  of  age  when  his  father  moved  to  Ellery, 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  learned 
from  his  father  the  carpenter  trade.  He  mar- 
ried at  Westfield,  Chautauqua  County,  Jan.  15, 
1845,  Phebe  Persons,  born  Dec.  24,  1818,  at  Ox- 


736 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


bridge,  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  daughter  of 
Paul  and  Nancy   (Jones)   Persons. 

Paul  Persons  was  born  Dec.  29,  1780,  at  Ox- 
bridge, Mass.,  son  of  John  Parsons  (as  the 
name  was  then  spelled),  who  was  a  descend- 
ant of  Puritan  English  stock  of  Massachusetts. 
John  Parsons  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  and 
his  children  were:  Nathaniel,  William,  Paul 
and  Sallie.  Mr.  Parsons  died  in  Massachu- 
setts at  a  venerable  age.  Paul  Persons  re- 
ceived the  usual  common-school  education  aud 
learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker.  He  mar- 
ried in  Massachusetts,  Feb.  2,  1803,  Nancy 
Jones,  and  they  lived  in  Oxbridge,  Mass.,  until 
1828,  when  they  settled  in  Chautauqua  County, 
on  the  "Holland  Land  Purchase."  Here  Mr. 
Persons  bought  160  acres  of  improved  land 
upon  which  there  was  a  fine  apple  and  peach 
orchard,  and  for  which  he  paid  $16  an  acre, 
this  being  considered  a  high  price  in  those 
early  days.  He  had  been  an  extensive  manu- 
facturer of  shoes  in  Massachusetts  and,  at 
times,  very  successful;  but  like  many  others 
in  the  business  world,  met  with  several  re- 
verses, at  one  time  losing  an  entire  cargo  of 
shoes,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  the  super- 
visor of  the  cargo  from  yellow  fever.  Mr.  Per- 
sons, however,  aided  by  his  energetic  wife,  a 
woman  of  much  energy  who  kept  a  large 
boarding-house,  finally  recovered  from  his 
losses.  After  living  on  his  farm  about  eight 
years,  he  sold  it  for  $40  an  acre  and  then,  in 
company  with  his  sons  Paul  and  Samuel,  pur- 
chased a  woolen  mill,  which  they  operated  for 
six  months  and  lost  in  the  panic  of  1837.  He 
then  bought  another  farm  in  Chautauqua 
County,  consisting  of  100  acres  of  improved 
land,  and  upon  which  he  built  a  large  double 
brick  house  and  resided  here  until  his  death. 
Mr.  Persons  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  had  been  a  deacon  in  the  church 
for  many  years.  In  political  opinions  he  was 
an  old-line  Whig.  He  was  a  man  of  energy 
and  business  capacity,  highly  respected  and 
reared  an  excellent  family. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Covell  settled 
in  Westfield,  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
they  lived  eight  years.  He  worked  regularly 
at  his  trade,  and  assisted  by  his  faithful  wife, 
accumulated  some  $2,000,  which  was  partly 
earned  by  buying  lots  and  building  houses  on 
them  previous  to  selling  again.  Mrs.  Covell 
had   always   been   accustomed   to   work.     She 


worked  in  the  woolen-mills  when  but  a  child, 
and  could  braid  straw  when  she  was  three 
years  of  age.  When  old  enough  she  learned 
the  millinery  and  tailoress  trade,  and  was  thus 
capable  of  assisting  her  husband  in  a  great 
many  ways.  In  April,  1854,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Covell  moved  to  Wisconsin  and  settled  on  land 
in  Sugar  Creek  Township,  Walworth  County, 
where  he  bought  a  partly  improved  farm  of 
120  acres,  which  he  sold  four  years  later  and 
moving  to  Sugar  Creek  Village,  there  worked 
at  his  trade.  They  moved  to  Genoa  in  1858, 
where  Mr.  Covell  bought  a  flouring-mill  in 
company  with  Albert  Pierce,  and  in  this 
venture  lost  most  of  his  property.  About  I860 
they  moved  to  Hebron  Township  and  bought 
137  acres  of  partly  improved  land,  which  he 
improved  with  good  buidings — house,  barn,  etc. 
— shortly  afterwards  adding  by  purchase 
eighty  acres  more.  Later  Mr.  Covell  bought 
two  other  farms,  one  of  200  and  another  of  120 
acres,  and  has  since  enjoyed  a  marked  degree 
of  prosperity.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Covell  are  the 
parents  of  Lucian  B.,  Emmett,  Lottie,  Flora, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  years; 
Emily,  who  died  when  twenty  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Covell  is  a  devout  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  Mr.  Covell  has  always  con- 
tributed liberally  towards  its  support.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Covell  is  a  Republican  and  voted 
for  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  family  moved  to 
Richmond  about  1885,  where  Mr.  Covell  bought 
property  and  built  a  substantial  residence. 
Mrs.  Covell  is  a  lady  of  much  mental  ability, 
has  aways  been  a  wide  reader  and  was  a 
teacher  in  the  Bible  Classes  in  the  Congrega- 
tional and  Methodist  churches  for  over  six 
years.  In  her  youth  she  received  a  common- 
school  education,  afterwards  spent  a  term  in 
the  academy  at  Westfield,  and  then  engaged  In 
teaching  in  Chautauqua,  N.  Y.,  for  several 
terms.  When  nearly  seventy  years  of  age  she 
undertook  the  regular  Chautauqua  course  and 
received  a  diploma  in  1892. 


GEORGE  W.  CONN. 

George  W.  Conn,  banker  and  leading  busi- 
ness man  of  Hebron,  McHenry  County,  is  of 
mixed  English  and  Irish  descent,  through  a 
family  who  came  as  Puritan  emigrants  to  New 
England  at  an  early  day.  His  grandfather, 
William   Conn,  was    born    near     Charlestown, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


73^ 


Mass.,  a  suburb  of  Boston,  and  died  there  at 
the  age  of  about  fifty-six  years.  He  was  a 
brick  manufacturer  by  occupation  and  had  chil- 
dren named  John,  Jefferson,  Thomas,  Emory, 
Abigail  and  Lucy.  Emory  Conn,  of  this  family, 
and  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  either  in  Charlestown  or  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  May  26,  1799,  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  a  blacksmith.  He  married  in  his  na- 
tive State,  Edith  Davenport,  who  was  of  Eng- 
lish-Puritan ancestry  and  born  in  Granby, 
Mass.,  in  August,  1805.  After  marriage  he  fol- 
lowed his  trade  chiefly  in  Massachusetts,  except 
for  a  few  years  spent  in  New  Hampshire. 
His  children  were:  Louisa  T.,  Andrew  J.,  Abi- 
gail T.,  George  W.,  Emory,  'Maria,  Jane  and 
Charles  H.  In  politics  Mr.  Conn  was  a  Demo- 
crat. His  son,  Charles  H.,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War  in  a  Massachusetts  infantry  regi- 
ment, serving  three  years  and  participating  in 
many  battles.  Emory  Conn,  Sr.,  died  at  Che- 
shire, Mass.,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years.  He 
was  an  industrious,  thrifty  and  respected  citi- 
zen. 

George  W.  Conn  was  born  at  Marlow,  N.  H., 
May  27,  1834,  and  when  he  was  about  one 
year  old,  his  parents  returned  to  Massachu- 
setts, and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives 
chiefly  in  Cheshire.  Here  he  received  a  com- 
mon-school education,  learned  to  be  a  farmer 
and,  in  November,  1856,  married  in  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  Frances  E.  Cole,  who  was  born  in  Che- 
shire, Mass.,  April  19,  1837,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Lucy  M.  (Green)  Cole.  Both  the 
Coles  and  the  Greens  were  of  New  England 
Puritan  ancestry  and  Lucy  M.  Green  belonged 
to  the  same  stock  as  Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene, 
of  Revolutionary  fame.  After  his  marriage, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conn  settled  on  her  father's  farm 
in  Cheshire,  Mass.,  where  they  remained  until 
1858,  when  his  wife  died,  leaving  one  child, 
Ellen  L.,  who  married  Herbert  F.  Jones.  Mrs. 
Conn  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  highly  respected.  In  1861  Mr.  Conn  came 
to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Hebron,  March  20th, 
where  he  engaged  in  farm  work.  On  December 
24,  1862,  he  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Lena 
C.  Wolfram,  who  was  born  at  Stephentown, 
Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  3,  1841,  the 
daughter  of  Eli  M.  and  Mercy  (Shaw)  Wol- 
fram. The  father  was  of  Holland-Dutch  ances- 
try and  was  born  in  Columbia,  N.  Y.,  in  1810. 


While  young  he  was  a  sailor,  but  afterwards 
became  a  farmer  and  settled  in  Stephentown, 
N.  Y.,  and,  in  1865,  came  to  Hebron,  McHenry 
County,  where  he  followed  farming,  and  where 
he  died  Aug.  4,  1869,  aged  about  fifty-nine 
years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  in  politics  a  Democrat.  His  chil- 
dren were:  James,  Porter,  Lena,  Ralph,  Harriet 
and  Mary.  Porter  and  Ralph  were  soldiers  m 
the  Civil  War. 

After  his  second  marriage,  George  W.  Conn 
settled  in  Hebron  Township  and  followed  farm- 
ing on  rented  land  for  ten  years,  when  he 
bought  240  acres,  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of 
Hebron.  Later  he  bought  400  acres  more,  and 
has  bought  and  sold  until  he  is  now  the  owner 
of  620  acres  of  farm  lands  in  Hebron  Township, 
besides  residence  property  in  Hebron.  Here 
he  engaged  quite  extensively  in  the  dairying 
business,  and  was  the  first  man  in  that  town- 
ship to  have  a  milk-can  made,  the  work  being 
done  at  Richmond.  Beginning  in  a  small  way, 
he  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage  in  the  manu- 
facture of  cheese  in  McHenry  County  on  a 
large  scale.  For  a  time  he  had  as  many  as  125 
cows  in  his  dairying  business.  At  present  he 
is  President  of  the  Hebron  Creamery  Company. 

In  1890  Mr.  Conn  retired  from  active  farm 
life,  and,  in  1897,  in  conjunction  with  his  son, 
George  W.,  Jr.,  and  his  son-in-law,  Francis  N. 
Torrence,  engaged  in  the  banking  business, 
organizing  the  "Bank  of  Hebron,"  of  which 
Mr.  Conn  is  now  the  President.  The  bank  has 
ample  capital  and,  from  its  organization,  has 
done  a  successful  business.  In  politics  Mr. 
Conn  is  a  Republican  and  cast  his  second  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President.  He  has 
been  prominent  in  public  affairs,  served  as 
Supervisor  of  his  township  seven  years,  as 
Road  Commissioner  six  years,  and  as  School 
Director  for  several  years;  has  also  been  Presi- 
dent of  the  Hebron  Village  Board  for  two 
years.  Mr.  Conn's  life  history  proves  him  to 
have  been  a  self-made  man,  and  he  has  pros- 
pered through  his  industry  and  good  manage- 
ment, and,  as  an  employer,  has  contributed  to 
the  prosperity  of  others.  His  children  by  his 
second  marriage  are:  Frances  E.,  who  married 
F.  N.  Torrence;  Delia  J.,  married  Lyman  Z. 
Pierce;  Howard  J.,  married  Bertha  Dyke; 
George  W.,  Jr.,  married  Minnie  Stone;  Ida  M., 
who  died  at  nine  years  of  age,  and  Erma  G. 
Mr.   Conn's  career  has  been  characterized  by 


(38 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


a  degree  of  integrity  which  has  brought  him 
the  deserved  confidence  and  respect  of  the 
community.  His  success  is  a  just  reward  for 
a  life  of  earnest  industry  and  strenuous  busi- 
ness activity. 


WILLIAM  H.  COWLIN. 

William  H.  Cowlin,  veteran  of  the  Civil  War 
and  pension  attorney,  Woodstock,  111.,  was  born 
at  Tiverton,  Devonshire,  England,  Nov.  19, 
1844,  the  son  of  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Copp) 
Cowlin.  Both  parents  belonged  to  old  English 
families.  Abraham  Cowlin,  the  father,  was 
born  in  Somersetshire,  England,  and  after  his 
marriage  to  Elizabeth  Copp,  settled  in  Devon- 
shire, which  had  been  the  home  of  his  wife's 
family.  In  1852  he  came  to  America,  sailing 
from  Liverpool  to  New  York.  Coming  directly 
to  Chicago,  he  established  there  a  shoe  store, 
and  later  sent  for  his  family,  who  came  out  in 
1854,  sailing  from  Plymouth,  Eng.,  to  Quebec, 
in  the  good  ship  Lady  Pelle.  After  a  stormy 
voyage  occupying  nine  weeks  and  three  days, 
the  vessel  arrived  at  Quebec,  Sept.  7,  1854,  and 
Mr.  Cowlin,  having  met  his  family  at  Kings- 
ton, Canada,  took  them  to  Chicago.  In  1857 
he  removed  to  Franklinville,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  established  a  shoe  shop,  remaining 
there  three  years.  This  was  a  thriving  village 
on  the  stage  road  between  Woodstock  a*nd 
Marengo.  In  1860  Mr.  Cowlin  removed  to 
Woodstock,  where  he  engaged  in  the  boot  and 
shoe  business,  which,  during  the  Civil  War, 
he  exchanged  for  the  grocery  business,  continu- 
ing in  the  latter  until  his  final  retirement.  He 
still  survives,  a  respected  and  venerable  citizen 
of  Woodstock,  at  the  age  of  over  eighty  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

William  H.  Cowlin,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  ten  years  old  when  he  ac- 
companied his  mother  and  family  across  the 
ocean,  and  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  that 
stormy  passage.  Having  attended  school  for 
a  short  time  before  leaving  England,  and  ob- 
tained a  year's  schooling  while  in  Chicago,  his 
educational  opportunities  were  limited  to  two 
more  winters  in  the  public  schools  of  McHenry 
County — one  at  Franklinton  and  the  other  at 
Woodstock.  He  has  gained  a  practical  educa- 
tion, however,  by  long  business  experience  and 
as  a  student  of  good  literature,  having  in  the 
meantime  devoted  much  time  to  the  study  of 


history,  especially  that  connected  with  our 
Civil  War.  In  his  youth  he  obtained  under  his 
father's  instruction,  a  partial  knowledge  of  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  and,  in  1859,  obtained  em- 
ployment as  a  clerk  in  the  shoe-store  of  H. 
B.  Burton,  of  Woodstock,  remaining  about 
eighteen  months.  Still  later  he  was  employed 
for  a  time  as  clerk  in  a  general  mercantile 
establishment  in  Woodstock,  but,  in  the  mean- 
time the  Civil  War  having  broken  out,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1862,  at  the  age  of  a  little  over  seventeen 
years,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  A, 
First  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  under  command  of 
Capt.  Peter  P.  Wood,  and  was  mustered  out 
and  honorably  discharged  at  Springfield,  Aug. 
5,  1865,  having  served  a  period  of  three  years 
and  six  months.  Among  the  notable  battles  in 
which  his  battery  took  part  may  be  named  the 
following:  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  Corinth, 
Chickasaw  Bayou,  Arkansas  Post,  Champion 
Hills,  Black  River,  siege  and  battles  about 
Vicksburg,  including  the  assaults  of  May  19 
and  22,  1863;  Jackson,  Miss.;  Mission  Ridge 
and  the  Atlanta  campaign;  the  battles  of 
Resaca,  Dallas,  New  Hope  Church,  Big  Shanty, 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  Decatur,  Marietta  and  At- 
lanta, Ga.  At  the  last  named  battle,  which 
occurred  July  22,  1864,  Mr.  Cowlin  was  taken 
prisoner,  up  to  that  date  never  having  been 
absent  from  duty  or  in  hospital  for  a  day. 
Previous  to  this  time  he  had  been  in  every 
battle  and  skirmish,  as  cannoneer  No.  3  in 
Squad  6,  except  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  where 
he  served  as  No.  2  in  Squad  4.  His  capture 
was  made  in  company  with  seventeen  of  his 
comrades  belonging  to  his  battery,  in  a  hand  to 
hand  fight  with  the  enemy.  With  the  supply 
of  clothing  on  his  person,  after  being  robbed 
of  his  hat  by  his  captors,  he  was  taken  to  the 
stockade  prison  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  where 
they  arrived  July  7,  1864.  The  story  of  the 
sufferings  which  the  more  than  thirty  thousand 
captives  endured  in  this  notorious  prison  pen, 
has  often  been  told,  and  has  always  excited 
mingled  horror  and  indignation.  Men  in  all 
stages  of  disease  and  suffering  were  herded  to- 
gether in  the  over-crowded  quarters  and  sub- 
jected to  the  tortures  of  starvation,  or  com- 
pelled to  subsist  on  food  that  was  both  insuffi- 
cient in  quantity  and  revolting  on  account  of 
its  foulness.  The  rations  issued  to  the  prison- 
ers consisted  of  a  piece  of  corn-bread,  weigh- 
ing about   a  half  pound,  sometimes   a   cup   of 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


739 


coarse  corn-meal,  ground  with  the  cob,  being 
issued  in  lieu  of  bread.     Once  a  week  or  ten 
days,  an  ounce  of  poor  beef  or  mule  meat  was 
served.    Even  the  water  which  the  prisoners 
were  compelled  to  use  was  contaminated  with 
filth,   being  taken  from  a  creek  which  flowed 
through   the   congested   camp,   and   those   who 
sought  to  obtain  a  purer  beverage  often  risked 
their  lives  by  attempting  to  reach  the  spring 
or  pools  of  water  just  beyond  the  "dead-line." 
Mr.    Cowlin   was    without    even    a    blanket    to 
protect  him  from  the  changes  of  temperature 
for  the  first  three  weeks  of  his   confinement, 
until  furnished  with  one  by  a  comrade  in  the 
hospital  who  had    learned    of    his     condition. 
Many   dead   were   gathered   up   each   morning, 
the  "black-letter"  day  being  one  day  in  August, 
1864,  when  the  victims  amounted  to  127.  "While 
the    Confederates   were    expecting   capture   by 
General  Sherman,  the  prison  camp  was  moved 
twice.     During   the   last  week   of   his   confine- 
ment,  Mr.   Cowlin   was   attacked   with   swamp 
fever,  and  was  kindly  cared  for  by  a  Dr.  Bates 
from  Ohio,  who,  having  settled  in  the  South  be- 
fore the  war,  had  been  pressed  into  the  Con- 
federate service.    "While  in  prison  Mr.  Cowlin 
became  acquainted  with  Mr.  W.  P.  Morse,  of 
Woodstock,  whom  he  found  sick  and  in  a  de- 
plorable condition  in  the  hospital,  and  to  whom 
he  was  able  to  render  valuable  aid,  possibly 
saving  his  life,  thus  laying  the  foundation  of 
a  warm  friendship.    During  the  ten  months  of 
his  imprisonment    Mr.     Cowlin's    weight    had 
been  reduced  by  starvation  and  disease  from 
136  pounds,  with  which  he  entered  the  prison, 
to  90  pounds;   and  for  some  six  months  after 
his  release  he  was  totally  disqualified  for  busi- 
ness of  any  sort,  besides  being,  to  a  certain 
extent,  rendered  an  invalid  for  life.    After  his 
discharge  and  partial  recovery  from  the  effects 
of  his  imprisonment,     he     was     engaged     for 
nearly  two  years  with  W.   H.   Dwight,  in   the 
grocery  trade;  but,  compelled  to  abandon  this 
by  the  condition  of  his  health,  he  next  turned 
his  attention  to  photography  at  Jefferson,  Wis., 
for     a  few  months,  still  later  engaging  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  business  at  Woodstock  in  part- 
nership with  J.  S.  Forrest.       This  latter  busi- 
ness  he  continued   with   various   partners   for 
nine  years,  but  for  the  past  twenty-one  years 
he  has  been  engaged  as  claim  agent  and  pen- 
sion attorney,  in  which  he  has  been  fairly  suc- 
cessful, securing  many  claims  for  pensions  in 


behalf  of  veterans  of  the  war  in  different  parts 
of  the  country. 

Mr.  Cowlin  was  married  for  the  first  time, 
Oct.  3,  1869,  in  Woodstock,  111.,  to  Susan  M. 
Whitson,  who  was  born  at  Waukegan,  111.,  and 
they  had  three  sons:  Fred  W.,  John  A.,  and 
Thomas  O.  Mrs.  Cowlin  died  in  1883,  and  he 
married  Sept.  30,  1888,  as  his  second  wife, 
Eliza  Boutelle,  of  Kensett,  Iowa,  and  they  have 
one  daughter,  Susanne  Eunice.  Mr.  Cowlin's 
youngest  son,  Thomas  O.,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Spanish-American  War  of  1898,  serving  as 
Sergeant  of  Company  G,  Third  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  being  stationed  for  a  time  in  Porto 
Rico.  Emulating  the  example  of  his  father,  he 
did  not  lose  a  day  from  duty  during  the  period 
of  his  enlistment.  Mr.  Cowlin  is  a  member  of 
Post  No.  108,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Woodstock.  His  patriotic  service  for  his  coun- 
try as  a  Union  soldier  during  the  period  of 
its  great  peril,  has  won  for  him,  in  an  eminent 
degree,  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low citizens.  This  has  been  indicated,  in  part 
at  least,  by  his  election  by  the  people  of  his 
township,  to  the  position  of  Township  Collector 
for  two  terms.  A  straightforward  and  repre- 
sentative citizen,  he  is  an  excellent  type  of  the 
patriotic  veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  well-read 
and  well-informed  in  reference  to  the  history 
of  the  great  struggle  in  which  he  was  an  active 
factor. 


HARRY  CROSS. 

Harry  Cross,  chief  inspector  of  machines  for 
the  Oliver  Typewriter  Company,  Woodstock, 
111.,  as  an  inventor  and  machinist,  is  a  gentle- 
man of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  to  him 
are  due  a  number  of  important  improvements 
in  the  Oliver  Typewriter.  As  head  inspector, 
every  machine  turned  out  by  the  company 
comes  under  his  critical  eye,  and  is  only  pro- 
nounced perfect  and  fitted  to  be  placed  upon 
the  market  when  it  has  received  his  approval. 
Mr.  Cross  was  born  in  Birmingham,  England, 
Feb.  23,  1860,  the  son  of  Thomas  Cross,  an 
edge-tool  manufacturer,  who  at  the  time  was 
conducting  a  large  manufacturing  establish- 
ment in  that  city.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  city,  and, 
at  the  age  of  about  seventeen  years,  entered 
into  the  employment  of  a  sewing-machine  fac- 
tory in  Birmingham,  where  he  was  thoroughly 


740 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


instructed  in  the  business  of  a  machinist.  He 
continued  his  connection  with  this  establish- 
ment until  1884,  when  he  emigrated  tu 
America,  going  directly  to  Hamilton,  Ont., 
where  he  found  employment  in  a  sewing- 
machine  factory  with  which  he  remained  one 
and  a  half  years.  Then  going  to  Toledo,  Ohio, 
he  was  engaged  in  the  same  line  of  business 
there  for  some  time.  His  next  business  con- 
nection was  with  a  manufacturing  establish- 
ment of  similar  character  at  Belvidere,  111., 
with  which  he  remained  nine  years.  By  this 
time  he  had  gained  a  wide  experience  and 
complete  mastery  of  his  profession.  In  1895 
he  removed  to  Woodstock,  McHenry  County, 
and  became  head  inspector  for  the  Oliver 
Typewriter  Company,  for  which  he  was  espe- 
cially well  fitted.  During  his  connection  with 
this  concern  Mr.  Cross  has  sought  in  every 
way  to  add  to  the  advantages  of  the  Oliver 
typewriting  machine,  and  has  turned  his  in- 
ventive faculties  to  good  account  by  the  inven- 
tion of  a  number  of  improvements  upon  which 
he  has  obtained  patents,  which  are  considered 
by  the  manufacturers  of  great  value.  Mr.  Cross 
is  a  gentleman  of  genial  temperament  and 
pleasant  manners,  and  by  his  frank  and  kindly 
disposition  has  won  the  friendship  of  his  busi- 
ness associates  and  the  general  public. 


JOSEPH   W.  CRISTY. 

Mr.  Cristy  comes  of  that  sturdy  Scotch-Irish 
stock,  to  mention  which  is  to  suggest  physical 
strength  and  courage,  no  less  than  keen  intelli- 
gence, resolute  purpose,  strong  will  and  uncom- 
promising integrity.  Mr.  Cristy's  American 
ancestors  were  among  the  earlv  settlers  of 
New  Hampshire,  his  grandfather,  Moses  Cris- 
ty, being  one  of  the  pioneers  of  New  Boston, 
in  that  State.  He  was  noted  for  piety  and  a 
blameless  life,  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  a  citizen  of  substance  and  influ- 
ence. He  was  a  hard-working  farmer,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  His  son 
John — the  father  of  Joseph  W.- — was  raised 
upon  the  paternal  farm  and  received  a  good 
English  education.  He  acquired  the  profes- 
sion of  a  surveyor,  in  the  practice  of  which  he 
was  remarkably  successful,  by  virtue  of  his 
natural  aptitude,  close  application  and  uncom- 
promising integrity.  In  1829  he  removed  from 
New   Hampshire   to  Vermont,    settling  in   the 


town  of  Johnson,  where  he  taught  school  for 
many  years.  While  living  at  New  Boston  he 
married  Frances  Dodge,  who  bore  him  one  son, 
Ephraim.  This  wife  having  died,  Mr.  Cristy 
married  at  Topsfield,  Mass.,  Roxana  Baker, 
whose  family  was  among  the  earliest  and  most 
distinguished  of  the  New  England  settlers.  The 
issue  of  this  second  marriage  was  seven  chil- 
dren— Rebecca,  John  B.,  Mary  B.,  Harriet, 
Robert  O,  Joseph  W.  and  Francis  E.  The  old 
homestead  farm  is  at  present  owned  and  tilled 
by  his  son,  Robert  C.  John  Cristy  died  in  1866, 
full  of  years  and  honored  by  all  who  knew  his 
many  admirable  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 
He  inherited  from  his  father  a  quick  intelli- 
gence, a  keen  sense  of  honor  and  a  moral  sense 
of  the  highest  order. 

Joseph  W.  Cristy,  born  in  New  Boston,  N.  H., 
Sept.  28,  1829,  was  a  mere  infant  when  his  par- 
ents removed  from  his  native  State  to  Ver- 
mont. His  educational  advantages  were  better 
than  those  of  most  boys  of  his  time,  attendance 
upon  the  district  school  being  supplemented 
by  a  course  at  the  Johnson  Academy.  He 
early  displayed  mechanical  ability  of  a  high 
order,  becoming  a  skilled  carpenter  and 
cabinet-maker  while  yet  a  mere  youth.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-three  he  found  employment  at 
Reading,  Mass.,  and  in  1854,  entered  the  piano 
manufactory  of  W.  P.  Emerson,  at  Boston. 
His  natural  insight  and  close  attention  to  de- 
tails soon  gained  for  him  rapid  and  steady  ad- 
vancement. He  remained  with  Mr.  Emerson 
for  six  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was 
receiving  seven  dollars  per  day.  Finding  his 
health  giving  way,  however,  he  quit  the  fac- 
tory, to  seek  once  more  the  pure  air  of  the  Ver- 
mont hills.  Returning  to  Johnson,  in  1859,  he 
bought  a  small  farm. 

Meanwhile  he  had  married  at  Johnson,  Vt, 
on  Nov.  30,  1856,  Sarah  L.  Whiting,  a  daughter 
of  Zachariah  and  Lucinda  (Dodge)  Whiting. 
She  had  been  a  schoolmate  of  his  at  Johnson, 
and,  while  he  was  in  Emerson's  employ,  he  con- 
structed for  her  a  piano,  which  is  yet  in  an 
admirable  state  of  preservation,  and  as  tuneful 
as  in  its  earliest  days. 

In  1865  Mr.  Cristy  came  west,  first  settling 
in  Iroquois  County,  111.  There  he  bought  and 
improved  two  farms  of  160  acres  each,  selling 
each  at  a  profit.  His  next  move  was  to  Ring- 
wood,  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  there  he  has 
resided  since  1868.     For  several  years  he  con- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


741 


ducted  a  general  store,  and  this,  with  other 
ventures,  has  earned  for  him  a  handsome  com- 
petency while  his  intelligence,  moral  character, 
sound  sense  and  conservative  public  spirit 
have  made  him  one  of  the  county's  prominent 
and  influential  citizens.  He  has  had  not  a  lit- 
tle experience  in  the  conduct  of  public  affairs, 
having  served  as  Selectman  and  Assessor  at 
Johnson,  Vt.,  and  as  Supervisor  and  member  of 
the  Board  of  Review  of  McHenry  County  for 
eight  years.  He  was  also  the  enumerator  for 
McHenry  Township  for  the  United  States  Cen- 
sus of  1900,  and  has  held  the  office  of  Notary 
Public  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  His  success 
is  chiefly  the  result  of  his  own  effort,  industry 
and  integrity  being  its  corner  stones.  On  this 
foundation  he  has  reared  a  structure  of  which 
he  may  well  be  proud,  its  pinnacle  being  the 
unswerving  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Cristy's  first  wife  died  in  1886,  a  devout 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  a  faithful  wife 
and  mother,  and  a  woman  held  in  high  esteem 
by  her  neighbors  for  her  kindly,  sympathetic 
nature.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  children 
—William  A.,  Joseph  E.  and  Walter  W.  The 
youngest  son  died  in  1888,  in  his  twentieth 
year.  William  A.  is  a  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  represents  McHenry  Township  on  the 
Board  of  Supervisors.  The  second  matrimonial 
union  of  Mr.  Cristy  was  with  Mrs.  Eleanor  M. 
Irish,  whose  maiden  name  was  Meigs.  She 
was  born  in  Johnson,  Vt.,  her  father,  Dr.  John 
Meigs,  being  a  prominent  physician  of  that 
town,  and  her  mother,  Laura  Cristy,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Waterman. 


TIMOTHY  J.  DACY. 

Experience  teaches  that  it  is  the  energetic 
individual  who  produces  the  most  powerful  ef- 
fect upon  himself  and  others,  who  illustrates 
and  enforces  the  lesson  that  a  man  perfects 
himself  more  by  work  than  by  reading — that  it 
is  life  rather  than  literature,  action  rather  than 
study,  character  rather  than  learning,  that 
tends  to  make  a  man  successful  and  a  benefit 
to  mankind. 

Biographies  of  men  who  have  succeeded  in 
life  are  instructive  and  helpful  to  others;  some 
of  the  best  are  very  efficient  teachers.  The 
valuable  examples  which  they  furnish  of  the 
power  of  self-help,  of  patient  purpose,  earnest 
effort   and     steadfast     integrity,     exhibit,     in 


language  not  to  be  misunderstood,  what  is  in 
the  power  of  each  to  accomplish  for  himself, 
and  eloquently  illustrate  the  efficacy  of  self-re- 
spect and  self-reliance,  in  enabling  men  of  the 
humblest  rank  to  work  out  for  themselves  an 
honorable  career  and  a  satisfactory  compe- 
tency. 

The  instances  of  men  who,  by  dint  of  perse- 
vering application  and  energy,  have  raised 
themselves  from  poverty  to  positions  of  useful- 
ness, wealth  and  influence  in  society,  are  indeed 
so  numerous  that  they  have  long  ceased  to  be 
regarded  as  exceptional.  It  might  be  said  that 
early  encounter  with  difficulties  and  adverse 
circumstances  is  one  of  the  necessary  and  in- 
dispensable conditions  of  success.  "Self-re- 
liance and  self-denial  will  teach  a  man  to  drink 
out  of  his  own  cistern  and  eat  his  own  sweet- 
bread, and  learn  to  labor  truly  to  get  his  own 
living,  and  carefully  expend  the  good  things 
committed  to  his  trust."  It  is  examples  of  self- 
help  in  our  own  communities  that  are  of  the 
most  value  to  the  young  in  our  midst.  Reading 
of  successful  men  is  valuable,  but  if  we  know 
of  instances  in  our  own  neighborhood,  the  les- 
son is  more  practically  and  deeply  impressed. 

McHenry  County  has  many  examples  of  self- 
made  men,  but  no  one  of  them  is  more  worthy 
of  mention  in  this  work  than  that  of  Timothy 
J.  Dacy,  whose  life  of  honest  struggle  from  the 
condition  of  a  poor  Irish  boy  to  that  of  ,a 
wealthy  and  prominent  citizen,  is  a  lesson  for 
any  lad  whose  environments  have  apparently 
condemned  him  to  poverty — for  no  one  could 
make  a  start  in  life  with  fewer  opportunities 
than  he.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1838,  son 
of  Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Regan)  Dacy.  When 
about  twelve  years  of  age  he  came  to  America 
with  his  parents  and  three  children  of  the  fam- 
ily— Cornelius,  Daniel  and  Mary.  After  a  few 
days  at  sea  the  mother  died  and  the  children 
saw  her  remains  committed  to  the  deep.  The 
father  and  family,  on  arrival  in  this  country, 
came  immediately  to  McHenry  County  and  set- 
tled in  the  township  of  Hartland,  where  Jere- 
miah Dacy  obtained  employment  with  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company.  As 
he  was  in  meager  circumstances  the  children 
were  early  thrown  upon  their  own  resources, 
and  young  Timothy,  deprived  of  the  comfort 
which  the  kind  words  and  encouragement  of  a 
loving  mother  would  have  given,  entered  upon 
a   career  of  stress   and   hardship,   making  his 


742 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


home  chiefly  with  Robert  Forrest.  He  had  but 
the  meager  advantages  of  the  district  schools, 
which  he  attended  for  a  few  months  during  the 
winter  seasons,  gaining  most  of  his  education 
by  practical  experience  and  contact  with  the 
world.  He  continued  at  farm-work  until  about 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  and  was  noted  for 
his  industry  and  willingness.  In  1861  he  came 
to  Woodstock  and  obtained  employment  with 
John  J.  Murphy,  who  was  then  engaged  in 
buying  grain  and  wool.  His  early  struggles 
had  taught  him  the  value  of  a  dollar,  .and  be 
carefully  saved  his  money.  In  1863  he  had 
an  opportunity  to  invest  his  savings  in  a 
patent-right,  and  meeting  with  great  success  in 
disposing  of  the  territory  he  had  purchased, 
finally  bought  the  entire  patent.  He  then 
traveled  throughout  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  selling  territory,  everywhere  meeting 
with  phenomenal  success. 

In  1865  he  returned  to  Woodstock,  having 
accumulated  a  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him 
to  engage  in  the  business  of  buying  farm  pro- 
ducts. He  followed  this  pursuit  for  a  few 
years,  when  he  engaged  in  the  agricultural  im- 
plement business  with  W.  B.  Austin.  This 
venture  proved  very  successful,  but  the  part- 
nership was  soon  dissolved  by  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  Austin,  whose  interest  was  purchased 
by  Mr.  Dacy,  who  thereafter  conducted  the 
business  in  his  own  name.  In  March,  1880,  the 
business  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire,  causing 
a  loss  of  more  than  $20,000.  Mr.  Dacy  had 
only  $2,000  insurance  and  the  blow  was  a 
severe  one.  The  result  of  years  of  toil  and 
privation  had  been  wiped  out  in  a  few  hours, 
but  he  was  undaunted,  and  at  once  set  about 
the  task  of  replacing  the  buildings  and  renew- 
ing the  stock.  With  the  energy  that  had  al- 
ways characterized  his  actions,  he  issued  new 
advertising  matter  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  at  once  began  an  extensive  auction  sale  of 
farm  machinery  and,  for  some  time,  conducted 
the  largest  auction  of  the  kind  ever  undertaken 
in  the  county.  Later  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Hon.  J.  D.  Donovan,  afterwards  Mayor  of 
Woodstock,  who  had  been  in  his  employ  many 
years  and  proved  himself  a  capable  and  able 
business  man.  This  partnership  continued 
three  years,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  mutual 
consent,  Mr.  Dacy  becoming  sole  owner  by 
the  purchase  of  his  partner's  interest,  after 
which  he  conducted  the  business   in  his   own 


name  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Mr.  Dacy 
was  proud  of  the  business  he  had  established, 
and  in  it  found  one  of  the  greatest  enjoyments 
of  life.  He  was  always  of  an  active,  energetic 
temperament,  and  when  he  approved  any  busi- 
ness enterprise,  it  was  because  of  its  merits. 
Possessed  of  far  more  than  ordinary  business 
shrewdness,  he  was  seldom  wrong  in  estimat- 
ing the  motives  and  purposes  of  men.  Warm- 
hearted, cheerful  and  friendly,  he  was  beloved 
by  his  children  and  family.  Politically  he  was 
a  Democrat  of  the  Jacksonian  type,  and  was 
always  active  in  politics,  but  could  never  be  in- 
duced to  accept  office  for  himself,  except  at  one 
time  consenting  to  serve  as  Alderman  of  his 
ward.  He  was  public-spirited  and  always 
willing  and  ready  to  render  his  aid  to  any 
movement  that  would  benfit  the  city.  He  took 
a  deep  interest  in  the  County  Fair  and  did  as 
much  as  any  one  to  contribute  to  its  success. 
In  business  he  was  well  known  as  honest  and 
straightforward. 

Mr.  Dacy  married  in  Woodstock,  in  January, 
1869,  Lucinda  Donnelly,  born  in  Woodstock, 
daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  Neill  Donnelly,  a 
pioneer  of  the  county,  of  straight  Celtic  blood. 
Mrs.  Dacy  is  well  educated,  having  attended 
the  public  school  in  Woodstock  and  Todd 
Seminary.  She  has  devoted  her  life  to  her 
home  and  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dacy  were 
the  parents  of  children  named:  Charles  F., 
Albert  E.,  Alice  B.  and  George  H.  Mr.  Dacy 
realized  in  his  own  case  the  lack  of  a  liberal 
education,  and  was  careful  that  his  children 
should  enjoy  the  best  advantages  possible. 

Charles  F.  attended  the  University  at  Notre 
Dame,  South  Bend,  Ind.  He  is  the  administra- 
tor of  the  Dacy  estate,  which  is  one  of  the 
largest  in  Mcllenry  County.  He  is  also  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business  in  Woodstock. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  "Elks,"  a 
young  man  of  excellent  character  and  of  prom- 
ising business  prospects.  Albert  E.,  also  a 
graduate  of  Notre  Dame  and  of  Harvard  Law 
School,  is  a  successful  lawyer  and  member  of 
the  law-firm  of  Pam,  Calhoun  &  Glennon,  Chi- 
cago. Alice  B.,  a  graduate  of  Madison  (Wis.) 
University,  is  a  young  lady  of  high  literary 
culture,  and  has  taught  literature  in  the  high 
school  at  Woodstock.  George,  the  youngest 
son,  is  still  at  home  attending  the  high  school. 

Mr.  Dacy  was  suddenly  cut  down  in  the 
prime  of  life,  in  the  midst  of  his   successful 


M  c  H  E  N  R  Y     C  O  U  N  TY. 


743 


enterprises  and  hurried  to  an  untimely  death, 
being  almost  instantly  killed  by  a  train  on  the 
Northwestern  Railway.  His  death  was  a 
severe  loss  to  Woodstock  and  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  entire  community. 


NEILL  DONNELLY. 

Neill  Donnelly  (deceased),  father  of  Mrs. 
Timothy  J.  Dacy,  and  a  pioneer  settler  of  Mo- 
Henry  County,  was  born  in  County  Deny,  Ire- 
land, May  18,  1816,  and  came  to  America  with 
two  elder  brothers,  Barney  and  Andrew,  about 
1828,  being  then  twelve  years  old.  The  broth- 
ers first  located  at  Lowell,  Mass.,  where  they 
found  employment  in  the  woollen  mills  and 
where  Neill  gained  a  common-school  education, 
to  which  he  afterwards  addel  by  wide  reading 
and  keen  observation.  While  young  he 
learned  the  art  of  weaving  in  one  of  the  large 
woollen  mills  in  Lowell,  and  also  worked  for  a 
time  in  a  manufactory  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments. When  about  twenty  years  of  age  he 
married  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Mary  McElroy, 
who  was  born  in  America,  the  daughter  of 
James  McElroy,  a  native  of  Ireland  who  came 
to  America  with  his  family  about  1822.  He 
and  his  wife  soon  after  came  to  Hartland 
Township,  McHenry  County,  where,  in  1836,  An- 
drew Donnelly  had  located  and  opened  Don- 
nelly's tavern,  a  well-known  hostelry  of  pioneer 
days.  Here  Neill  Donnelly  entered  160  acres 
of  Government  land  and  began  opening  a  farm, 
but  his  first  year's  crop  having  been  destroyed 
by  fire,  leaving  his  wife  with  his  brother  An- 
drew, he  returned  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  for  the 
next  two  years  worked  in  a  factory  there. 
Then  returning  to  Hartland  Township,  he  built 
a  log  cabin  and  resumed  work  on  his  farm  and 
finally  established  for  himself  and  family  a 
comfortable  home.  In  1849  he  was  elected 
Sheriff  of  McHenry  County,  when  he  removed 
to  Woodstock,  where  he  later  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business,  and  which  became  his 
permanent  home,  residing  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1883.  In  religious  belief  Hr. 
Donnelly  was  a  Roman  Catholic.  He  was  a 
trusted,  public-spirited  citizen,  was  a  member 
of  the  building  committee,  having  charge  of  the 
erection  of  the  McHenry  Court  House,  served 
as  President  of  the  Board  of  Village  Trustees, 
and  was  the  first  Mayor  of  Woodstock  after  its 


incorporation  as  a  city,  filling  the  oflice  for 
several  terms.  In  his  political  views  he  was 
a  War  (or  Douglas)  Democrat  and,  at  one  time, 
a  candidate  for  Congress,  coming  nearer  an 
election  than  any  other  Democrat  after  the  Dis- 
trict became  Republican.  He  was  an  advocate 
of  public  improvements  and  the  first  special 
assessment  ordinance  of  the  city  of  Woodstock 
was  passed  during  his  incumbency  as  Mayor. 
He  w,as  also  a  friend  of  education  and  served 
as  President  of  the  Board  of  School  Directors 
for  a  time  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of 
Woodstock,  and  saw  to  it  that  his  children  re- 
ceived the  benefits  of  a  liberal  education. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neill  Donnelly  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  Elizabeth 
A.,  Mary  J.,  Lucinda  (Mrs.  Dacy),  Frank  P.; 
Charles  H.,  Julia  E.  and  Hugh  T. — besides 
three  others  who  died  in  childhood. 

Charles  H.  Donnelly,  of  this  family,  was  born 
in  Woodstock,  111.,  Aug.  22,  1855,  and  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
town  and  at  Notre  Dame  University,  South 
Bend,  Ind.,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1873. 
He  then  read  law  with  Messrs.  Slavin  and 
Smith  and,  at  different  times,  with  each  of 
these,  who  were  prominent  members  of  the 
McHenry  County  bar,  and  on  Jan.  8,  1877,  was 
admitted  to  practice,  entering  upon  the  profes- 
sion which  he  has  since  followed  with  notable 
success.  He  served  as  City  Attorney  of  Wood- 
stock for  seven  years,  and  was  Captain  of  Com- 
pany G,  Third  Regiment  Illinois  National 
Guard,  for  six  years.  In  1890  he  was  elected 
County  Judge  of  McHenry  County  and  in  June, 
1897,  was  elected  to  the  Circuit  Bench,  his  term 
expiring  in  June,  1903,  when  he  was  re-elected 
for  a  second  term. 

Judge  Donnelly  was  united  in  marriage,  at. 
Woodstock,  111.,  May  2,  1888,  to  Nina  C.  Blakes- 
lee,  born  in  McHenry  County,  the  daughter  of 
Gervaise  and  Halina  R.  Blakeslee.  He  and  his 
wife  are  the  parents  of  two  daughters— Mary 
and  Helen. 

Fraternally  Judge  Donnelly  is  associated 
with  the  Calvary  Commandery  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
Woodstock,  and  a  member  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  Medina  Temple,  Chicago;  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  has  held  the  oflice  of  Noble  Grand  of 
the  Grand  Encampment. 

From  early  manhood  he  has  taken  a  deep  In- 


744 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


terest  in  politics,  and,  as  an  earnest  champion 
of  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party  since 
1880,  has  taken  an  active  part  in  every  political 
campaign.  As  indicated  by  his  public  record, 
no  man  is  more  widely  or  more  favorably 
known  in  McHenry  County  than  Judge  Don- 
nelly. Of  urbane  and  genial  temperament  and 
agreeable  manners,  he  treats  with  kindly  cour- 
tesy all  brought  in  contact  with  him  either 
officially  or  in  personal  relations. 


JAMES  A.   DUFIELD. 

Mr.  Dufield  (the  name  originally  being  spelled 
Duffield)  is  a  member  of  a  pioneer  family  which 
came  to  McHenry  County  at  an  early  day.  The 
Dun  elds  are,  in  all  probability,  of  original  Irish 
stock,  and  are  Children  of  the  Gael.  They 
were  early  settlers  in  the  North  of  Ireland, 
coming  there  from  Scotland,  and  have  a  strong 
infusion  of  Scotch  blood.  They  were  after- 
wards residents  of  London,  England,  where 
tradition  says  large  estates  formerly  belonged 
to  them.  Here  the  family  intermarried  with 
the  English  and,  in  Colonial  America,  since  that 
period,  have  intermarried  freely  with  the  Ameri- 
cans, and  are  thus  of  Irish,  Scotch,  English  and 
American  descent,  the  founders  of  the  Ameri- 
can branch  having  settled  in  Virginia  in  coloni- 
al times.  John  Duffield  (as  he  spelled  the 
name)  was  born  in  Virginia,  married  Eliza- 
beth Frame  of  the  same  State  and  lived  the 
life  of  a  farmer  in  Braxton  County  (now  West 
Virginia).  In  1837,  accompanied  by  all  his 
children  except  Robert,  the  oldest,  and  James, 
who  had  preceded  him  by  several  years,  he 
emigrated  to  McHenry  County,  111.  The  chil- 
dren accompanying  him  were  Devid  and  family, 
Isabel  (wife  of  John  Given,  without  children), 
Thomas  and  family,  Charles  and  wife  (no  chil- 
dren), and  Allen,  a  young  man.  The  journey 
was  made  from  Braxton,  descending  Elk  River 
with  their  household  effects,  by  flat-boat  to 
Charleston,  at  the  junction  with  the  Kanawha. 
Being  unable  to  sell  their  boat  here,  they  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Kanawha  and  the  Ohio  to 
Cincinnati.  Having  sold  their  boat,  at  Cincin- 
nati, they  took  a  steamer  to  St.  Louis  and 
thence,  by  the  Mississippi  and  the  Illinois  to 
Ottawa,  111.  Here,  having  hired  teams,  they 
made  the  rest  of  the  journey,  arriving  in  what 
is  now  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  County,  Nov. 
15,  1837.    The  father  and  his  two  sons,  Charles 


and  Allen,  settled  on  a  tract  of  320  acres  of  tim- 
ber and  prairie  land,  where  the  former  (being  al- 
ready advanced  in  years)  built  a  log  house  and 
opened  a  farm,,  upon  which  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  dying  at  the  age  of  about 
eighty  years.  He  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  this  region  and  highly  respected  for  his 
sterling  worth  and  integrity. 

John  L.  Duffield,  son  of  the  preceding,  was 
born  in  1796,  at  Lexington,  Ky.,  where  his 
father  had  settled  as  a  pioneer,  soon  after  the 
birth  of  his  son  returning  to  West  Virginia. 
Here  the  latter  received  such  limited  education 
as  was  common  in  the  schools  of  that  period, 
became  a  farmer  and  married  Anna  Ball,  a  na- 
tive of  Braxton  County,  born  about  1798.  Their 
children  were:  Elizabeth,  Evaline,  Mary,  John 
Allen,  Thomas  Jefferson,  Christopher  M.,  James 
A.,  Benjamin  F.  and  Robert  L.  (born  Sept.  7, 
1837)  and  Lemuel  C,  all  born  in  West  Virginia 
except  the  last,  who  was  born  in  McHenry 
County.  After  the  removal  from  West  Virginia 
in  1837,  he  first  located  on  a  tract  of  160  acres 
of  timber  land  in  what  is  now  Dorr  Township, 
remaining  five  years,  but  did  not  perfect  his 
title,  afterwards  purchasing,  at  second-hand, 
120  acres  of  land  in  what  is  now  Greenwood 
Township,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  dying  Dec.  10,  1845.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In 
politics  he  was  an  old  Line  Whig,  and  a  straignt- 
forward,  hard-working  pioneer. 

James  A.  Dufield,  whose  name  heads  this 
article,  and  son  of  John  L.,  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  paragraph,  was  born  in  Braxton 
County,  W.  Va.,  June  1,  1830,  brought  to  Mc- 
Henry County  by  his  parents  in  1837,  and  re- 
members scenes  and  incidents  of  the  journey 
which  he  greatly  enjoyed.  In  1838  he  attended 
what  was  probably  the  first  school  ever  taught 
in  the  Walkup  school-house.  This  was  a  log- 
house  probably  built  in  1838,  about  18  by  20 
feet,  with  "shake"  roof,  a  puncheon  floor  and 
huge  fire-place.  The  teacher  was  a  Miss  Bar- 
sons,  followed  by  James  C.  Button,  who  is  yet 
living.  James  A.  attended  school  here  at  dif- 
ferent times  until  1844,  acquiring  a  common- 
school  education.  He  learned  to  farm  mean- 
while and,  in  1847,  began  the  shoemaker's  trade 
with  Michael  McCahill,  a  pioneer  shoemaker 
of  Woodstock.  On  July  21,  1850,  he  was  mar- 
ried in  McHenry  Township,  to  Charlotte  H. 
Boomer,  born  in  New  York  State,  Jan.  29,  183?, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


745 


the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Cena  (Sheffield) 
Boomer. 

Mr.  Boomer  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New 
York  and  a  carpenter  and  bridge-builder  by 
trade.  His  children  were  Charlotte  H.,  Adeline, 
Adelia,  Lucretia  and  Linus.  The  elder  Boomer 
came  to  Illinois  in  1845,  making  the  journey 
with  horse  teams,  stopping  for  a  short  time  in 
Lake  County.  Here  he  bought  60  acres  of  land, 
which  he  improved,  making  a  good  farm,  but 
sold  it  in  1853,  and  moved  to  the  town  of  Mo- 
Henry,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade.  He  and 
his  wife  spent  their  last  days  with  their  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  Dufield,  Mr.  Boomer  dying  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years,  and  his  wife  about  eigh- 
ty. Both  were  members  of  the  Christain  church 
and  highly  respected.  Their  son  Linus  enlisted 
in  1862  as  a  private  soldier  in  Company  F,  Nine- 
ty-sixth Illinois  "Volunteer  Infantry,  took  part 
in  many  battles,  including  the  Vicksburg  cam- 
paign, and  received  an  honorable  discharge  at 
the  close  of  his  term  of  service.  He  is  yet  liv- 
ing in  Bent  County,  Colo. 

To  return  to  the  history  of  Mr.  Dufield:  Af- 
ter his  marriage  in  1850,  he  settled  on  a  farm, 
buying  40  acres  of  land,  but  in  1852,  after 
spending  some  time  at  the  home  of  his  father- 
in-law,  and  residing  for  a  time  at  Woodstock, 
he  located  in  McHenry,  where  he  remained 
nearly  ten  years.  In  September,  1861,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  Company  H,  Eighth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry,  serving  until  honorably  dis- 
charged on  account  of  disability  incurred  in 
the  line  of  duty  at  Black  Creek,  Va.,  May  18, 
1862.  He  was  promoted  for  meritorious  con- 
duct to  Sergeant,  but  was  thrown  from  his 
horse  while  on  duty  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  re- 
ceiving severe  injuries.  These  included  the 
dislocation  of  his  right  hip,  the  breaking  of 
his  right  shoulder  and  the  tearing  of  his  right 
ribs  from  the  breast-bone.  He  was  picked  up 
insensible,  but  objecting  to  being  placed  in 
the  hospital,  was  finally  sent  home,  where  he 
arrived  Dec.  29,  1862.  He  has  never  fully  re- 
covered his  normal  health  and  has  been  unable 
to  perform  hard  labor.  He  learned  the  pho- 
tographer's trade,  which  he  followed  from  1863 
to»1872,  and  has  resided  successively  in  Har- 
vard, Marengo  and  McHenry,  in  each  of  these 
places  serving  as  constable  a  total  of  nine 
years.  Then,  returning  to  Woodstock,  he  re- 
mained four  years  with  his  son,  the  editor  of 
the     "McHenry     County     Democrat."    Having 


again  been  elected  constable,  he  has  served  con- 
tinuously twelve  years,  being  still  in  office,  and 
has  also  been  Deputy  Sheriff  six  years,  under 
Sheriffs  Badger  and  Church.  Politically  Mr. 
Dufield  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  but  was  an  orig- 
inal Republican,  casting  his  first  vote  for  John 
C.  Fremont  for  President  in  1856.  In  1878  he 
voted  for  Samuel  J.  Tilden  and  has  since  voted 
the  Democratic  ticket.  His  children  are  John 
A.,  Marion  C.  and  Inez.  There  are  few  men 
better  known  in  McHenry  County,  and  his 
long  official  career  gives  evidence  of  his  per- 
sonal popularity. 


JOHN    AARON    DUFIELD. 

John  Aaron  Dufield,  late  editor  "McHenry 
County  Democrat,"  Woodstock,  111.,  was  born 
in  Woodstock,  111.,  May  26,  1851,  the  son  of 
James  and  Charlotte  (Boomer)  Dufield.  He 
received  a  common-school  education,  including 
a  partial  course  in  Woodstock  High  School, 
and,  in  1865,  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  be- 
gan to  learn  the  printer's  trade  at  Belvidere, 
111.,  where  his  father  resided  for  two  years. 
His  first  efforts  in  the  printer's  art  were  put 
forth  in  the  office  of  the  "Boone  County  Adver- 
tiser." In  1867  he  went  to  Harvard,  McHenry 
County,  and  there  found  employment  with  the 
"Harvard  Independent"  until  1869,  when  he 
entered  into  the  service  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railroad,  being  employed  for 
some  time  in  the  yards  of  that  line.  Coming 
to  Woodstock  in  1871,  he  was  employed  for 
about  three  years  in  the  office  of  the  "Wood- 
stock Sentinel,"  later  becoming  foreman  in  the 
office  of  the  "New  Bra"  at  Woodstock.  In 
1875  he  returned  to  Harvard  as  foreman  of 
"The  Independent,"  but  in  October,  1877,  again 
came  to  Woodstock,  and  in  partnership  with 
his  brother,  M.  C.  Dufield,  who  was  also  a 
practical  printer,  bought  the  "McHenry  Coun- 
ty Democrat."  This  paper  had  been  estab- 
lished in  April  previous,  by  A.  H.  Bradbury, 
and  after  being  published  three  months,  had 
failed  and  been  closed  out.  The  Dufields  is- 
sued their  first  number  of  "The  Democrat" 
under  date  of  October  6,  1877,  and  under  their 
capable  management  the  paper  proved  a  suc- 
cess from  the  start.  "The  Democrat"  under 
Mr.  Dufield's  management,  was  fearless  in  the 
advocacy  of  Democratic  principles  and  meas- 
ures,   and,   while    published    in   a   Republican 


746 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


stronghold,  always  exerted  a  strong  influence 
in  local  affairs.  During  the  past  few  years  it 
has  devoted  much  space  to  matter  bearing  up- 
on local  history,  biographic  and  otherwise,  and 
its  files  have  become  a  valuable  depository  >f 
information  on  these  lines.  On  October  11, 
1902,  Mr.  Dufield  sold  out  his  paper  to  the  Mc- 
Henry  County  Republican  Company,  thus  ter- 
minating a  journalistic  career  which  had  been 
maintained  uninterruptedly  for  twenty-five 
years.  Early  in  1903  he  engaged  in  the  sta- 
tionery and  job^printing  business,  on  the  first 
of  January  opening  an  establishment  in  the 
Kellogg  Block,  in  "Woodstock,  which  has  proved 
quite  successful. 

Mr.  Dufield  was  married  in  Woodstock,  by 
the  Rev.  R.  K.  Todd,  Dec.  25,  1877,  to  Miss 
Ada  M.  Jewett,  who  was  born  in  Dorr  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  June  20,  1854,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Marie  (Woodward) 
Jewett.  Her  parents  came  from  Bennington, 
Vt.,  and  were  of  old  colonial  families  of  Eng- 
lish descent.  Henry  Jewett,  the  father,  who 
was  a  successful  farmer  and  a  pioneer  of  Mc- 
Henry County,  was  born  near  Bennington,  Vt., 
Aug.  17,  1801,  and  married  in  1827  Marie 
Woodward,  who  was  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. After  marriage  they  settled  on  a  farm, 
where  they  remained  until  1842,  when  they 
came  to  McHenry  County.  Here  Mr.  Jewett 
entered  Government  land  and  opened  up  a 
valuable  farm  upon  which  he  lived  until  186C. 
when  he  retired,  residing  in  Woodstock  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1879.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jewett  were  the  parents  of  children 
named  Johnson  W.  (deceased),  Joseph  P., 
Susan  (deceased),  Walter  P.,  Frank  M.,  Lucy 
H.,  Ada  M.  and  Harriet. 

John  A.  Dufield  is  one  of  the  self-made  men 
of  McHenry  County.  Beginning  while  a  mere 
lad  to  learn  the  "art  preservative,"  he  has  won 
his  way  solely  by  his  own  persevering  efforts 
and  personal  attention  to  business.  While  of 
a  quiet,  retiring  disposition,  he  is  possessed 
of  a  strong  individuality  and  much  reserve 
force  and,  being  once  fixed  in  his  purpose,  he 
keeps  on  to  the  end.  Among  his  fellow-crafts- 
men in  McHenry  County,  Mr.  Dufield  stands 
as  representative  of  the  liberal  and  whole- 
souled  printer.  While  a  champion  of  political 
principles,  he  has  never  been  a  mere  seeker 
for  office;   he  served  one  term  as  Postmaster 


by  appointment  of  President  Cleveland.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dufield  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren:  Opal  and  Allan  J. 


OSCAR    F.   DUFIELD. 

Oscar  F.  Dufield,  descended  from  sterling 
Scotch-Irish  and  English  ancestry,  is  the 
grandson  of  Isaac  Dufield,  who  was  a  native 
of  Virginia  and  became  a  pioneer  farmer  in 
Randolph  County,  now  in  West  Virginia.  Isaac 
Dufield  married  Isabel  Given,  who  bore  him 
children  named  Abraham,  Robert,  John,  Ben- 
jamin and  Isabel,  the  latter  becoming  the  wife 
of  Benjamin  Green,  a  planter  of  that  section 
who  had  a  large  number  of  slaves.  This  Mr. 
Dufield  died  in  middle  life,  leaving  a  family 
of  small  children.  Henry  Dufield,  the  father  of 
Oscar  F.,  was  born  in  Randolph  County,  W. 
Va.,  Jan.  14,  1803,  became  a  farmer  like  his 
father  before  him,  and  was  a  noted  marksman 
with  the  rifle  and  a  successful  hunter.  He  was 
married  in  Bath  County,  Va.,  to  Anna  Given, 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Margaret  Elliot  (Bott) 
Given.  Robert  Given's  family  consisted  of  three 
sons  and  six  daughters:  Samuel,  who  married 
Mary  Gibson,  of  Bath  County,  Va. ;  William, 
married  Elizabeth  Sands  of  Nicholas  County, 
W.  Va. ;  Adam,  married  Diana  Prian,  of  Nich- 
olas County;  Nancy,  now  Mrs.  McEvoy;  Sally, 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Gibson;  Jane,  married 
David  Dufield;  Margaret,  married  James 
Earl;  Polly,  who  married  George  Du- 
field, and  Anna,  whose  marriage  to  Henry 
Dufield  has  already  been  mentioned.  Ac- 
cording to  the  statement  of  Henry  Dufield, 
his  grandmother  was  of  Scotch  blood,  while 
his  grandfather  was  of  English  origin.  In  his 
youth  Henry  Dufield  attended  the  district 
school  and  assisted  in  the  support  of  the  fami- 
ly by  working  on  the  farm.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  cleared  up  a  new  farm  of  about  100 
acres  in  a  heavily  timbered  region,  and  here 
all  his  children  were  born  and  here  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  until  about  1846.  His  children 
were:  Isaac  B.,  who  died  in  California;  Thad- 
deus,  who  died  in  Henry  County,  Mo.; 
Oscar  F.,  Margaret,  who  married  H.  %  C. 
Murphy  of  Knox  County,  111.;  Sarah  J.,  who 
married  E.  Dufield  (now  deceased),  of  Rock 
Island,  111.,  and  Adelaide,  who  married  John 
M.  Elliot.     In  1846,  Henry  Dufield  and  family, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


747 


accompanied  by  John  Frame  and  family, 
moved  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  the  party  trav- 
eling on  the  same  flat-boat  to  Charleston,  W. 
Va.,  where  they  took  steamer  to  La  Salle,  111., 
thence  making  the  journey  by  wagon  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  they  .arrived  April  17. 
Here  he  settled  on  the  farm  in  Dorr  Township 
where  his  son  Oscar  now  lives.  This  land  he 
entered  at  the  Government  Land  Office,  except 
forty  acres  of  timber  which  he  bought  from 
a  Mr.  Safford.  Mrs.  Dufield  died  in  West  Vir- 
ginia, Feb.  3,  1843,  before  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Illinois.  She  was  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Methodist  church,  with  wnich  she  unit- 
ed in  her  youth.  Mr.  Dufield  was  a  citizen  of 
the  true  pioneer  type  and,  by  a  life  of  untiring 
industry,  improved  his  farm,  erecting  on  it 
substantial  buildings  which  still  exist  in  good 
condition.  He  was  a  firm  believer  in  law  and 
order,  and  filled  a  number  of  important  posi- 
tions in  which  he  assisted  to  promote  the 
best  interests  of  the  community.  In  political 
opinions  he  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat  of 
pronounced  and  independent  views.  His  deaih 
occurred  Oct.  2,  1895,  at  the  age  of  nearly  nine- 
ty-three years. 

Oscar  F.  Dufield,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  Braxton  County,  W. 
Va.,  Oct.  2,  1839,  and  was  but  seven  years  of 
age  when  brought  by  his  father  to  McHenry 
County,  111.  He  attended  school  in  Queen  (Ann 
Prairie,  his  first  teacher  being  Oliver  Burr; 
was  afterwards  ,a  pupil  of  Mr.  George  K.  Bun- 
ker, and  still  later  in  the  Todd  Seminary, 
which  he  attended  one  term.  He  was  reared 
to  the  life  of  a  farmer  which  he  has  pursued 
ever  since  and,  while  remaining  on  the  old 
homestead,  cared  for  his  father  in  an  honored 
old  age.  On  J.an.  1,  1863,  Mr.  Dufield  was 
married,  in  Dorr  Township,  to  Francena 
Frame,  born  in  Braxton  County,  W.  Va.,  Deo. 
7,  1843,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Rachael 
(Knight)  Frame.  John  Frame  was  a  native 
of  Nicholas  County,  W.  Va.,  born  Feb.  1,  1822, 
the  son  of  David  and  Susan  (Bail)  Frame, 
grew  up  to  be  a  farmer  and,  on  Nov.  12,  1840, 
married  Rachael  Knight.  Their  children  were: 
Leonard,  who  died  in  St.  Louis,  aged  about 
fifty-nine  years;  Francena;  Elizabeth  Ann: 
Mary  Susannah,  who  died  after  her  marriage; 
Louisa  Jane;  Charles  Robert,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Cynthia;  Benjamin  F.,  and  John  Ed- 
ward.       Francena     Frame — afterwards      Mrs. 


Oscar  F.  Dufield — was  only  two  years  old  when 
the  Dufield  and  Frame  families  came  from 
"West  Virginia  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  as  pre- 
viously stated.  Her  father,  Mr.  Frame,  set- 
tled in  Grenwood  Township,  where  he  bought 
120  acres  of  Government  land  and  opened  up 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Frank  Austin. 
After  living  here  some  years  he  sold  out  and 
removed  to  Abingdon,  Knox  County,  but  final- 
ly returned  to  McHenry,  where  he  died  soon 
after — his  death  taking  place  Jan.  26,  1868. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frame  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  and,  in  politics,  he  was  a 
Democrat.  He  was  a  typical  pioneer,  an  ex- 
pert with  the  use  of  the  broad-ax,  and,  after 
coming  to  McHenry  county,  hewed  out  the 
'timbers  which  furnished  frame-works  for  many 
buildings. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oscar  Dufield 
settled  on  his  father's  homestead,  which  he 
finally  bought  before  the  death  of  the  latter. 
This  farm  is  pleasantly  located  within  a  few 
minutes  walk  of  the  court  house  in  Woodstock. 
It  is  a  place  of  natural  beauty,  including 
eighty  acres  of  woodland.  The  farm  contains 
240  acres  in  all,  and  has  upon  it  two  streams 
of  flowing  water  fed  by  never-failing  springs. 
There  is  a  beautiful  lake  upon  the  premises, 
from  which  the  farm  takes  the  name  of  "Lake 
View."  The  lake  has  a  depth  of  thirty-five  to 
forty  feet,  is  fed  by  living  springs,  and  is  filled 
by  fine  fish  for  game  and  table  purposes,  which 
appear  to  have  found  their  way  into  the  lake 
by  an  outlet  into  the  Nippersink. 

Mr.  Dufield  is  a  practical  farmer,  keeps  his 
farm  upon  which  he  has  lived  for  the  past 
fifty-six  years,  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation, 
raising  upon  it  large  crops  with  fine  herds  of 
Jersey  cattle  and  other  varieties  of  stock,  and 
the  homestead,  with  its  excellent  buildings,  is 
pervaded  by  a  general  atmosphere  of  thrift 
and  comfort.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dufield  have  two 
daughters,  Carrie  Ann  and  Mary  Gertrude, 
who  have  received  a  liberal  education  in  the 
Woodstock  High  School  and  are  ladies  of  in- 
telligence and  refinement.  The  family  attend 
the  Methodist  church.  In  politics  Mr.  Dufield 
is  a  Democrat,  imbibing  his  principles  both 
from  early  training  and  from  careful  and  in- 
telligent study  of  the  doctrines  of  the  party  as 
taught  by  such  early  patriots  as  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson and  Andrew  Jackson.  He  has  always 
been    a   friend   of   education   and    has   been    i 


748 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


School  Director  in  his  district  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  Of  exemplary  habits  and  pleasant 
manners,  his  life  has  been  characterized  by 
stanch  honesty  and  fair-dealing,  entitling  him 
to  the  praise  implied  in  the  term,  "a  good 
American  citizen." 


ARTIMUS  R.  DUNHAM. 

Artemus  Dunham,  one  of  the  few  remaining 
pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  at 
Springville,  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  April  23,  1823, 
son  of  Elijah  and  Amy  (Humphrey)  Dunham. 
Elijah  Dunham,  the  father,  probably  of  Eng- 
lish Puritan  ancestry,  was  born  in  New  York 
State,  June  20,  1784.  Jan.  9,  1808,  he  married 
Amy  Humphrey,  who  was  born  at  Hartford, 
Conn.,  May  20,  1791,  After  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dunham  settled  in  Springville,  N.  Y., 
where  they  lived  until  all  of  their  children  ex- 
cept Harriet  were  born.  After  a  short  resi- 
dence at  Town  Line,  N.  Y.,  they  removed  to 
North  East,  Erie  County,  Penn.,  where  they 
lived  a  few  years.  Their  children  were  Ed- 
ward, born  Sept.  21,  1810;  Alvira,  born  March 
6,  1813;  Lurinda,  born  June  23,  1815;  Sa- 
mantha,  born  Oct.  12,  1817;  Almira,  born  Oct. 
28,  1821;  Alfred,  born  Aug.  28,  1826,  and 
Harriet,  born  at  Town  Line,  Erie  County, 
Penn.,  April  27,  1829.  Elijah  Dunham  died 
March  25,  1864;  Amy,  his  wife,  died  May  29, 
1866;  Edward,  died  Sept.  8,  1857;  Alvira,  died 
Feb.  7;  Harriet  E.,  died  May  30,  1897;  Alfred, 
died  Jan.  20,  1899.  Edward,  who  was  a  farmer 
in  Illinois  and  later  in  Wisconsin,  married  Mary 
Devore;  Alvira,  married  Darius  Carr,  a  farmer 
of  Iowa;  Lurinda,  married  Joseph  H.  Bulard, 
a  jeweler  of  Marengo;  Samuel,  married  Sa- 
mantha  Bulard  of  Marengo;  Alfred  E.,  married 
Martha  Parker,  a  widow  (nee  Truesdale). 

Artimus  Dunham  received  a  limited  com- 
mon-school education,  attending  the  district 
school  in  the  winter  and  working  at  farm  labor 
during  the  summer.  He  was  ten  years  old  in 
the  spring  of  1833,  when  his  father  moved  to 
La  Porte  County,  Ind.  They  made  the  journey 
with  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  large  four-wheeled 
wagon,  and  also  drove  with  them  two  cows 
that  supplied  an  abundance  of  milk  and  butter 
throughout  the  entire  trip.  Mr.  Dunham's 
father  settled  on  wild  land  in  Door  Prairie,  La 
Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  at  first  built  a  board 
shanty,  but  soon  erected  a  good  log  house.   He 


plowed  a  few  acres  of  land  and  raised  a  good 
crop  of  sod-corn  the  first  year.  In  1836  Mr. 
Dunham  found  that  another  party  had  entered 
the  land  upon  which  he  had  settled  and  that 
his  claim  was  void,  but  the  owner  gave  him 
a  yoke  of  small  oxen  for  peaceable  possession 
of  the  property,  and  Mr.  Dunham  again  jour- 
neyed westward  for  a  home.  In  the  spring 
of  1836,  accompanied  by  one  of  his  sons,  he 
came  to  McHenry  County  in  search  of  a  home- 
stead. He  selected  land  on  the  site  of  the  old 
Indian  Village  on  Coral  Hill,  built  a  log  cabin 
and  moved  his  family  there  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year.  Mr.  Dunham  found  that  a  spot  of 
about  seven  acres  of  this  land  had  previously 
been  cultivated  by  the  Indians,  which  was 
probably  a  natural  opening  in  the  woods,  as 
the  Indians  were  not  accustomed  to  clear 
away  heavy  timber.  The  old  hills  where  corn 
had  been  grown  were  well  marked,  and  Mr. 
Dunham  found  that  one  yoke  or  oxen  could 
easily  plow  this  piece  of  land,  while  on  the 
wild  prairie,  it  required  from  three  to  six.  Mr. 
Dunham  improved  his  farm  and  made  a  very 
comfortable  home,  where  both  he  and  his  wife 
died.  They  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  which  Mr.  Dunham  was  a  deacon 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  church  in  his 
neighborhood.  Politically  he  was  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat,  but  became  a  Republican  when  that 
party  was  organized. 

Artimus  Dunham  came  with  his  parents  to 
Coral  Township,  when  thirteen  years  of  age, 
and  well  remembers  the  journey  and  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  deserted  Indian  land  upon 
which  his  father  settled.  But  little  of  the  wig- 
wams that  had  previously  stood  there  re- 
mained, but  the  poles  for  some  of  their  prin- 
cipal structures,  including  the  main  wigwam 
or  council-house,  as  it  was  called,  were  still 
there,  although  the  strips  of  bark,  with  which 
it  had  been  covered,  had  been  removed  by  the 
early  white  settlers,  to  make  floors  for  the 
lofts  of  their  cabins.  There  was  an  old  Indian 
dancing  floor  on  his  father's  farm,  smooth  and 
level  and  trodden  very  hard.  There  was  an 
Indian  burying  ground  about  twenty  rods  west 
of  the  house,  and  the  graves  were  well  round- 
ed and  when  opened,  as  they  were  by  the  first 
comers,  the  remains  were  found  well  protect- 
ed with  puncheons.  Many  relics  had  been 
taken  from  the  Indian  graves,  such  as  beads, 
silver  breast-pins  of  large  size,  pipes,  etc.     In 


<?^**r,  9,J2*~~£*~t. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


749 


the  woods  above  the  site  of  the  old  village, 
the  Dunham  children  found  several  breast- 
pins, the  silver  of  which  was  perfectly  bright. 
An  old  iron  tomahawk,  with  the  hammer  end 
made  into  a  pipe,  is  still  preserved  in  the  Dun- 
ham family.  Artimus  Dunham  attended  two 
winter  seasons  of  school  in  Coral  Township. 
He  bought  land  in  company  with  his  father, 
which  is  still  in  his  possession.  Feb.  14,  1855, 
he  married  in  Coral  Township,  Miss  Maria  G. 
Benson,  born  in  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  2. 
1823,  daughter  of  George  and  Betsy  Benson. 
Mr.  Dunham  built  on  his  farm  a  substantial 
frame  house  and  good  farm  buildings,  and  he 
and  his  family  lived  here  for  many  years.  A 
careful  manager  and  of  industrious  habits, 
he  prospered  and  finally  owned  about  600  acres 
of  fine  farming  land.  Mrs.  Dunham  was  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
Union,  and  Mr._  Dunham  donated  the  land  on 
which  the  church  was  built,  and  assisted  in 
building  the  church  edifice.  After  this  church 
was  reduced  in  membership,  Mrs.  Dunham 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Maren- 
go, and  Mr.  Dunham  has  since  liberally  assist- 
ed in  its  support  and  contributed  to  the  erec- 
tion of  the  new  church.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dunham  were:  Chauncey  A.,  born 
August  9,  1858,  and'  Nellie,  who  died  at  three 
years  of  age. 

Chauncey  A.  Dunham,  son  of  Artemus  and 
Maria  G.  (Benson)  Dunham,  was  born  at  Coral, 
111.,  and  received  a  good  education.  Having 
completed  an  elementary  course  at  the  dis- 
trict school,  he  attended  the  high  school  at 
Marengo,  Todd  Seminary  at  Woodstock,  and 
Wheaton  College,  Wheaton,  111.  He  was  reared 
a  farmer  and  married  in  Coral,  111.,  Sept.  3, 
1879,  Ella  Cowles,  born  July  19,  1861,  daughter 
of  Dexter  and  Ellen  (Flannagan)  Cowles. 

Dexter  Cowles  was  born  in  Cortland  County, 
N.  Y.,  son  of  William  Cowles.  He  married  in 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  Ellen  P.  Flannagan,  who  was 
born  in  Ireland,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy 
linen-draper  of  London,  England.  When  a 
child  she  was  kidnapped  by  her  nurse  and 
brought  to  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  and  abandoned,  but 
was  kindly  cared  for  and  raised  by  a  lady  of 
that  city.  Mr.  Cowles  settled  in  Hampshire, 
De  Kalb  County,  111.,  sometime  before  tho 
Civil  War.  He  enlisted  for  three  years'  service 
in.   Company    E.,    Ninety-fifth    Illinois    Volun- 


teer Infantry,  participated  in  many  battles  and 
was  honorably  discharged  on  expiration  of  his 
term  of  enlistment.  He  died  in  De  Kalb  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  in  1874,  his  wife  having  died  several 
years  previously.  Their  daughter  Ella  was 
adopted  by  Lieutenant  Gilkerson. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chauncey  A.  Dunham  are  the 
parents  of  Nellie  Shere,  born  August  13,  1880, 
and  Neill  Chauncey,  born  Dec.  26,  1884,  both 
of  whom  have  received  the  advantages  of  a 
good  education.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunham  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  of  which  Mi. 
Dunham  is  Trustee.  Mr.  Dunham  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  of  Union,  where  he  has  passed  all  the 
chairs.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the  lodge  at 
Marengo,  of  which  he  is  the  present  represen- 
tative to  the  Grand  Lodge,  ,and  of  the  Sherman 
Encampment,  at  Woodstock.  In  1891,  at 
Union,  111.,  Mi.  and  Mrs.  Dunham  joined  the 
Laurel  Rebekah  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which 
Mrs.  Dunham  has  passed  all  the  chairs,  and 
has  represented  her  lodge  at  the  Grand  As- 
sembly, Springfield,  111.  She  was  instituting 
officer  of  the  lodge  at  Woodstock,  in  1900,  and 
a  member  of  the  staff  of  her  home  lodge  at 
Union,  of  which  she  is  Vice-Grand.  The  degree 
of  chivalry  was  conferred  on  Mrs.  Dunham  at 
the  Grand  Lodge  at  Springfield,  November, 
1903.  She  is  also  Official  Examiner  for  the 
State  of  Illinois  and  President  of  the  school 
of  instruction  connected  with  her  lodge,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  efficient  daughters  of  Re- 
bekah in  Illinois. 

Mr.  Dunham  owns  ,240  acres  of  fine  farming 
land  and  a  pleasant  residence  in  Marengo.  He 
is  a  man  whose  life  is  exemplary  in  all  re- 
spects, and  he  has  the  esteem  of  his  friends 
and  the  confidence  of  those  who  have  business 
relations  with  him. 


JOHN   D.   DONOVAN. 

Mr.  John  D.  Donovan,  a  representative  citi- 
zen of  McHenry  County,  who  has  won  his  way 
to  substantial  success  by  business  sagacity 
and  enterprise,  was  born  in  County  Cork,  Ire- 
land, the  son  and  youngest  child  of  Jeremiah 
and  Johanna  (Regan)  Donovan.  Besides  him- 
self there  were  three  children  in  the  family 
named  Annie,  Kate  and  Mary.  Losing  his 
father  by  death  when  about  eight  years   old, 


750 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


he  attended  school  in  his  native  town  until 
thirteen  years  of  age,  when,  in  1866,  he  came 
with  his  mother  and  sister  Annie,  to  America, 
arriving  at  the  home  of  his  uncle,  Jeremiah 
Dacy,  in  Hartland  Township,  McHenry  County, 
111.,  on  December  24th.  Here  the  family  made 
their  home  for  a  time,  the  son  attending  school 
the  following  winter.  His  mother,  who  is  still 
living,  is  a  devoted  member  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  has  brought  up  her  children  with 
great  care — impressing  upon  them  the  value 
of  a  life  of  good  conduct,  self-respecting  in- 
dustry and  resolute  honesty,  has  imparted  to 
them  the  force  of  character  that  has  marked 
her  own  life.  After  coming  to  McHenry  County 
young  Donovan  attended  school  during  the 
winter,  working  at  farm  labor  during  the  sum- 
mer months.  For  two  winters  he  was  a  pupil 
at  the  Deep  Cut  school,  taught  by  John  B. 
Lyon,  now  an  attorney  of  Harvard,  later  spend- 
ing three  winters  in  the  Hughes  district  school. 
Attentive  to  his  studies,  he  thus  obtained  a 
good  common-school  education,  while  learning 
the  value  of  such  training  as  he  was  receiving 
by  hard  work  on  the  farm.  His  education  was 
thus  of  a  practical  character  fitting  him  for  a 
successful  business  life  based  upon  his  own 
efforts  and  individual  resources.  The  spring 
after  his  arrival  in  America  he  hired  out  to  a 
farmer  at  eight  dollars  per  month,  which  was 
soon  increased  to  eighteen  and  finally  to  twen- 
ty dollars.  Being  industrious  and  faithful  as 
a  laborer,  he  never  suffered  for  want  of  em- 
ployment at  good  wages.  In  the  fall  of  1871 
when  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  came  to 
Woodstock  and  entered  into  the  employment 
of  his  cousin,  Timothy  J.  Dacy,  a  successful 
business  man,  whose  sketch  appears  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Here  he  remained  eleven 
years,  and,  beginning  at  the  bottom,  mastered 
all  branches  of  the  agricultural  implement 
trade  in  which  Mr.  Dacy  was  engaged.  Mr. 
Donovan  found  in  his  kinsman  and  employer 
a  sagacious  and  kindly  adviser,  to  whose  prac- 
tical training  he  is  largely  indebted  for  his  suc- 
cess in  life.  Acting  under  the  advice  of  his 
employer,  he  was  accustomed,  when  selling  im- 
plements to  farmers,  never  to  promise  more 
than  he  could  perform,  and  thus  established  a 
reputation  for  veracity  and  integrity  which  has 
been  of  inestimable  value  to  him  personally 
and  has  contributed  to  the  success  of  the  busi- 
ness in  which  he  has  been  engaged.     In  addi- 


tion to  his  other  duties,  he  kept  the  books 
and  made  collections  for  the  firm  for  some 
time,  and,  having  saved  a  little  money,  in 
March,  1881,  decided  to  seek  a  new  field  with 
a  view  of  entering  into  business  on  his  own 
account.  Going  to  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  with 
the  object  of  engaging  in  the  implement  busi- 
ness there,  he  had  scarcely  been  absent  more 
than  a  week,  when  he  received  a  telegram  from 
his  former  employer  informing  him  of  the  des- 
truction of  his  establishment  by  fire,  and  ask- 
ing him  to  return  to  Woodstock  at  once.  On 
his  arrival  he  was  offered  by  Mr.  Dacy,  and  ac- 
cepted, a  partnership  with  the  latter,  and 
the  firm  of  Dacy  &  Company  having 
been  organized,  the  work  of  clearing 
up  the  ruins  left  by  the  fire  and  re- 
establishing the  business  was  begun.  In  this 
Mr.  Donovan  bore  a  prominent  part.  Mr. 
Dacy's  principal  books  of  account  had  been 
destroyed  by  fire,  but  by  means  of  small  pass- 
books containing  the  duplicates  of  filled  orders 
and  notes  due,  which  had  been  preserved  in 
another  safe,  with  much  labor  on  the  part  of 
Mr.  Donovan,  new  books  of  account  were 
opened  and  the  business  reestablished.  Mr. 
Donovan  assisted  in  various  ways  to  extend  the 
business  of  the  concern.  One  of  these  was  by 
holding  large  auction  sales  which  did  much 
to  advertise  the  new  firm.  In  1884  the  firm  of 
T.  J.  Dacy  &  Company  was  dissolved  and  Mr. 
Donovan  has  since  carried  on  the  agricultural 
implement  business  alone  at  the  stand  which 
he  now  occupies.  He  has  been  uniformaly  suc- 
cessful and  has  acquired  a  handsome  property. 
After  having  been  engaged  in  this  line  over 
thirty  years,  he  now  conducts  the  largest  im- 
plement business  in  McHenry  County,  besides 
being  the  owner  of  a  pleasant  residence  and 
other  valuable  real  estate  in  Woodstock.  In 
political  opinions  he  is  a  believer  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  been 
twice  elected  Mayor  in  a  strongly  Republican 
city,  besides  serving  several  years  as  Alder- 
man. He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Education  for  sixteen  years,  and,  during  the 
administration  of  Governor  Altgeld,  served 
four  years  on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Northern  Illinois  Hospital  for  the  Insane  at 
Elgin.  Mr.  Donovan  was  married  at  Wood- 
stock, in  1885,  to  Miss  Annie  Donnelly,  born  in 
Woodstock,  the  daughter  of  John  Donnelly. 
They  have  two  children,  Rupert  D.  and  Paul 


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McHENRY      COUNTY. 


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J.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  order  of 
Forresters  and  Knights  of  Columbus.  Mr. 
Donovan  and  his  family  are  communicants  of 
the  Catholic  Church.  He  takes  a  broad  view 
of  public  questions,  adopting  as  his  motto,  "The 
greatest  good  for  the  greatest  number."  He  is 
a  zealous  advocate  of  municipal  ownership  of 
public  utilities,  believing  that  any  profit  to  be 
derived  from  improvements  and  works  of  a 
public  character  should  go  to  the  benefit  of 
the  people,  by  assisting  in  the  reduction  of 
taxes  instead  of  enriching  the  bank  accounts 
of  private  individuals.  While  Mayor  of  Wood- 
stock, he  was  one  of  the  originators  and  chief 
promoters  of  the  present  admirable  system  of 
waterworks,  which  is  claimed  to  be  one  of  the 
best  for  a  city  of  its  size  in  the  West.  Owing 
to  the  stand  taken  by  the  Mayor  supported  by 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  a  number  of  the 
public-spirited  citizens,  the  system  is  now 
owned  and  operated  by  the  city  for  its  own  ben- 
efit. He  has  also  been  an  influential  factor  ir. 
promoting  local  manufacturing  enterprises, 
especially  the  establishment  at  Woodstock  of 
the  Oliver  Typewriter  Factory,  which,  as  a 
member  of  a  committee  of  business  men.  he 
was  instrumental  in  securing. 


JACOB    DELLENBACH. 

Jacob  Dellenbach,  Woodstock.  111.,  is  a 
retired  farmer  and  respected  citizen  who 
presents  an  excellent  example  of  Alsatian 
blood,  of  whom  so  many  of  the  best  class 
have  found  homes  in  McHenry  County.  Mr. 
Dellenbach.  was  born  in  Birlenbach,  Kreiss 
Weisenberg,  Als'ace,  then  a  province  of 
France,  but  now  a  part  of  Germany.  The 
family  is  believed  to  have  been  of  Swiss 
origin,  but  had  been  settled  for  generations 
in  Alsace.  His  parents  were  Henry  and 
Margaret  (Ungerer)  Dellenbach,  the  former 
born  in  Drachenbronn,  Alsace,  April  7,  1817, 
the  son  of  Peter  Dellenbach,  who  was  a  farm- 
er owning  several  small  parcels  of  land  in 
different  localities,  but  living  with  his  family 
in  a  village,  as  was  the  custom  in  that  country. 
The  wife  of  Peter  Dellenbach  was  a  Koebel. 
The  son,  Henry,  while  still  a  young  man, 
served  in  the  continental  wars  under  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte,  but  later  married  and  settled 
down   to   farming   in  his   native   country.     He 


was  twice  married — first  to  Magdalena  Koch- 
ensperger,  the  fruit  of  this  union  being  one 
son  named  Henry.  His  first  wife  having  died, 
he  married  for  his  second  wife  Margaret 
Ungerer,  and  one  son,  Jacob,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  to  them.  The  father 
(Henry  Dellenbach)  remained  in  his  native 
country  until  nearly  sixty  years  of  age,  when, 
in  1875,  in  company  with  his  wife  and  younger 
son,  Jacob,  he  came  to  America,  whither  the 
latter  had  come  some  years  previous,  return- 
ing, however,  to  accompany  his  parents  to 
their  new  home  west  of  the  Atlantic.  The 
elder  brother,  Henry,  was  already  in  this 
country,  having  come  over  some  years  pre- 
viously. The  elder,  Henry  Dellenbach,  came 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he  bought 
160  acres  of  land  in  Seneca  Township,  of 
which  he  made  a  good  farm,  and  there 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  Dec. 
10,  1897,  at  the  age  of  about  eighty  years. 
Mr.  Dellenbach  was  an  industrious,  frugal  and 
thrifty  farmer,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  both 
members  of  the  German  Presbyterian  Church. 
Mrs.  Dellenbach  was  born  in  her  husband's 
native  town  of  Birlenbach,  Alsace,  March  23, 
1821,  and  died  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  Dec. 
14,    1884. 

Jacob  Dellenbach  received  a  good  education 
in  his  native  country  before  coming  to 
America,  and  was  able  to  speak  and  write  in 
both  the  French  and  German  languages.  He 
was  brought  up  a  farmer  and  in  1870,  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  years,  came  to  America,  sail- 
ing from  Hamburg,  by  steamer  for  New  York, 
the  voyage  occupying  the  unusually  long  period 
of  eighteen  days.  From  New  York  he  went 
directly  to  Lyons,  Wayne  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  found  employment  at  farm  work  for 
the  next  two  years.  In  1872  he  came  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  where  he  was  engaged  as 
a  farm  hand  three  years,  when,  in  1875,  he 
returned  to  his  native  country  to  accompany 
his  parents  to  America.  His  brother  Henry 
had  come  to  America  in  1873.  The  latter 
was  born  Nov.  9,  1845,  and  died  Oct.  29,  1896, 
being  still   a   single   man. 

The  farm  in  Seneca  Township,  McHenry 
County,  upon  which  the  Dellenbach  family 
settled  on  their  arrival  in  this  country,  al- 
ready had  good  buildings  on  it  when  they 
bought   it,    but   it   was   still   further   improved 


752 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


after  it  came  into  their  possession.  By  in- 
dustry, enterprise  and  good  judgment,  Jacob 
Dellenbach  became  a  thrifty  farmer  and  pros- 
perous citizen,  and  served  his  fellow-citizens 
as  Road  Commissioner  six  years  and  School 
Director  five  years.  On  June  24,  1880,  he 
was  married  in  Greenwood  Township  to  Eliza 
Herdklotz,  who  was  a  native  of  that  town- 
ship, born  Jan.  24,  1859,  the  daughter  of 
Peter  J.  and  Katharine  (Sondericker)  Herd- 
klotz. (See  sketch  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  J. 
Herdklotz).  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jacob  Dellenbach  lived  on  the  home  farm 
and,  still  cultivating  it  with  true  German  in- 
dustry, with  loyal  fidelity  and  devotion,  cared 
for  his  parents  in  their  old  age.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dellenbach  are  members  of  the  German 
Presbyterian  church,  and  in  political  affilia- 
tion he  is  a  staunch  Republican. 

Reared  among  the  vineyards  of  his  native 
Alsace,  Mr.  Dellenbach  has  a  fondness  for  the 
vine,  and,  as  his  father  did  before  him,  under- 
stands its  cultivation  and  the  manufacture  of 
its  products.  In  1891  he  bought  three  acres 
of  land  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city 
of  Woodstock,  where  he  has  erected  a  hand- 
some and  tasteful  residence.  This  tract  he  con- 
templates transforming  into  a  group  of  vine- 
yards or  horticultural  gardens,  for  the  culti- 
vation of  the  grape  and  other  small  fruits, 
ornamental  shrubbery,  etc.,  after  the  manner 
of  some  of  the  beautiful  homes  in  his  father- 
land. It  may  be  stated  in  this  connection  that 
his  father,  during  his  life,  had  on  the  old 
home  farm  one  of  the  most  valuable  vine- 
yards in  Northern  Illinois.  Mr.  Dellenbach's 
career  through  life  has  been  that  of  the 
Btraight-forwaird,  honest  citizen,  marked  by 
sturdy  German  industry  and  steadiness  of 
character. 


VICTORIA  A.  DALTON. 

Archimedes  Burr  Wynkoop,  a  pioneer  settler 
and  early  public  official  of  McHenry  County, 
111.,  was  born  in  Chemung,  Chemung  County, 
N.  Y.,  June  5,  1812,  the  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Hannah  (Wynkoop)  Wynkoop,  both  branches 
of  the  family  being  of  Holland-Dutch  extrac- 
tion. The  younger  Wynkoop  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  and  at  Geneva  College, 
N.  Y.,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in 
McHenry  County,   and  for  a  time  boarded  at 


the  celebrated  "Brown's  Log  Cabin  Tavern" 
in  McHenry,  the  historic  hostelry  of  the  coun- 
ty. He  became  the  first  Circuit  Clerk  of  Mc- 
Henry County;  during  the  gold-fever  period  of 
1848,  went  to  California  and  died  at  Stockton, 
in  that  State,  Jan.  30,  1889.  Of  his  official 
connection  with  the  McHenry  County  Circuit 
Court,  "Walker's  Directory  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty," the  oldest  publication  treating  of  his- 
torical events  of  this  county,  says: 

"The  circuit  court  of  McHenry  County  held 
its  first  regular  session  at  the  old  village  of 
McHenry,  the  county-seat,  on  May  10,  1838, 
John  Pearson,  of  the  Seventh  Judicial  Circuit, 
presiding.  The  first  State's  Attorney  was 
Alonzo  Huntington;  Sheriff,  Henry  B.  Steele, 
and  Clerk,  A.  B.  Wynkoop." 

Mr.  Wynkoop  came  to  Illinois  in  1836,  in- 
company  with  "Long  John  Wentworth,"  who 
afterwards  became  editor  of  Chicago's  first 
newspaper,  "The  Chicago  Democrat."  On  the 
road  westward  he  had  met  Wentworth,  who 
walked  most  of  the  way  peddling  books,  but 
who  entered  the  State  of  Illinois  riding  an  old 
white  horse.  Mr.  Wynkoop  afterwards  settled 
near  Libertyville,  Lake  County,  where  he 
bought  320  acres  of  land  and  opened  up  a 
farm.  He  was  a  man  of  enterprise  and  energy, 
and  later  built  ,and  owned  the  old  South  Pier 
at  Waukegan,  and  also  conducted  a  store  and 
elevator  there.  He  established  at  Waukegan — 
then  known  as  "Little  Fort" — "The  Little  Fort 
Porcupine  and  Democratic  Banner,"  the 
earliest  newspaper  in  this  section  of  the  State 
outside  of  the  city  of  Chicago.  A.  B.  Wyn- 
koop was  its  editor,  and  proprietor  and  N.  W. 
Fuller  its  publisher,  its  initial  number  being 
issued  March  4,  1845.  The  '.'History  of  Lake 
County"  prepared  by  Col.  Charles  A.  Part- 
ridge, and  issued  by  the  Munsell  Publishing 
Company,  in  connection  with  an  edition  of  the 
"Historical  Encyclopedia  of  Illinois,"  says  of 
"The  Porcupine:" 

"This  paper  was  all  that  might  be  inferred 
from  its  name.  The  cut  of  a  hedge-hog  sur- 
mounted its  pages,  and  its  quills  projected  in 
all  directions.  It  did  not  mince  matters  in  the 
least,  but  scored  the  local  Democratic  leaders 
severely,  even  while  professing  to  be  their 
party  organ.  Public  officials  were  criticised 
without  stint." 

From  the  following  advertisement,  in  No.  4, 
Vol.  II.  of  "The  Porcupine,"  under  date  of  April 
7,  1846,  now  before  the  writer,  it  appears  that 
the  venerable  Judge  Blodgett,  still  a  resident 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


of  Waukegan,  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law  there  at  that  date.  The  card  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

"BOARDMAN  &  BLODGETT,  Attorneys 
at  Law  and  Solicitors  in  Chancery,  Little  Fort, 
Lake  County,  111.  Will  attend  to  any  profes- 
sional business  which  may  be  entrusted  to 
their  charge  in  the  counties  of  Lake  and  Mc- 
Henry." 

"WM.    A.    BOARDMAN, 
"H.    W.    BLODGETT, 

"Office  in  the  Court  House." 
Another  advertisement  in  the  same  issue  is 
that  of  Hon.  A.  B.  Coon,  recently  deceased, 
known  as  the  Nestor  of  the  McHenry  County 
Bar.  He  announced  that  he  would  "attend  to 
all  business  entrusted  to  his  care  in  the  coun- 
ties of  McHenry,  Kane,  DeKalb  and  Boone." 

The  same  number  contains  the  advertise- 
ment of  A.  B.  Wynkoop,  offering  for  sale  his 
"farm  of  170  acres  under  good  fence,  lying 
near  Libertyville,  Lake  County;  160  acres  un- 
der the  plow,  a  good  frame  house,  one-and-a- 
half  stories  high,  divided  into  six  good  rooms; 
the  kitchen  has  a  brick  fire-place  in  it.  There 
is  a  first-rate  well  of  water,  a  young  orchard 
and  a  nursery  of  peach  and  apple-trees  of 
about  3,000  on  the  farm.  The  peach  trees  bore 
a  few  peaches  last  year.  The  farm  embraces 
337.52  acres.  It  is  rolling  prairie,  and  title  is 
indisputable.  Terms,  $10,00  per  acre — cash." 
As  this  was  but  a  part  of  Mr.  Wynkoop's 
property  at  that  time,  it  is  evident  he  was  in 
good  circumstances. 

In  the  foreign  news  department  appears  the 
following: 

"FRANCE — Louis  Philippe  gave  a  ball  at 
Paris  on  the  anniversary  of  Washington's 
birthday. 

"ENGLAND— iSir  Robert  Peel's  Corn  Law 
Scheme  was  carried  in  the  House  of  Commons 
by  a  majority  of  97." 

The  same  paper  records  events  in  connection 
with  the  Mexican  War,  which  was  then  in 
progress.  It  also  contains  "a  roast"  for  "Long- 
John  Wentworth,"  then  Member  of  Congress 
for  the  Northern  District  of  Illinois,  whom  it 
describes  as  "a  most  unprincipled  intriguer  and 
black-hearted  despiser  of  truth  and  integrity." 
The  following  telegram  from  "Long  John"  him- 
self will  be  of  interest: 

"House  of  Representatives. 

"March  20,  1846. 
"To  the  citizens  of  Little  Fort:     The  River 
and  Harbor  Bill  has   passed  the  House  by  a 


vote  of  110  to  91,  the  Illinois  delegation  stand- 
ing four  to  two  and  one  absent. 

"Hastily  Yours, 
"JOHN  WENTWORTH." 
Although  fifty-seven  years  have  passed  since 
this  number  of  "The  Little  Fort  Porcupine" 
was  issued,  the  little  folio-sheet  is  very  read- 
able; the  print  is  still  black  and  clear,  although 
the  paper  is  somewhat  yellowed  by  age.  It  is 
a  sheet  of  five  columns,  is  well  edited  and  pre- 
sents evidence  of  literary  merit,  containing 
stories  as  well  as  news  of  the  day. 

No  complete  file  exists  and  only  a  few  num- 
bers have  been  preserved,  but  these  are  of 
much  historic  interest. 

On  November  21,  1839,  Mr.  Wynkoop  married 
Elizabeth  Slocum,  the  ceremony  taking  place 
in  the  log-house  of  Thomas  Slocum,  on  Slo- 
cum's  Lake  in  Lake  County.  Miss  Slocum  was 
born  July  15,  1819,  at  Florida,  Berkshire  Coun- 
ty, Mass.,  the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Sarah 
Leafy  (Whitcomb)  Slocum.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Slocum  were:  Mary  W.,  Thomas 
F.,  Harriet,  Sarah  L.,  Abigail,  Elizabeth  (Mrs. 
Wynkoop)  and  Stillman.  Jeremiah  Slocum 
was  a  farmer  who  moved  to  Illinois .  with  his 
family  in  1838  and  settled  on  the  borders  ot 
the  lake  which  received  the  family  name  in 
honor  of  his  son,  Thomas  F.,  who  was  the 
earliest  pioneer  in  this  section,  taking  up  300 
acres  of  land  there  in  1837.  Here  the  elder 
Mrs.  Slocum  died  Sept  12,  1838,  aged  fifty 
years,  and  was  the  first  white  person  to  be 
buried  in  that  locality.  Jeremiah  Slocum  died* 
in  McHenry  County,  Oct.  7,  1842,  of  Western 
fever,  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  B.  Wynkoop  were  the  par- 
ents of  three  children:  Cornelia  Amanda,  Vic- 
toria A.  and  Nile  W.  Nile  W.  is  a  resident  of 
Wauconda,  Lake  County,  111.,  married  Ellen 
Smith  of  the  same  place,  and  they  have  two 
sons — Frank  B.,  who  is  a  druggist  at  1002 
West  Madison  Street,  Chicago,  and  Frederick 
B.,  who  is  connected  with  the  Oliver  Type- 
writer Works,  Woodstock. 

VICTORIA  A.  DALTON,  of  the  above  named 
family,  and  patron  of  this  work,  was  born  at 
Waukegan,  111.,  May  24,  1842;  received  a  high- 
school  education  in  her  native  town,  and  after- 
wards attended  a  select  school  at  Chemung, 
N.  Y.,  and  an  academy  at  Wauconda,  111.  At 
fourteen  years  of  age  she  began  teaching  at 
Lake  Zurich,' HI.,  and  later  taught  at  Liberty- 


754 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ville  and  other  points  in  Lake  /and  McHem-y 
Counties,  until  she  was  twenty  years  of  ago. 
Nov.  6,  1867,  Miss  Wynkoop  was  married  at 
Wauconda,  111.,  to  Fredrick  De  Esmund  Dalton. 
a.  newspaper  writer  and  editor,  the  son  of  a 
British  officer  who  served  in  the  British  army 
in  Iudia  during  the  Sepoy  rebellion,  and  who 
was  also  a  Paymaster  of  Pensions  for  Canada. 
Frederick  D.  Dalton  established  a  newspaper 
at  Montreal,  Canada,  called  "The  Freeman,"' 
which  he  conducted  for  sometime.  Then,  com- 
ing to  the  United  States  during  our  Civil  War, 
he  was  connected  with  various  Chicago  papers, 
including  "The  Tribune."  He  was  a  zealous 
champion  of  temperance  and  established  a 
temperance  paper  in  Chicago,  "The  Citizen's 
League."  He  died  in  Boston  in  188G,  leaving 
one  daughter,  Hortense  Ada  Dalton,  now  the 
wife  of  Harry  Wells. 


GEORGE   E.   DODD. 

George  E.  Dodd,  early  settler  of  Algonquin 
Township,  is  descended  from  an  old  colonial 
family  of  English  extraction,  who  settled  in  the 
State  of  Connecticut  in  the  early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century. 

The  family  name  was  originally  spelled 
"Dod,"  and  Daniel  Dod,  Sr.,  was  the  first  mem- 
ber of  this  family  to  come  to  America.  He 
was  born  in  England,  and  with  his  wife,  Marv 
Dod,  came  to  this  country  as  early  as  1646, 
settling  at  Branford,  Conn.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  children:  Mary,  Anna,  DanieJ, 
Ebenezer,  Stephen  and  Samuel.  Daniel  Dod, 
Sr.,  died  in  1665,  and  his  wife  May  26,  1657. 
They  left  an  estate  at  Branford,  Conn.,  where 
they  were  both  buried. 

Daniel  Dod,  the  son,  had  a  good  knowledge 
of  surveying  and  settled  in  New  York.  He 
was  a  prominent  citizen  and,  in  1692,  was 
chosen  to  the  Legislature  of  the  province.  He 
married  Phoebe  Brown,  daughter  of  John 
Brown,  and  their  children  were:  Daniel. 
Stephen,  John  and  Dorcas. 

Daniel  Dod  of  the  third  generation,  married 
Sarah  Ailing,  daughter  of  Samuel  Ailing,  a 
prosperous  farmer.  Their  children  were: 
Eunice,  Sarah,  Thomas,  Daniel,  Isaac,  Joseph, 
Moses,  Amos  and  Caleb. 

Isaac  Dod  of  the  fourth  generation,  was  a 
deacon  and  leading  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.     For  several  years,  he  was  a  Captain 


in  the  Revolutionary  Army,  also  served  as  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  lived  in  the  center 
of  the  valley  of  Bloomfield.  He  married  Jemi- 
ma Williams,  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Abi- 
gail Williams,  and  their  children  were:  Sarah, 
Moses,  Abigail,  Abby,  Jairus,  Abby  (2), 
Jeptha,  Jarvis  and  Isaac.  Six  of  the  nine  chil- 
dren each  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty  years. 

Jarvis  Dod,  of  the  fifth  generation,  was  born 
in  Bloomfield,  Conn.,  in  1770,  where  he  married 
Sally  Davis,  afterwards  moved  to  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  lived  there  until  his  death, 
Jan.  30,  1852.  His  wife  died  July  6,  1848. 
Their  children  were:  Joanna,  William,  Abigail, 
Isaac,  Davis,  Sarah,  Ambrose,  Moses,  Mary 
(who  is  still  living),  John  and  Nathaniel  J. 

Ambrose  Dod,  of  the  sixth  generation,  was 
born  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  where  his  father 
had  cleared  up  a  farm,  having  settled  there 
when  the  county  was  a  wilderness.  He  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education,  learned  the 
tanner's  trade,  and  married  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y., 
Jan.  1835,  Cornelia  Early,  who  was  a  descend- 
ant of  Lord  Early  of  Scotland.  After  their  mar- 
riage they  settled  on  a  farm  in  Greenfield, 
Saratoga  County,  where  they  lived  nine  years, 
when,  in  1845,  they  moved  to  Illinois  and  set- 
tled on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  George  E. 
Dodd.  The  farm,  then  consisting  of  600  acres, 
was  partly  improved  and  he  bought  it  in  part- 
nership with  his  wife's  brother,  George  W. 
Early.  They  afterwards  sold  most  of  this  land, 
but  Mr.  Dodd  retained  106  acres,  which  he 
improved  and  cultivated  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  His  wife  died  in  October,  1849, 
and  in  1856  he  married  Eliza  M.  McOmber. 
Mr.  Dodd  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon  for  va  great 
many  years.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
New  York  State  militia.  The  children  by  his 
first  marriage  were:  George  E.,  born  Nov.  24, 
1835,  Emily  A.,  born  Jan.  21,  1838,  married 
Chester  Bigelow;  Charles  F.  who  was  born 
May  24,  1840,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
War  and  died  in  July,  1864,  from  the  effects  of 
disease  contracted  while  in  the  service; 
Henry,  born  Feb.  23,  1842,  died  Sept.  20,  1844; 
Egbert  R.,  born  Oct.  27,  1844;  Alvin  H.,  born 
Sept.  8,  1847.  The  children  by  his  second  mar- 
riage were  Cornelia,  born  March  23,  1858;  Al- 
bert H.,  born  Sept.  4,  1860.  and  Lewis  A.,  boru 
Sept.  24,  1863.  Ambrose  Dodd  died  Nov.  2, 
1876,  aged  about  seventy-three  years. 

Mr.    George  E.   Dodd,   was   born   in   Albany, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


755 


N.  Y.,  Nov.  24,  1835,  and  was  raised  on  a  farm 
in  Saratoga  County.  He  was  about  ten  years 
of  age  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illi- 
nois, and  there  received  a  good  common-school 
education,  attending  the  first  school  in  the 
village  of  Algonquin.  He  remembers  distinctly 
the  journey  by  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and  then 
by  team  to  McHenry  County.  Jan.  17,  1866,  In 
Algonquin  Township,  he  married  Roselle  H. 
Ford,  born  in  Genessee  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  17, 
1842,  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Lucy  B.  (Brown) 
Ford. 

Hiram  Ford  was  descended  from  an  old 
Scotch-American  family,  and  Mrs.  Ford  was  J. 
descendant  of  Captain  Vaughn  of  Revolution- 
ary fame.  Their  children  were:  Diantha, 
Julia,  Henry,  Roselle,  Vernon  and  Elmer.  Mr. 
Ford  moved  with  his  family  to  Illinois  and  set- 
tled in  Algonquin  Township  in  1842,  where  he 
bought  an  improved  farm  and  made  a  good 
home.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church  and  died  May  24,  1849. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  B.  Dodd 
lived  on  a  rented  farm  in  Algonquin  Township 
for  six  years.  He  then  bought  a  farm  near 
Cary  Station,  and,  in  1882,  moved  to  their 
present  farm,  the  old  Dodd  homestead,  which 
has  been  in  the  Dodd  family  for  over  fifty-five 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dodd  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children:  Charles  V.,  George 
Alvin,  Bertha  E.,  Elmer  N.  and  Eudora  D.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War,  enlisting  in  Al- 
gonquin, in  December,  1861,  as  a  private  in 
Company  A,  Fifty-eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, to  serve  three  years.  He  took  part  in 
the  battles  at  Fort  Donelson  and  at  Corinth, 
and  was  honorably  discharged  Oct.  31,  1862,  at 
Corinth,  Miss.,  on  account  of  disability  caused 
by  sickness.  He  was  taken  sick  in  July,  1862, 
and  cared  for  in  the  Hospital  at  Corinth,  dur- 
ing the  months  of  August,  September  and 
October,  after  which  he  was  sent  home  to  re- 
gain his  health.  His  brother  Charles  was  in 
the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and 
took  part  in  several  important  battles,  and  in 
the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  In  politics  Mr.  Dodd 
is  a  Republican  and  has  held  the  office  cf 
School  Director  for  six  years. 

Charles  V.  Dodd,  the  oldest  son  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  George  E.  Dodd,  married  Jennie  McKee 
and  is  a  machinist  in  Elgin.  He  has  one  child 
named  Marguerite. 

George  Alvin  married  Elizabeth  Rosenkrans 


and  lives  on  the  farm.  They  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Gladys. 

Bertha  married  Minor  D.  Weaver,  a  mer- 
chant of  Cary  Station,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren,  Marion  and  Roselle. 

Elmer  N.  married  Emma  Lobeck,  and  they 
live  in  Maywood,  a  suburb  of  Chicago.  He  is 
a  machinist  by  occupation. 

Eudora  D.  married  Edward  C.  Peter,  a 
merchant  in  Algonquin. 


ANDREW    DOIG. 

Andrew  Doig  (deceased),  during  his  life  one 
of  the  leading  business  men  of  Algonquin,  111., 
was  born  of  Scotch  parents  in  London,  England, 
May  5,  1828,  son  of  Andrew  and  Isabel  (Fife) 
Doig.  Andrew  Doig,  Sr.,  was  the  son  of  James 
Doig,  a  stone-cutter,  who  was  born  in  Dundee, 
Scotland,  and  there  married  Isabella  Fife,  who 
was  descended  from  a  prominent  Highland 
Scotch  family.  After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Doig  moved  to  America,  landing  at  Philadel- 
phia, in  1852,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  as 
a  stone-cutter  and  assisted  as  a  "true  carver" 
in  the  building  of  Girard  College,  the  cutting 
of  the  caps  on  the  Ionic  columns  being  an  im- 
portant part  of  his  work.  He  moved  to  Wash- 
ington about  1840,  where  he  assisted  in  building 
the  Patent  Office  and  the  United  States  Post- 
office,  afterwards  (1846)  came  to  Illinois  and 
settled  in  Will  County,  where  he  bought  a  farm 
of  200  acres.  He  improved  this  property,  and, 
in  1866,  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  invested 
his  means  in  buildings  and  real  estate,  but,  in 
his  old  age,  returned  to  Will  County  and  lived 
with  his  son,  Alexander  Doig,  until  his  death 
at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Doig  had,  for  a  great  many  years,  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church.  In  politics 
Mr.  Doig  was  a  Democrat. 

Andrew  Doig  (2),  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  between  four  and  five  years  of  age  when 
his  parents  came  to  America,  and  about  eleven 
years  old  when  they  moved  to  Washington. 
He  received  most  of  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  Washington,  and  also  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade.  In  the  spring  of  1850  ho 
went  to  California,  starting  from  Will  County, 
111.,  with  horses  and  wagon  and  crossing  the 
plains.  On  the  way  the  party  remained  ax 
Council  Bluffs  for  a  few  days,  and  were  ninety 
days  in  completing  the  journey  to  Weavers- 
ville,  Cal.       Here  Mr.  Doig  worked  at  placer- 


756 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


mining  for  three  years,  when  he  returned  to 
Illinois  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  stopping  at  the 
latter  city  to  have  his  gold  coined.  Returning 
to  Will  County,  he  purchased  300  acres  of  un- 
improved land,  which  he  converted  into  a  fine 
farm  and  on  which  he  lived  for  nine  or  ten 
years.  In  1855  Mr.  Doig  married  in  Chicago, 
Catherine  H.  Gillespie,  born  in  New  York 
State,  about  1836,  daughter  of  Alexander  and 
Agnes  (Simpson)  Gillespie.  Mr.  and  Mrs 
Gillespie  were  of  Scotch  ancestry,  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  their  children 
were:  Jennie,  Catherine  H.,  Margaret,  John 
and  George.  Mr.  Gillespie  was  a  cabinet- 
maker by  trade  and  settled  in  Will  County, 
111.,  at  an  early  day. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doig  settled  in 
Will  County,  but  ten  years  later  moved  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business,  building  houses  on  his  own  account 
and  conducting  a  successful  business  for  about, 
eleven  years.  In  1875  he  resumed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  having  bought  651  acres  of 
improved  land  in  Callaway  County,  Mo.,  for 
$35,000.  In  1882  he  returned  to  Illinois  and 
bought  his  home  property  at  Algonquin  with  a 
grist-mill,  where  he  continued  in  business  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doig  were 
the  parents  of  five  children:  James,  Agnes, 
Andrew  J.,  Elizabeth  A.  and  Catherine  H. 
James  married  Nannie  B.  Carver,  daughter  of 
John  M.  Carver,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and 
they  now  reside  in  Chicago.  Agnes  married 
Alexander  McKay,  and  lives  in  Algonquin. 
Andrew  J.  married  Sophronia  Munshaw,  and 
they  live  in  Winchester,  Tenn.  Elizabeth  A. 
married  John  R.  Munshaw,  a  farmer  of  Algon- 
quin Township,  and  they  have  three  children: 
Hazelverne,  Jennie  Louise  and  Ralph.  Cather- 
ine married  George  E.  Morton,  who  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  in  Algonquin,  and  died 
Nov.  16,  1902.  They  had  one  child  named 
George  E.  Morton. 

Politically  Mr.  Doig  was  a  Democrat  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order  and  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Mrs.  Doig  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  died  in  Algonquin, 
Aug.  22,  1894.     Mr.  Doig  died  May  23,  1901. 


JOHN   A.   DWELL Y. 

John  A,  Dwelly,  farmer  and  prominent  citi- 
zen of  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  County,   111., 


was  born  in  Manlius,  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y., 
May  1,  1860,  the  son  of  John  P.  and  Lucy  P. 
(Safford)  Dwelly.  The  Dwelly  family  are  of 
Welsh  ancestry  and  were  old  colonial  settlers 
in  Rhode  Island,  while  the  Saffords  are  of 
English-Puritan  stock  and  at  an  early  day  be- 
came settlers  in  Connecticut  Colony.  John  P. 
Dwelly  (1),  was  the  son  of  Jonathan  P.  and 
Lucy  (Williams)  Dwelly,  and  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island,  whence  he  emigrated  with  his 
father's  family  to  Onondaga  County,  N.  v/. 
There  the  father  settled  in  the  town  of  Man- 
lius, where  he  cleared  up  a  farm  in  a  heavily 
timbered  region.  The  old  homestead  in  Onon- 
daga County  still  remains  in  possession  of  his 
descendants. 

Jonathan  P.  Dwelly  and  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Horace, 
Luther,  James,  Addison,  John  P.,  Mary,  Sallie 
and  Esther.  The  father  was  a  substantial  and 
reputable  citizen,  and  lived  to  be  seventy-eight 
years  of  age. 

John  P.  Dwelly  (2)  was  born  on  the  home- 
stead in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y..  and  there  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education.  At  twen- 
ty-five years  of  age  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Lucy  P.  Safford,  who  was  a  native  of  the 
same  county,  the  daughter  of  Anson  K.  and 
Lucy  (Hatch)  Safford.  Both  the  paternal  and 
maternal  branches  of  her  family  were 
descended  from  early  colonial  and  English 
Puritan  stock.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  P.  Dwelly  settled  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  became  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres.  This  he  finally  sold  and,  purchasing  an- 
other farm — the  old  Safford  homestead — of 
eighty  acres  two  miles  distant  from  his  first 
location,  remained  there  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 
He  was  a  Methodist  in  religious  belief  and  in 
politics  a  Democrat.  He  had  children  named : 
Eva  L„  John  A.,  William  T.,  Cora  B.,  Edmond 
(who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years),  and  Min- 
nie E. 

John  A.  Dwelly,  of  McHenry  County,  and  th? 
immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  received  a 
good  education  in  the  public  sctioolp  of  his 
native  town  and  in  the  Manlius  High  School, 
and  early  began  working  on  the  farm,  which 
became  his  life-occupation.  In  1881  he  came 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  arriving  there  oa 
March  23d  of  that  year.  Here  he  remained 
two  years  engaged  in  farm-work,  when  lie 
went  to  Clark  County,  S.  D.,  where  he  "home- 
steaded"  a  tract  of  160  acres,  remaining  seven 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


years.    In  this  time  he  had  greatly  improved 
his  land,  erecting  on  it  a  comfortable  dwelling 
and  other  farm  buildings.    January  l    1885    he 
married  Emma  L.  Thomas,  who  was   born  in 
McHenry    Township,     McHenry     County     the 
daughter  of  Andrew  and  Elvira  (Brown)  Thom- 
as.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dwelly  spent  five  years  on 
a  farm  in  Dakota  and  then,  having  sold  it   re- 
turned to  McHenry  County  and,  for  the  next 
four  years,  lived  on  land  in  McHenry  Town- 
ship.    He  then,   about  March   1,   1894    bought, 
the  farm  which  he  now  occupies,  consisting  of 
120  acres  of     well-improved     land     pleasantly 
situated  near  Woodstock. 

Mr  John  A.  Dwelly  is  a  Democrat  in  politic* 
and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
Knights  of  the  Globe.  While  a  resident  of 
Dakota  he  was  one  of  the  Trustees  of  his  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  A.  Dwelly  are  the  parents 
or  the  following  named  children:  Elfileda  E 
born  Nov.  26,  1885,  now  a  pupil  in  Kimball's 
Commercial  College;  Leverne  J„  born  Oct.  18, 
1890,  died  Nov.  26,  1894;  Sylvia  L.,  born  July 
15,  1895,  and  Claribel  C,  born  May  6,  1897. 


757 


JOSEPH  DRAPER. 

Joseph  Draper,  West  McHenry,  111.,  farmer 
and  substantial  citizen  of  Nunda  Township, 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Canada,  Oct.  1 

111, thtT°f  EdWard    and     Chauti<*     (La- 
Pene)    Yertser.      Both    parents    were    French 

teZtT'  Td  th6ir  DameS  are  sPelIed  a«  un- 
derstood  when  pronounced   by  Mr.   Draper  to 

fv  wntrr-   -Mr-  DraPer  reCeived  the  name 
by  which  he  is  now  known  from  Americans 
who   were   unable   satisfactorily  to   pronounce 
his  French  patronymic,  and  this  he  has  since 
worn.-     Both   branches   of   hi3   family   lived 
within    a   day's    journey    east   of   Montreal    in 
what  was  then  known  as  "Lower  Canada"  or 
Canada  East"-now  a  part  of  the  Province  of 
Quebec.     They  were,   as  already  indicated    of 
old  French  Canadian  stock,  and  farmers  by  oc- 
cupation.    The  other  children  of  Mr.  Draper's 
immediate  family  were:  Edward,  Telaise,  Tref- 
iey  and  Lazien. 

Until  seventeen  years    of   age     Mr      Drar.Pr 
worked  on  the  farm  at  his  Canadian  homTen- 

X oJ  Z  °Pp°rtUnitieS  °f  aCquiriQe  a°  edu, 
cation.  He  then  left  home  and,  with  compan- 
ions going  to  Vermont,  found  employment  for 


a  t,me  on  a  farm  at  West  Derby  in  that  State. 
Then,  having  returned  to  his  native  country 
for  ,a  year  he  lived  at  Knowltonville,  near  the 
Vermont  line,  where  he  worked  at  the  black- 
smith trade.    He  also  was  employed  for  a  time 
at  farm  work  in  the  Memphremagog  Lake  re 
gion,  and  for  two  years  followed  his  trade  as 
a  blacksmith  at  Hardwick,  Vt.    Thence  he  went 
to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  spent  two  years  work- 
ing at  his   trade  in  that  city,     in  the  fall  of 
1856  he  removed  to  McHenry  County,  111    with 
the  family  of  Ogden  Meeker,  who  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade  and  for  whom  he  worked  the 
following  winter.    Then,  having  received  some 
assistance  from  Leonard  Gage,  ne  bought  out 
his  employer  and  carried  on  the  blacksmithing 
business  until  the  spring  of  1860,  when   in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Gage  and  his  son  James/he  went 
to  Pike's  Peak,  making  the  journey  across  the 
plains  with  a   four-horse     team.       The     partv 
crossed  the  Missouri  River  at  Omaha,  and  the 
journey  across  the  plains  occupied  two  months 
Arrived  in  Pike's  Peak  region,  Mr.  Draper  went 
into  the  Rocky  Mountains,     twenty-five     miles 
from   Boulder   City,    where   he   prosecuted   his 
trade  as  a  blacksmith  until  the  winter  of  1861- 
62.     He  then  returned  to  the  States  riding  a 
pony  across  the  plains,  the  trip  this  time  re- 
quiring eighteen  days,  when  he  arrived  at  Bur- 
lington, Iowa.     He  finally  returned  to  his  old 
home  in  McHenry  County,  but  in  the  following 
December  (1862),  still  feeling  an  attraction  for 
the  gold-mining  region,  he  started  for  Califor- 
nia by  way  of  the  Isthmus   of  Panama    tak- 
ing steamer  from  New  York.    At  the  Isthmus 
he  was  delayed  twenty-six  days  in  consequent 
of  an  accident  to  the  steamer  by  which  he  ex- 
pected to  proceed  to  San  Francisco;  but  finallv 
having  reached  his  destination,  he  went  on  to 
the  Old   Mission  at  San  Jose.       Here  he  en- 
gaged in  the  blacksmithing  business  again   un- 
til May  15,  1863,  when  he  went  north  to  the 
Columbia  River,  finally  reaching  Umatilla,   in 
Northeastern  Oregon.    From  this  point  he  ac- 
companied a  pack-train  into  Idaho,  and  spent 
six  weeks  prospecting  for  gold  in  the  vicinity 
of  Placerville. 

In  the  fall  of  1865  Mr.  Draper  returned  to  Illi- 
nois, making  the  journey  from  Placerville 
Idaho,  to  Oskaloosa,  Iowa-2200  miles-on  th* 
back  of  a  mule  in  the  space  of  two  and  one-half 
months.  After  his  return  to  McHenry  County 
he  resumed  his  business  as  a  blacksmith,  and' 
on  Jan.  1,  1866,  was  married  to  Miss  Hannah 


758 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Parks.  (See  sketch  of  H.  C.  Allen  in  this  vol- 
ume). Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draper  had  children 
named:  Georgiana,  born  July  22,  1867,  and 
Edna,  born  Aug.  23,  1871,  died  Jan.  18,  1872. 
Mrs.  Draper  died  Nov.  8,  1871,  and  on  Feb.  16, 
1873,  Mr.  Draper  was  married  to  Eliza  Jane 
Thomas,  who  was  born  on  the  old  Thomas 
homestead  in  McHenry  Township,  May  16, 
1844.  Mrs.  Draper  is  the  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Elvira  A.  (Brown)  Thomas  (see  sketch  of 
Andrew  Thomas),  and  was  reared  among  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  that  region,  in  her  childhood 
attending  school  in  the  Overocker  School 
House,  a  frame  building  still  standing  but  now 
in  use  as  a  farm  house.  One  of  her  early  teach- 
ers was  Lydia  Sayles,  now  .the  mother  of 
Charles  P.  Barnes,  the  well-known  lawyer  of 
Woodstock,  while  another  was  Celeste 
Bresse,  now  Mrs.  Ralston.  Mrs.  Draper  also 
attended  school  in  East  Greenwood  where,  un- 
der the  instruction  of  her  mother,  she  learned 
to  spin  and  weave — one  of  the  domestic  ac- 
complishments of  young  ladies  of  that  time. 
After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draper  set- 
tled in  West  McHenry,  where  Mr.  Draper  car- 
ried on  his  business  as  a  blacksmith  until  Feb- 
ruary, 1879,  when  they  moved  to  their  present 
home.  Mr.  Draper  bought  107  acres  of  partial- 
ly improved  land  with  no  buildings  on  it  ex- 
cept a  house.  He  has  since  added  many  im- 
provements, including  good  farm  buildings, 
and  has  a  well-improved  farm  and  pleasant 
home.  In  accomplishing  this  result  he  has 
had  the  efficient  aid  of  his  industrious  and 
capable  wife. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draper  have  one  son,  Clarence 
Ray,  who  was  born  in  West  McHenry,  Aug.  16, 
1877.  He  received  a  good  education  after 
spending  the  usual  time  in  the  public  school, 
having  also  attended  the  McHenry  High  School. 
He  is  a  practical  farmer  and  now  resides  with 
his  parents  on  the  home  farm. 

Joseph  Draper  is  of  a  cheerful,  happy  tem- 
perament, which  has  been  enriched  rather  than 
hardened  by  the  strenuous  and  adventurous 
life  he  has  led  in  many  different  sections  of 
the  country,  bringing  him  in  contact  with  many 
varieties  of  people.  He  is  now  spending  the 
evening  of  his  days  amid  the  comforts  of  a 
home  well  deserved  as  a  reward  for  many 
years  of  hardship  and  sturdy  industry,  coupled 
with  a  life  of  unswerving  integrity. 


HAMLIN  T.  DOLBEER. 

Hamlin  T.  Dolbeer,  McHenry  County,  111., 
early  settler  of  Nunda  Township,  was  born  in 
Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  9,  1834,  the  son  of 
Eli  and  Laura  (Lee)  Dolbeer.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  John  Dolbeer,  was  a  native  of 
New  Jersey,  but  of  Dutch  ancestry.  He  went 
in  early  manhood  to  Alvord,  Berkshire  Coun- 
ty, Mass.,  where  he  married  a  Miss  Parks, 
and  they  had  children  named  Eli,  Amaziah, 
Achsah  and  a  daughter  who  died  in  childhood. 
John  Dolbeer  was  a  farmer  and,  in  1812,  moved 
to  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  locating  fifteen  miles 
southeast  of  Rochester,  where  he  bought  unim- 
proved land  and  cleared  up  a  farm  in  the  wild- 
erness, becoming  the  owner  of  120  acres.  He 
was  a  lame  man,  and  finally  died  here  at  the 
age  of  about  seventy-six  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church. 

Eli  Dolbeer,  son  of  the  preceding,  born  June 
3,  1806,  at  Alvord,  Mass.,  went  with  his  parents 
to  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  at  the  age  of  six  years, 
and  there  received  an  ordinary  common-school 
education.  His  life  occupation  was  that  of  a 
farmer.  He  married  at  Mendon,  N.  Y.,  Laura 
Lee,  who  was  born  on  the  Lamoille  River  in 
"Vermont,  1804,  the  daughter  of  Stephen  Lee 
and  wife.  The  maiden  name  of  the  latter  was 
Sullivan,  but  her  first  name  is  unknown.  The 
Lees  were  of  Puritan  New  England  stock  and 
the  Sullivans  were  of  Irish  descent.  Mrs. 
Stephen  Lee  was  a  grand-niece  of  Gen.  John 
Sullivan  of  Revolutionary  fame,  and  her  hus- 
band, Stephen  Lee,  was  a  soldier  of  the  War 
of  1812,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burg. 

Eli  Dolbeer  settled  on  his  father's  old  home- 
stead at  Mendon,  N.  Y.,  and  later  bought  more 
land  until  he  was  the  owner  of  230  acres,  upon 
which  he  erected  good  buildings,  and  here 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  His  children 
were:  Mary  Ann:  Charlotte;  Amaziah,  born 
March  26,  1826;  John  S.,  born  Oct.  2,  1830; 
Hamlin  T.,  born  Nov.  9,  1834,  and  Henry  O, 
born  Sept.  17,  1838.  Mr.  Dolbeer  was  an  in- 
dustrious and  enterprising  citizen  and  enjoyed 
the  general  respect  of  the  community.  Hi? 
wife  was  a  memher  of  the  Baptist  church  for 
sixty-five  years. 

Hamlin  T.  Dolbeer  received  a  common-school 
education  and  his  life-occupation  has  been  that 
of  a  farmer.  In  1857  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and, 
for  a  time,  was  employed  by  the  month  at  farm 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


759 


work  in  Nunda  Township.  Then  returning  to 
his  old  home  in  New  York,  he  remained  there 
until  March  9,  1859,  when  he  again  came  to 
Nunda  Township,  and  soon  after  entered  into 
the  employment  of  Anthony  Snyder.  On  March 
7,  1860,  he  married  Catherine  M.  Snyder,  who 
was  born  July  12,  1837,  the  daughter  of  An- 
thony and  Christina  (Miller)  Snyder.  Her 
father  was  born  at  Taghkanick,  Columbia  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  the  son  of  Anthony  and  Margaret 
Snyder.  The  Snyders  were  descendants  of  a 
Holland-Dutch  family  of  New  Amsterdam — the 
original  Dutch  name  for  the  city  of  New  York. 
Anthony  Snyder  (2)  married  in  Columbia 
County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  25,  1834,  Catherine  Miller, 
who  was  born  in  the  same  town  as  her  hus- 
band, Nov.  13,  1815.  About  1837,  Mr.  Snyder 
moved  to  Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived 
about  eight  years  when,  in  October  1845,  he 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  settling  in  Nun- 
da Township.  A  year  later  (1846)  he  bought 
the  land  on  which  he  now  lives,  consisting  of 
420  acres.  The  improvements  upon  this  land, 
at  that  time,  consisted  only  of  ten  acres  of 
broken  prairie  and  a  log  house.  Mr.  Snyder 
added  other  improvements,  erecting  commod- 
ious and  substantial  farm  buildings,  and  in 
time  became  a  prosperous  and  successful  farm- 
er. He  was  held  in  high  esteem  in  the  com- 
munity and  served  his  township  as  Road  Com- 
missioner and  School  Director.  For  twenty- 
two  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  management 
of  a  threshing  machine  during  the  season  for 
small  grain  in  that  vicinity.  He  and  his  wife 
were  member's  of  the  Universalist  church,  and 
in  politics  he  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat.  He 
died  Feb.  6,  1890,  aged  about  seventy-six  years, 
and  his  wife,  Feb.  4,  1897. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamlin  Dol- 
beer  settled  on  the  old  homestead,  and  he  has 
followed  the  threshing  business  for  the  past 
twenty-seven  years,  and  is  now  one  of  the  most 
widely  known  men  in  McHenry  County.  He 
had  been  in  the  threshing  business  nine  years 
before  he  came  from  New  York,  and  understood 
it  thoroughly.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dolbeer  have 
been  born  the  following  named  children: 
Laura  C,  born  March  1861,  died  aged  twelve 
years  ;Lydia  Ann,  born  Sept.  17,  1863;  Ida  May, 
born  Oct.  15,  1868;  Mary  Elizabeth,  born  Nov. 
5,  1874. 

Lydia  Ann  married  Thomas  Wright,  an 
Englishman  by  birth  and  a  farmer  who  lives 


in  Grant  Township,  Lake  County,  111.,  and  they 
have  three  children. 

Ida  May  married  Thomas  Fisher,  a  farmer  of 
Wauconda,  Lake  County,  who  is  of  English  de- 
scent. 

Mary  Elizabeth  married  Joseph  Vasey,  also 
an  Englishman  and  a  farmer  of  Wauconda, 
Lake  County. 

Mr.  Dolbeer  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  160 
acres,  and  by  industry,  enterprise  and  good 
management,  has  become  a  thrifty  and  pros- 
perous farmer. 


MERTON  J.  EMERSON. 

Merton  J.  Emerson,  editor  of  the  "Harvard 
Independent,"  was  born  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
Wis.,  Oct.  20,  1870.  son  of  Herbert  H.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Vroman)  Emerson.  The  Emersons  are 
of  Massachusetts  Puritan  ancestry,  and  of  the 
same  stock  as  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  who  was 
a  relative  of  Minot  E.  Emerson,  the  grand- 
father of  Merton  J. 

Minot  E.  Emerson  was  a  pioneer  of  New 
York,  residing  near  Plattsburg,  and  was  a  boy 
at  the  time  of  the  battle  at  that  place,  in  the 
War  of  1812.  He  married  in  New  York  State, 
a  Miss  Wright  and  moved  to  Madison,  Wis., 
in  the  early  settlement  of  that  country,  and 
cleared  up  a  farm.  He  became  a  substantial 
farmer  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage  ex- 
tensively in  raising  fruit  in  his  county.  He 
served  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  though 
past  the  age  for  military  service,  he  and  three 
sons,  Roscoe,  Alton  and  Herbert  H„  enlisted 
in  Company  I,  Twenty-third  Wisconsin  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  and  served  in  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion.  He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  phys- 
ical power,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in 
1894,  he  had  reached  the  venerable  age  of 
eighty-two  years.  Politically  he  was  a  Jackson- 
ian Democrat,  and  as  a  representative  of  that 
party,  filled  several  local  offices,  among  them 
being  that  of  Supervisor  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  His  children  were:  James,  Ely,  Roscoe, 
Alton,  Herbert  H.  and  Merton. 

Herbert  H.  Emerson,  father  of  Merton  J., 
was  born  at  Buckeye,  near  Madison,  Dane 
County,  Wis.  After  leaving  the  common 
school  he  attended  the  old  Madison  University, 
but  left  college  early  to  enlist  in  the  Civil  War. 
He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Chattanooga, 
Lookout  Mountain,  The  Wilderness,  and  ser- 
eral   others.     He   served   three   years   and   his 


760 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


health  was  ruined  by  exposure  and  hardship. 
In  1866  he  married  at  Clinton,  Wis.,  Elizabeth 
Vroman,  born  at  Sharon,  Wis.,  July  4,  1844, 
daughter  of  Peter  N.  and  Catherine  (Ferow) 
Vroman.  Both  the  Vromans  and  Ferows  were 
of  sturdy  colonial  Dutch  stock. 

Peter  N.  Vroman  was  born  at  Sharon,  Scho- 
harie County,  N.  Y.,  May  6,  1824,  son  of  Josiah 
and  Elizabeth  Vroman.  He  was  reared  a  farm- 
er. September  26,  1844,  at  Sharon,  he  married 
Catherine  H.  Ferow,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Leah  Ferow.  Henry  Ferow  descended  from 
the  old  Mohawk  Dutch.  His  father  was  killed 
by  the  Indians  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  massacre. 
In  1840  Peter  N.  Vroman  was  one  of  a  party 
that  came  by  steamboat  from  Buffalo  to  De- 
troit, and  thence  traveled  on  foot  to  Chicago 
and  then  to  Delavan,  Wis.,  where  he  opened 
up  a  farm  near  Delavan  Lake.  He  died  De- 
cember 29,  1897.  His  children  were  Elizabeth, 
Mary,  Henry,  Adelia,  Charles,  Leah  and  one 
who  died   in  infancy. 

/After  marriage  Herbert  H.  Emerson  became 
a  very  successful  music  teacher  and  conducted 
an  orchestra  at  Dubuque,  Iowa.  His  health 
failing,  he  returned  to  Madison,  Wis.,  in  1874, 
where  he  died  on  April  24  of  that  year.  He  was 
a  prisoner  at  Andersonville  four  months  dur- 
ing his  term  of  service  in  the  Civil  War,  and 
endured  severe  hardship.  When  he  entered 
the  prison  he  weighed  one  hundred  and  seven- 
ty-five pounds,  and  when  released  his  weight 
was  eighty  pounds.  His  children  are:  Herbert 
E.,  Cora  E.  and  Merton  J. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  Merton  J. 
Emerson  remained  with  his  mother  and  family 
at  Walworth,  Wis.  In  1884  the  family  moved 
to  Harvard,  and  there  Merton  J.  attended  the 
public  schools,  including  the  high  school,  and 
subsequently  spent  two  years  in  Beloit  College. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  and  while  yet  in 
school,  he  began  to  learn  the  printer's  trade 
in  the  office  of  the  "Harvard  Independent," 
under  O.  S.  Eastman,  spending  four  years  and 
learning  the  business  thoroughly.  While  at- 
tending Beloit  College  he  paid  his  expenses  by 
doing  editorial  work  on  the  "Beloit  News,"  al- 
so serving  at  times,  as  compositor  and  report- 
er on  the  same  paper.  After  leaving  college 
he  took  charge  of  the  "Delavan  Enterprise"  as 
editor,  which  he  conducted  for  a  year  and  a 
half.  From  1892  to  1895  he  filled  a  place  in  the 
Government  printing  office  at  Washington,  D. 
C,  where  he  had  unusual  advantages  and  op- 


portunities for  learning  the  mysteries  of  the 
art.  Returning  to  Harvard,  on  Sept.  1,  1895, 
in  partnership  with  Eugene  Sanders,  he  bought 
the  "Harvard  Independent,"  which  has  always 
been  conducted  as  a  Republican  newspaper.  It 
was  established  in  1865,  and  was  for  some 
years  the  leading  newspaper  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty. At  the  time  it  was  purchased  by  its  pres- 
ent proprietors,  its  business  had  run  down, 
and  it  had  a  very  small  patronage.  It  now 
ranks  as  one  of  the  leading  newspapers  of  the 
county.  Mr.  Emerson's  mother  died  in  Har- 
vard, April  13,  1899. 

In  Chicago,  Oct.  30,  1901,  Mr.  Emerson  mar- 
ried Tina  B.  Spriggs,  of  Harvard.  She  was 
born  in  Chicago,  the  daughter  of  T.  G.  and  Kate 
L.  Livingstone)  Spriggs.  The  Spriggs  family 
is  of  English  extraction,  while  the  Livingstones 
are  of  the  same  stock  as  the  noted  African  ex- 
plorer, David  Livingstone.  A  niece  of  Kate 
L.  married  the  celebrated  humorist,  Bill  Nye. 

Politically,  Mr.  Emerson  is  a  Republican,  and 
fraternally  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order  and 
of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is 
one  of  the  best  known,  as  well  as  one  of  the 
ablest  of  the  editors  of  the  McHenry  County 
press.  Graphic  in  style,  and  clear  and  force- 
ful in  his  diction,  his  pen  is  wielded  with  the 
rugged  force  of  an  independent  American,  and 
his  editorials  never  deviate  from  the  high 
standard  of  his  ideals. 


WILLIAM    EDWARDS. 

William  Edwards  (deceased),  an  early  settler 
of  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  is  a  descendant 
of  the  celebrated  Edwards  family  of  New  Eng 
land,  of  which  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards 
was  a  member,  and  among  whose  1,400  des- 
cendants, during  the  last  century  and  a  half ,  six- 
ty have  obtained  prominence  in  authorship  and 
journalism,  producing  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  works  of  more  or  less  literary  merit. 
Among  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  college 
graduates  of  this  family,  thirteen  have  been 
Presidents  of  colleges  and  other  higher  insti- 
tutions of  learning;  sixty-five  have  been  college 
professors,  and  many  principals  of  important 
academies  and  seminaries.  Forty-five  Ameri- 
can and  foreign  universities  count  members  of 
this  family  on  the  list  of  their  alumni,  and  from 
its  ranks  have  come  Presidents  of  Yale,  Prince- 
ton,  Union,   Hamilton  and  Amherst  Colleges; 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


761 


the  Universities  of  California  and  Tennessee; 
the  famous  Litchfield  Law  School  and  Andover 
Theological  Seminary.    Rev.  Timothy  Edwards, 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  was  an 
Episcopal   clergyman,   who   came   from    Wales 
at  an  early  day  and  settled  near  New  Haven, 
Conn.,      and      from      him      were      descended 
Jonathan     Edwards,     the      eminent      Presby- 
terian        theologian,      and       Capt.    Nathaniel 
Edwards,    the    Revolutionary   patriot.     It   was 
to     the     latter     that     the     subject     of     this 
sketch   traced   his   ancestry.     Capt.    Nathaniel 
Edwards  was   born  in   Connecticut  and,   while 
still  a  young  man,  served  in  the  French  and 
Indian  wars  and  later  in  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution, in  which  he  was  Captain  of  an  independ- 
ent  company.     Some  years   after  the  Revolu- 
tion he  removed  to  what  was  then  a  wilderness 
region    in    Saratoga  County,    N.    Y.,    and,    set- 
tling in  the  woods  about  eight  miles  north  of 
Saratoga  Springs,  opened  up  a  farm  where  he 
died  in  1824,  aged  about  eighty-seven  years.    He 
was    buried    in    the   family    cemetery   between 
his  farm  and  that  of  his  son  Isaac.    The  latter, 
who  was  the  grandfather  of  the  late  William 
Edwards,  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  near 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  served  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and   took  part  in 
the  battles   of  Bemis   Heights   and    Stillwater. 
He  married  in  Connecticut  Esther  Foote,  who 
was  of  the  same  stock  as  Admiral  Foote  of  the 
Civil  War  and  Mrs.  Henry  Ward  Beecher.    The 
children  of  Isaac  and  Esther  (Foote)  Edwards 
were:    Betsy   and   John,    born   in    Connecticut, 
and     Truman,     James,     Alfred,     Edward     and 
Barney,  who  were  born  in  Saratoga  County,  N. 
Y.     Isaac  Edwards  moved  from  Connecticut  to 
Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  after  the  birth  of  his 
son  John,  and  opened  up  a  farm  of  100  acres 
which  became  a  comfortable  homestead.     Here 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  on 
his  farm  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  and 
was    buried    in    the    family    cemetery    already 
mentioned.    He  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  a  man  of  high  character. 

John  Edwards,  the  son  of  Isaac,  was  born  in 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  October  11,  1790,  received 
a  common-school  education  and  became  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  While  still  a  child  he 
accompanied  his  father  to  Saratoga  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  on  July  15,  1813,  was  married  in  Green- 
field, Saratoga  County,  to   Sarah  Cooper,  who 


was  born  at  Stillwater,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of 
William  Cooper,  a  pioneer  of  Washington 
County.  N.  Y.  The  Coopers  were  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent.  William  Cooper  was  born  in 
New  York,  the  son  of  James  Cooper,  a  tea- 
merchant  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  thirteen 
times,  which  in  those  days  was  considered  re- 
markable. After  marriage  John  Edwards 
cleared  up  a  farm  in  the  woods  of  Saratoga 
County,  bought  more  land  and  finally  became 
the  owner  of  between  four  and  five  hundred 
acres.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  be- 
lief, and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years. 
His  children  were:  William,  Isaac,  Oliver, 
David  and  two  daughters  who  died  while 
young.  Mrs.  John  Edwards  was  a  woman  of 
strong  character,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her 
son  William,  aged  ninety-two  years. 

William  Edwards,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  a  log  cabin  on  his 
father's  farm,  June  9,  1817,  received  an  ordin- 
ary education  in  the  pioneer  schools  of  his  day, 
and  for  a  time  attended  an  academy  at  Green- 
field Center,  N.  Y.  March  20,  1844,  he  was 
married  at  Greenfield,  N.  Y.,  to  Mary  R.  Bowen. 
who  was  born  in  Greenfield,  April  29,  1824,  the 
daughter  of  Hezekiah  and  Phoebe  (Allen) 
Bowen.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Rhode 
Island,  born  April  14,  1796,  the  son  of  Asa 
Bowen,  the  family  being  of  English  descent. 
Hezekiah  was  a  farmer  of  Saratoga  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  had  the  following  named  children: 
Daniel,  Mary  R.,  and  John  A.,  all  now  deceased. 
The  father  died  in  New  York  State,  October  22, 
1840,  and  his  wife  in  the  same  State  at  ths 
age  of  eighty  years.  After  marriage,  William 
Edwards  settled  on  a  farm  eight  miles  north 
of  Saratoga,  where  his  wife  died  Dec.  11,  1849, 
leaving  one  child,  Hannah  Mary,  who  married 
Alfred  Cady,  of  Marengo,  and  has  two  children. 
Ruby  Mary  and  Edwin  James.  On  July  30, 
1851,  he  married  as  bis  second  wife,  Jane  A. 
Williams,  born  in  Greenfield,  N.  Y..  March  4, 
1820,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Betsy 
(Hawley)  Williams.  In  the  spring  of  1852  Mr. 
Edwards  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  when? 
he  arrived  in  the  early  part  of  May,  and  soon 
after  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
Marengo,  which  he  continued  about  six  years, 
when  he  bought  a  farm  of  245  acres,  two  and  a 
half  miles  west  of  Marengo.  This  farm  he  im- 
proved, erecting  upon  it  good  farm  buildings. 


762 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Of  his  second  marriage,  there  was  but  one 
child,  Jennie  L.,  who  lived  to  years  of  maturity. 
She  was  born  at  Marengo,  Dec.  23,  1861,  and  is 
now  the  wife  of  Charles  N.  Spitzer,  of  Marengo 
Township,  and  they  have  two  children,  William 
Edwards  and  Fred  Newton.  Mr.  Edwards  led 
a  prosperous  farmer's  life  for  nearly  twenty- 
five  years,  until  1881,  when  he  returned  to 
Marengo,  where  he  bought  a  residence  and 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying 
there  Jan.  12,  1903. 

Mr.  Edwards  was  an  active  and  enterprising 
business  man  and,  withal,  public-spirited,  as 
shown  by  his  interest  in  public  questions,  in- 
cluding the  support  of  churches,  the  encourage- 
ment of  good  schools  arid  the  promotion  of  road 
improvements.  For  one  year  he  served  as 
Supervisor  of  Marengo  Township.  He  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Marengo  Collegiate 
Institute  which  was  established  in  the  'fifties. 
He  served  as  treasurer  of  the  Institute  for 
some  time,  and  rendered  to  it  liberal  financial 
assistance.  The  buildings  of  the  institution 
having  been  finally  destroyed  by  fire,  it  ceased 
to  exist.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  temperance 
principles  and  was  one  of  the  class  of  citizens 
who  succeeded  in  excluding  liquor-saloons  from 
Marengo  for  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years. 
Originally  an  old  line  Whig,  Mr.  Edwards  be- 
came one  of  the  founders  of  the  Republican 
party  in  McHenry,  casting  his  first  Republican 
vote  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  his  second  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  Presidency,  in  the 
early  days  of  the  party.  In  1872  he  was  a  sup- 
porter of  Horace  Greeley  for  President  and, 
in  his  later  years,  co-operated  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  He  was  a  student  of  good  litera- 
ture and  retained  his  mental  faculties  in  a 
remarkable  degree  up  to  the  end  of  his  long 
career  of  nearly  eighty-six  years.  As  a  citizen, 
through  his  integrity  and  sterling  worth,  he 
enjoyed  the  respect  of  the  community  in  which 
he  had  spent  over  half  a  century. 


RUSSEL  FULLER. 

Russel  Fuller,  retired  farmer,  Richmond,  Mc- 
Henry County,  belongs  to  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  Hebron  Township,  and  is  a  member 
of  a  lateral  branch  of  the  colonial  family  of  that 
name  in  Massachusetts,  whose  founder  came 
to  Plymouth,  Mass.,  on  the  Mayflower,  in  1620. 


Judah  Fuller,  the  grandfather  of  Russel  Fuller, 
was  a  citizen  of  Massachusetts,  who  had  child- 
ren as  follows:  Simeon,  Joseph,  Judah,  Weal- 
thy, Abiel  and  Lot.  Abiel  Fuller,  of  this  family, 
was  born  in  Massachusetts,  Jan.  12,  1777,  and 
became  a  farmer.  In  his  early  manhood  he 
went  to  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived 
for  a  time  with  his  oldest  brother,  Simeon.  He 
was  married  in  New  York  State  to  Desire 
Stephens,  who  belonged  to  a  colonial  family  of 
Massachusetts,  being  born  Dec.  21,  1781.  Abiel 
Fuller  settled  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  cleared  up  a  farm  in  the  forest  and  estab- 
lished a  home  where  he  lived  many  years.  He 
became  a  contractor  on  the  Erie  Canal  and  lost 
his  farm  by  business  reverses,  but  afterwards 
purchased  unimproved  land  on  which  he  opened 
up  a  new  farm.  About  1833  he  moved  to  the 
vicinity  of  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  where  he  lived 
on  a  rented  farm  on  Prairie  Round,  for  five 
years,  when  he  bought  land  in  St.  Joseph 
County,  Mich.,  and  improved  a  farm  of  160 
acres.  Three  years  later  he  removed  to  Wal- 
worth County,  Wis.,  where,  in  conjunction  with 
his  son  Joseph,  he  purchased  200  acres  of 
prairie  and  timber  land,  which  they  improved 
as  a  farm.  Here  he  died  July  2,  1857,  aged  over 
eighty  years.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Baptist  and,  politically,  an  anti-slavery  Whig. 
The  children  of  Abiel  Fuller  and  wife  were: 
Lyman,  born  Sept.  27,  1800;  Jonathan,  born 
Aug.  11,  1802;  Lot  Webster,  born  Nov.  27, 
1804;  Rachael,  born  Aug.  12,  1807;  Albert,  born 
Feb.  3,  1810;  Almon,  born  Sept.  24,  1811: 
Joseph,  born  July  13,  1814;  Judah  H.,  born 
Dec.  8,  1816;  Russel  (the  subject  of  this 
sketch),  born  Dec.  16,  1819,  and  Abiel,  Jr., 
born  July  30,  1822.  All  of  these  children  were 
bcrn  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  except  Lyman, 
the  oldest,  who  was  born  in  Oneida  County. 

Russel  Fuller  received  a  limited  education 
while  working  on  the  farm  in  his  native  State 
and  in  Michigan,  and  at  twenty-two  years  of 
age  removed  with  his  parents  to  Wisconsin, 
where  he  worked  on  a  farm  in  Mound  Prairie 
one  year.  When  twenty-four  years  of  age,  he 
attended  school  for  a  time  at  Ringwood,  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.  He  early  bought  land  in 
Hebron  Prairie,  and,  in  1843,  entered  forty 
acres  more.  At  twenty-six  years  of  age  he  was 
married  in  McHenry  County  to  Meleena  Mc- 
Collum,    who    was    born    June    15,    1827,    the 


£2^^- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


763 


daughter  of  George  and  Sarah  (Dougherty)  Mc- 
Collutn.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller 
settled  on  his  land  in  Hebron  Township,  where 
he  improved  a  farm  and  built  a  frame  house 
which  is  still  standing.  He  added  to  his  land 
in  McHenry  County  until  he  had  160  acres,  be- 
sides 200  acres  in  Walworth  County,  Wis.  The 
children  by  this  marriage  were:  Stanley  Web- 
ster, born  Sept.  30,  1848;  Florence  A.,  born 
June  16,  1850;  Esther  Maria,  born  May  20, 
1852,  and  Marion,  born  August  4,  1855,  and 
died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Fuller  died  Sept.  14, 
1856,  and  on  June  29,  1857,  Mr.  Fuller  was 
married  in  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  to  Mary 
S.  Weeks,  of  Richmond,  111.,  who  was  born  at 
Guilford,  Belknap  County,  N.  H.,  April  30, 
1840,  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Ann  P.  (El 
kins)  Weeks.  Her  father,  Daniel  Weeks,  was 
born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  August  13,  1813,  the 
son  of  Daniel  and  Hannah  Gale  Weeks.  Daniel 
Weeks,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Fuller,  was 
born  Dec.  28,  1775,  and  was  a  merchant  and 
lumber  dealer  in  Boston,  but  moved  to  Guil- 
ford, N.  H.,  at  an  early  day,  where  he  became  a 
farmer.  His  children  were:  John,  Isabella 
William,  Julia  Susan,  Emily  and  Daniel.  Daniel 
Weeks,  Sr„  died  Dec.  27,  1853,  and  his  wife. 
July  9,  1852.  The  father  of  Daniel  Weeks,.  Sr. 
was  Benjamin  Weeks,  who  was  born  in  1746, 
and  married  May  26,  1774,  Sarah  Weed.  He 
died  in  1828. 

Daniel  Weeks,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Fuller, 
married  August  20,  1835,  Anna  Elkins,  who 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  May  5,  1815,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Sibley)  Elkins. 
In  1856  he  came  to  Richmond  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  he  bought  and  improved 
240  acres  of  land.  About  1880  he  removed  to 
Beadle  County,  S.  D.,  where  he  engaged  in  stock 
raising,  but,  about  1883  to  1885,  he  returned  to 
Richmond,  McHenry  County,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death.  He  was  an  industrious  and 
well-to-do  citizen,  and  in  politics  a  Republican. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  the  fol- 
lowing named  children:  Anna  M.,  born  June 
1,  1837,  died  1854;  Sarah  B.,  born  July  11. 
1838,  died  July  19,  1870;  Mary  IS.,  born  April 
30,  1840;  John  B.,  born  Feb.  5,  1842;  William 
S.,  born  Oct.  20.  1844;  Oscar,  born  Nov.  11, 
1848,  died  1868.  The  sons  John  and  William 
were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War — the  former  be- 
ing Captain  of  his  company,  and  taking  part 
in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg. 


After  his  second  marriage  Mr.  Fuller  con- 
tinued to  reside  on  his  farm  in  Hebron  Town- 
ship until  1872,  when  he  bought  residence 
property  in  Richmond  and  resided  there  for  the 
next  five  years.  In  1877  he  returned  to  his 
farm,  remaining  there  until  1883,  when  he 
sold  out  his  farm  property  and  retired  from 
active  business  life.  Mr.  Fuller  has  two  chil- 
dren by  his  second  marriage:  Arthur  Ahiel  and 
Anna  M., — a  third  child,  Oscar,  died  in  infancy. 
He  has  provided  handsomely  for  his  children, 
giving  his  oldest  son  a  farm  of  160  acres,  and 
furnishing  the  others  with  cash  capital  with 
which  to  begin  life  for  themselves.  Mr.  Fuller 
is  a  life-long  Methodist,  having  united  with 
that  church  at  Prairie  Round,  Mich.,  when 
about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  has  held  the 
offices  of  Church  Trustee  and  Steward  many 
years.  He  has  also  assisted  to  build  several 
churches  in  his  section  of  the  State.  Political- 
ly he  was  originally  an  old  line  Whig  and  later 
a  Republican.  By  a  life  of  integrity,  industry 
and  public  spirit  he  has  not  only  prospered 
himself,  but  has  won  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  the  community.  Mrs.  Fuller  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  with  which 
she  united  at  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  has 
been  a  Sunday  School  teacher  for  many  years. 
Two  uncles  of  Mr.  Fuller — Simeon  and  Lot 
Fuller — served  as  soldiers  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution. 

The  following  facts  concerning  Mr.  Fuller's 
children  are  of  interest: 

Stanley  Webster  Fuller,  the  oldest  son,  is  a 
farmer  in  Barton  County,  Mo.,  where  he  owns 
a  farm  of  160  acres,  besides  a  farm  of  the 
same  size  in  Wright  County  of  the  same  State. 
He  married  in  Missouri  Alice  Cole,  and  they 
have  three  children  named  Nellie  (wife  of  C.  L. 
Nears,  and  residing  in  Barton  County,  Mo.), 
Ethel  and  Frank. 

Esther  Maria,  the  only  surviving  daughter 
of  Mr.  Fuller's  first  marriage,  is  the  wife  of 
Rudolph  Primmer,  and  lives  at  Palmdale,  Cal., 
where  they  are  engaged  in  raising  fruits  and 
nuts.  They  have  five  children,  viz.:  Alice  M. 
(wife  of  Rudolph  Hermann,  and  resides  near 
Los  Angeles),  Fleeta  M.,  (wife  of  Clifton  W. 
Gillette,  resides  at  Maywood,  111.),  Russell, 
Lura  and  Clyde. 

Arthur  Abiel,  a  son  by  Mr.  Fuller's  second 
marriage,  married  Lucy  Hart  and  lives  in  May- 
wood,  111.     They  have  six  children,  viz.:     Clar- 


764 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ence,  Russell,  Lois,  Richard  H.,  Arthur  and 
Marion. 

Anna  M.  is  the  wife  of  Clyde  Barrett  and 
lives  at  Maywood,  111.  They  are  the  parents  of 
Sylvia  May  ,and  Lyman  Austin,  the  last  of 
whom  died  when  five  years  of  age. 

The  following  facts  relate  to  the  family  of 
Mrs.  Fuller:  John  Elkins,  the  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Fuller  on  the  maternal  side,  was  born  in 
1790  and  died  in  1841.  Her  grandmother,  Sarah 
(Sibley)  Elkins,  was  born  in  1792,  and  died  in 
1871.  Mrs.  Fuller's  great-grandfather  Elkins 
was  born  Dec.  29,  1760,  and  died  in  1850;  his 
wife  Hannah  (Haynes)  Elkins,  born  in  1760, 
died  in  1838.  Her  great-grandfather  on  the 
maternal  side  of  her  mother's  family,  was 
William  Sibley,  who  was  born  July  16,  1768. 
died  June  22,  1828,  and  his  father,  William 
Sibley,  born  in  1738,  died  in  1799. 


GUY  S.  FRARY. 

One  of  the  prominent  pioneers  and  substan- 
tial business  men  of  McHenry  County,  is  Guy 
S.  Frary.  His  family  is  of  English  origin,  and 
Puritan  stock  from  Connecticut.  Alonzo  Frary, 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born 
in  Rutland  County,  Vt.,  July  5,  1800,  and  having 
received  a  common-school  education,  became 
a  farmer.  He  was  married  in  Fairfield  County, 
Conn.,  to  Maria  Sherman,  a  native  of  that  Coun- 
ty, born  in  1798,  a  member  of  the  old  Sherman 
family  of  Connecticut,  and  also  of  English  and 
Puritan  descent.  After  marriage  (about  1823- 
24)  they  settled  in  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y., 
where  Mr.  Frary  opened  a  farm  in  the  woods. 
In  1843  he  removed  over-land  by  teams  to  Illi- 
nois, coming  by  way  of  Cleveland  and  Chicago, 
thence  to  Algonquin,  McHenry  County,  where 
he  arrived  March  8,  1843 — the  trip  occupying 
thirty  days,  including  a  stoppage  of  three  or 
four  days  at  Door  Prairie,  Ind.  This  was  the 
famous  hard  winter  of  1843.  Mr.  Frary  had  a 
two-horse  sleigh,  which  enabled  him  to  make 
rapid  progress  on  part  of  his  journey.  The 
snow  covered  the  ground  in  places  to  the  depth 
of  four  feet,  and  hogs  running  wild  in  the 
woods  were  frozen  to  death.  As  late  as  April 
13,  Mr.  Frary  drove  from  Elgin  to  Batavia  on 
the  ice  in  Fox  River.  At  first  he  stopped  with 
S.  J.  iSmith,  who  lived  a  mile  west  of  where 


Cary  Station  now  stands,  and  later  with  Will- 
iam D.  Cary,  who  lived  opposite  to  Mr.  Frary's 
present  home.  Having  located  a  claim,  he 
ultimately  perfected  his  title  by  purchase  from 
the  Government  of  160  acres  of  prairie  land 
one  mile  west  of  Cary  Station,  and  erected  upon 
it  a  log  house  which  he  moved  from  Algonquin, 
and  in  which  he  lived  a  number  of  years.  To 
his  original  purchase  he  added  29  V2  acres, 
making  a  farm  which  still  remains  in  possess- 
ion of  his  family.  He  assisted  to  build  the 
first  school  house  in  District  No.  9.  This  was 
a  frame  house  erected  by  subscription,  the  sub- 
scribers embracing,  among  others,  the  names 
of  Alonzo  Frary,  Levi  Seebert,  S.  J.  Smith, 
Reuben  Jenne,  Levi  Smith,  and  Benjamin  Hill. 
Guy  S.  Frary,  then  a  lad,  assisted  in  hauling 
the  lumber  from  Chicago.  The  elder  Frary 
was  one  of  the  Directors  of  the  school  and  a 
Miss  Tiffany  the  first  teacher,  the  next  being- 
William  Harback.  Before  this,  Guy  had  at- 
tended school  in  District  No.  5 — the  first  school 
in  that  district — taught  at  the  residence  of 
Jesse  Miller  by  a  Mr.  Cole  from  Indiana^  Some 
of  his  fellow-pupils  were  Ziba  and  Smith  Miller, 
Jane  Elizabeth  Denny,  Huldah  and  Martha 
Seymour  and  William  Wells.  Mr.  Frary,  Sr., 
died  on  his  farm,  Nov.  5,  1861,  aged  over  sixty 
years.  His  children  were  Guy  S.,  Dan  R.  and 
a  child  who  died  in  infancy.  His  substantial 
character  secured  for  him  in  an  eminent  degree 
the  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Guy  S.  Frary,  the  oldest  of  the  family,  was 
born  March  12,  1829,  in  Cattaraugus  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  coming  with  his  parents  to  Illinois  in 
1843,  received  a  common-school  education.  His 
brother,  Dan  R.,  after  attending  the  Parish 
select  school  at  Woodstock,  taught  for  several 
terms,  dying  unmarried  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
nine  years.  Guy  S.  early  engaged  in  farming, 
and  on  May  25,  1854,  was  married  at  the  old 
"Riverside  House"  in  McHenry,  to  Elizabeth 
Crabtree.  She  was  born  in  Allegany  County, 
N.  Y.,  April  15,  1833,  the  daughter  of  Newman 
and  Sally  (Hicks)  Crabtree.  Her  father  was  a 
son  of  Benjamin  and  Polly  (Newman)  Crab- 
tree, a  farmer  of  New  England  stock,  and  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  descended  from  one  of 
three  brothers  who  settled  in  Massachusetts 
at  an  early  day.  In  addition  to  managing  a 
farm,  of  which  he  was  proprietor,  and  which  he 
had    cleared    up    in   the    woods     of    Allegany 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


765 


County,  Mr.  Crabtree  was  also  a  carpenter  and 
joiner  and  owned  a  saw-mill.  He  had  a  family 
of  eleven  children  named  Newman,  Lucy, 
Betsy,  Elias,  Daniel,  John,  Henry,  Levi,  Susan, 
Benjamin,  and  Polly.  Benjamin  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1838,  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago, 
and  settled  in  Algonquin  Township,  where  he 
located  a  claim  on  Section  12,  finally  entering 
250  acres  of  timber  and  prairie  land,  upon 
which  he  built  a  hewed  log-house.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Newman,  the 
oldest  brother  of  this  family  and  father  of 
Mrs.  Frary,  was  a  farmer,  born  Nov.  28,  1795, 
received  a  common-school  education,  and  serv- 
ed as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  but  was 
disabled  during  its  progress.  He  was  married 
Nov.  28,  1819,  to  Sally  Hicks,  daughter  of 
Comfort  Hicks,  and  born  Nov.  12,  1802.  After 
his  marriage  Newman  settled  on  a  farm  ad- 
joining that  of  his  father.  About  1839-40  he  re- 
moved by  way  of  the  lakes  from  Buffalo  to 
Chicago,  and  thence  to  Algonquin  Township, 
McHenry  County,  by  a  two-horse  team  he  had 
brought  with  him  by  steamer.  Here  he  settled 
on  Section  6,  two  miles  northeast  of  Cary 
Station,  and  opened  a  farm  of  200  acres  chiefly 
of  timber  land,  dying  Dec.  1,  1843.  He  was 
an  old  line  Whig  in  politics  and  he  and  his 
wife  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  His 
children  in  the  order  of  their  birth  were: 
Benjamin  C,  Nov.  12,  1820;  John  H„  Feb.  9, 
1823;  George,  Jan.  9,  1825;  William,  Jan.  11, 
1827;  Lewis,  July  6,  1829;  Samuel,  July  11, 
1831;  Elizabeth,  April  15,  1833;  Diantha,  July 
3,  1835;  Edwin,  April  9,  1837;  Sylvester,  May 
27,  1839;  Polly  P.,  Sept.  1,  1843.  Of  these, 
Samuel,  Edwin  and  Sylvester  enlisted  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry during  the  Civil  War,  iSamuel  being 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Guntown,  Miss. 

After  his  marriage  in  1854,  Mr.  Frary  and 
wife  settled  on  the  prairie  homestead,  remain- 
ing there  until  1879.  His  father  and  only  broth- 
er having  died  in  the  meantime  (the  former  in 
1861),  the  property  fell  into  his  hands.  By  in- 
dustry and  good  management  he  has  added  to 
the  estate  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  640 
acres  of  good  land  in  a  high  state  of  improve- 
ment. Politically  he  is  one  of  the  early  Repub- 
licans of  McHenry  County,  and  was  a  support- 
er of  John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln 
in   1856  and  1860.     The  public  positions  held 


by  him  include  those  of  Township  Supervisor 
for  five  years,  and  School  Trustee  for  many 
years.  Three  daughters  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frary:  Emma  D.,  Lettie  L.  and 
Laura  E.  In  a  life  of  over  seventy  years  he 
has  acquired  a  wide  reputation  for  thrift,  public 
spirit   and   straight-forward    integrity. 


HAMLIN    FENNER. 

One  of  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  and 
a  son  of  a  pioneer,  is  Hamlin  Fenner  of  Hebron 
Township,  where  he  is  a  highly  respected  citi- 
zen. The  founders  of  the  Fenner  family  in 
America  were  members  of  the  old  Swedish 
colony  which  settled  on  the  Delaware  River  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  William  Penn.  Thomas 
Fenner,  the  father  of  Hamlin,  was  the  son  of 
Felix  and  Elizabeth  (Clark)  Fenner — the  latter 
a  native  of  Scotland.  The  children  of  Felix 
and  Elizabeth  (Clark)  Fenner  were:  Henry, 
John,  Lawrence,  Thomas  and  Mary.  Thomas 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  April  15,  1795,  where 
his  father  died  of  yellow-fever  when  the  son 
was  three  years  old.  After  the  father's  death 
the  children  were  brought  up  by  relatives. 
Thomas  was  taken  in  charge  by  an  uncle, 
Daniel  Campbell,  whom  he  accompanied  to 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  from  the 
time  he  was  ten  years  old  until  he  reached  his 
majority.  His  mother  married  for  her  second 
husband  John  Barnard,  a  sea  captain.  The 
mother  died   in  Philadelphia. 

Thomas  Fenner  was  brought  up  a  farmer 
and,  at  twenty-one  years  of  age,  went  with  his 
brother  Lawrence  to  Green  County,  N.  Y., 
where  they  bought  a  farm  and  lived  for  some 
time.  In  1826,  Thomas  Fenner  married  Louis- 
iana Hamlin,  who  was  born  at  Durham,  Green 
County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  13,  1804,  the  daughter  of 
Dr.  Amos  and  Hulda  (Mudge)  Hamlin.  Dr. 
Hamlin  belonged  to  the  same  stock  as  the 
Hamlin  family  of  Maine,  Hannibal  Hamlin, 
elected  Vice  President  on  the  ticket  with 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860,  being  his  second 
cousin.  The  Hamlin  family  were  from  London, 
England,  and  were  among  the  early  Puritan 
settlers  in  Connecticut  Colony.  Dr.  Amos  Ham- 
lin, who  was  born  and  educated  in  Connecticur, 
married  Hulda  Mudge,  and  they  were  early  set- 
tlers of  Green  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  well- 
known    as    a    physician    and    enjoyed    a    large 


766 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


practice  in  Durham  and  vicinity.  Their  child- 
ren were  Harriet,  Louisa,  Homera  and  Louis- 
iana. Dr.  Hamlin's  first  wife  having  died,  he 
was  married  a  secon-j  time  in  Mohawk  County, 
N.  Y.,  the  children  of  the  second  marriage 
being  James,  Emily,  Amos,  Jr.,  Carnot  and 
Tompkins  D.  Dr.  Hamlin  enlisted  as  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  the  Revolution  at  sixteen  years 
of  age,  and  served  to  its  close.  An  old-fashion- 
ed oil-painting  portrait  of  him,  painted  by  his 
son  Amos,  is  preserved  by  Mr.  Hamlin  Fenner 
of  Hebron.  Dr.  Hamlin  died  at  Durham,  N. 
Y.,  April,  1843,  aged  seventy-six  years. 

Thomas  Fenner  lived  on  the  farm  bought  by 
himself  and  his  brother  Lawrence,  finally  buy- 
ing the  interest  of  the  latter.  In  1841  he  movel 
to  Orleans  County,  N.  Y„  where  he  bought  an 
improved  farm  upon  which  he  lived  until  1846. 
The  children  of  this  family  were  Hamlin,  born 
Jan.  8,  1828;  Helen,  born  April  24,  1829;  Eliza- 
beth M.,  born  March  23,  1833;  Harriet,  born 
July  14,  1835;  Lawrence,  born  Feb.  18,  1837; 
Homer,  born  Dec.  3,  1839;  Thomas  Clark,  born 
Dec.  12,  1841 — all  born  in  Green  County,  N.  Y. 
— and  Isabella,  born  in  Orleans  County,  N.  Y., 
April  21,  1843.  In  May,  1846,  Mr.  Fenner 
moved  with  his  family  to  Illinois,  mak- 
ing the  journey  by  canal  and  the  lakes 
to  Racine,  Wis.,  and  with  teams  to 
Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County.  Here 
he  bought  200  acres  of  partly  improved  land, 
paying  for  it  ten  dollars  per  acre.  This  farm 
is  three  and  one-half  miles  from  Hebron  vil- 
lage, and  is  still  owned  by  Hamlin  Fenner. 
Mr.  Fenner  improved  his  land  and  here  estab- 
lished a  good  homestead.  He  died  Nov.  13, 
1851,  at  fifty-five  years  of  age;  his  wife  died  in 
English  Prairie  in  1856.  Originally  a  Free- 
Soil  Democrat,  Mr.  Fenner  became  a  Republi- 
can on  the  organization  of  that  party.  In 
early  life  he  was  a  member  of  the  New  York 
State  militia.  Industrious,  high-minded  and  of 
straight-forward  character,  he  reared  an  ex- 
cellent family  to  whom  he  left  an  honored 
name. 

Hamlin  Fenner  received  a  common-school 
education  in  his  native  State  and,  at  eighteen 
years  of  age,  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois, 
where  he  obtained  ten  months  schooling.  He 
was  brought  up  a  farmer,  and,  on  Feb. 
23,  1859,  was  married  at  Genoa  Junction,  Mc- 
Henry County,   to   Phoebe  Allen   Hodge,   who 


was  born  at  Dorset,  Vt,  June  22,  1832,  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Minerva  (Farwell) 
Hodge.  Isaac  Farwell,  the  maternal  grand 
father  of  Mrs.  Fenner,  was  a  farmer  of  Dorset, 
Vt.,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  and 
two  years.  Benjamin  Hodge  was  of  English 
Puritan  and  Vermont  stock,  his  father  James 
Hodge,  being  a  merchant  of  Dorset,  who  lived 
there  several  years  and  finally  died  there.  His 
children  were  James  A.,  Benjamin,  Harvey 
(who  is  still  living  at  Dorset,  Vt.,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-one  years),  and  Lucy.  Benjamin  was 
born  at  Dorset,  March  22,  1809,  received  a 
common  school  education  and  was  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  with  his  brother  James 
A.,  at  the  old  stand  of  their  father.  The  mater- 
nal grandfather  of  Benjamin  Hodge  was  John 
Kent,  who  was  a  farmer  of  Dorset,  Vt.,  of 
English  descent,  and  was  for  many  years  a 
deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  church  there,  dying 
at  the  age  of  one  hundred  years.  Benjamin 
Hodge's  children — all  born  in  Dorset — were 
Phoebe  A.,  James  A.,  Jr.,  Sarah  L.,  Roderick 
W.  and  Georgiana.  Eenjamin  Hodge  moved  to 
Illinois,  accompanied  by  his  brother  James  A., 
in  1S57,  arriving  in  Hebron  Township,  Oct.  12, 
and  settled  on  360  acres  of  improved  land, 
upon  which  he  made  further  improve- 
ments and  erected  good  buildings.  Having 
sold  his  farm  in  McHenry  County,  he  removed 
to  Nebraska,  where  he  bought  land,  dying  there 
in  1896  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  In 
early  life  he  was  a  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  politically  was  a  Republican  and 
a  practical  abolitionist.  Industrious  and  self- 
reliant,  with  a  reputation  for  strict  integrity, 
he  accumulated  his  property  by  his  own  ef- 
forts. He  had  two  sons  who  took  part  as  sold- 
iers in  the  Civil  War — James  A.  and  Roderick 
W.  The  former  served  as  Second  Lieutenant 
in  a  Wisconsin  regiment,  and  died  in  hospital 
as  the  result  of  exposure  in  army  life.  Roder- 
ick W.,  enlisted  at  eighteen  years  of  age  in  the 
Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  serv- 
ing one  year  and  participating  in  many  battles. 
After  marriage  Hamlin  Fenner  settled  on 
the  old  Fenner  homestead,  improved  the  farm 
and  erected  substantial  farm  buildings.  His 
children — all  born  on  the  farm — were:  Lizzie 
H.,  born  August  6,  1860;  Isabella  M.,  born  May 
18,  1866,  and  Sarah  G.,  born  May  10,  1881. 
Politically  he  is  a  zealous  Republican  and  cast 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


767 


his  votes  for  Fremont  and  Lincoln;  has  held 
the  office  of  Assessor  twelve  years;  was  a 
member  of  the  School  Board  for  many  years, 
and  has  been  an  active  advocate  of  public  im- 
provements. Mrs.  Fenner  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  while  in  religious  faith  Mr. 
Fenner  is  a  Baptist  and  treasurer  of  his  church, 
of  which  he  is  a  liberal  supporter,  assisting 
to  build  its  church  edifice.  In  her  youth,  Mrs. 
Fenner  was  for  twelve  years  a  member  of  the 
choir  of  the  old  Presbyterian  curch  at  Dorset, 
Vt.,  of  which  the  Rev.  Cyrus  Hudson  was  long 
pastor.  The  choir  consisted  of  thirty  members, 
and  the  chorister  was  Simeon  B.  Cheney,  the 
father  of  John  Vance  Cheney,  now  Librarian 
of  the  Newberry  Library,  Chicago. 

On  March  1,  1892,  Mr.  Fenner  moved  to  He- 
bron village,  bought  residence  property  there 
and  has  retired  from  active  business  life. 
Thomas  Clark  Fenner,  a  brother  of  Hamlin, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  enlisting  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  he  served  as 
Corporal,  and  after  taking  part  in  many  battles, 
was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro, 
Tenn. 


NORMAN   FRAME. 

Norman  Frame  (deceased),  pioneer  settler 
and  well-known  business  man  of  Woodstock, 
McHenry  County,  111.,  was  born  in  what  is 
now  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  the  son  of 
James  and  Nancy  (Keener)  Frame.  His  father, 
James  Frame,  was  a  native  of  Bath  County, 
Va.,  and  son  of  David  Frame,  who  emigrated  at 
an  early  day  to  Braxton  County,  now  in  West 
Virginia.  The  family  were  of  Irish  descent. 
At  the  time  of  their  arrival,  this  region  was  a 
mere  wilderness  but  a  veritable  hunter's 
paradise,  as  it  abounded  with  bear,  deer  and 
other  wild  game.  The  pioneer  settlers  lived 
largely  on  the  fruits  of  the  chase.  Furs  were 
abundant  and  found  a  ready  sale,  even  though 
prices  now  would  be  esteemed  moderate,  as 
they  were  in  demand  for  exportation.  From 
this  source  were  obtained  goods  by  barter,  as 
well  as  most  of  the  money  the  early  settlers 
were  able  to  secure  for  use.  Mr.  Frame  was  a 
typical  pioneer,  as  well  as  a  noted  bear-hunter, 
and  from  the  sale  of  skins  realized  a  consider- 
able  profit.     Having  settled   near   Charleston. 


the  present  capital  of  West  Virginia,  he  clear- 
ed a  farm  of  about  200  acres  and  established 
a  comfortable  pioneer  home  where  he  spent 
his  later  years,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy. 
In  his  early  life  he  participated  in  the  Indian 
wars  which  were  so  common  in  that  period. 
Among  his  children  the  names  of  John, 
Thomas  and  James  are  remembered.  James, 
the  youngest  of  these,  was  married  in  what 
was  then  a  part  of  Nicholas  County,  W.  Va.,  to 
Nancy  Keener,  daughter  of  John  and  Phoebe 
Keener.  John  Keener  was  a  farmer,  as  well  as 
a  hunter,  and  died  in  Braxton  County,  leaving 
children  named  John,  James,  William,  Jacob 
and  Andrew. 

James  Frame,  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  by  the  purchase  of  a  land-warrant, 
obtained  a  title  to  200  acres  of  land  on  Elk 
River  (a  branch  of  the  Great  Kanawha),  which 
he  cleared  and  made  his  home.  Like  his  rela- 
tives, he  was  a  "mighty  hunter,"  and  had  fre- 
quent encounters  with  bears  whose  skins  he 
turned  to  commercial  account.  He  became  a 
mill-wright,  and  besides  other  work  of  this 
sort,  erected  a  grist  and  saw-mill  on  Elk 
River,  which  he  ran  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  was  married  twice — first,  to  Rebecca  Boggs 
of  Braxton,  who  was  born  in  the  same  local- 
ity, the  daughter  of  Francis  and  Rebecca  Boggs. 
The  children  by  this  marriage  were:  Andrew, 
John,  James,  Hiram,  William,  Charles,  Eliza- 
beth, Jennie,  Sarah  and  a  daughter  who  died 
in  infancy.  His  first  wife  having  died,  he  mar- 
ried as  his  second  wife  Nancy  Keener — the 
children  of  this  marriage  being  Norman, 
David,  Rebecca,  Annie,  Phoebe  and  Thomas. 
James  Frame  died  in  the  wilderness  some 
thirty  miles  from  his  home,  where  he  was  build- 
ing a  mill.  He  sustained  a  sterling  reputation 
for  integrity  among  his  neighbors,  the  maxim, 
that  "his  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond,"  being 
applied  to  him. 

Norman  Frame,  whose  name  heads  this  arti- 
cle, and  the  son  of  James  Frame,  was  born, 
as  already  stated,  in  West  Virginia,  May  22, 
1822.  His  opportunities  for  acquiring  an  edu- 
cation were  limited  to  about  three  months' 
attendance  on  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  State.  His  mother  having  died  when  he 
was  quite  young,  and  his  father  when  he  was 
only  fourteen,  as  the  eldest  son  by  the  second 
marriage,  the  responsibility  of  caring  for  the 


7G8 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


younger  members  of  the  family  fell  largely 
upon  him,  although  in  this  he  had  the  aid  of 
one  of  his  half-sisters,  who  assumed  the  place 
of  head  of  the  family.  He  began  hard  work  on 
the  farm,  remaining  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age,  when,  in  the  spring  of  1841,  he 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  in  company  with 
his  half-brother,  Charles,  who  was  a  married 
man  and  had  already  visited  that  region  and 
selected  land  in  Dorr  Township.  The  journey 
was  made  by  steamer  from  Charleston,  W.  Va., 
down  the  Kanawha  and  the  Ohio  to  Cairo, 
and  thence  by  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  to 
Peru,  and  the  remainder  on  foot  to  his  destina- 
tion. Here  he  remained  with  his  brother  two 
and  a  half  years,  when  he  returned  with  a  two- 
horse  team  in  company  with  William  Given 
to  West  Virginia.  During  this  visit  to  his 
native  State,  he  was  married  in  Braxton 
County,  to  Susannah  iSandoe,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  daughter  of  George  and  Eliza- 
beth (Reap)  Sandoe,  born  in  1827.  George 
Sandoe,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Frame,  was 
of  sturdy  Pennsylvania  Dutch  descent.  The 
other  children  of  the  family — Susannah  be- 
ing the  oldest — were  Barbara,  Adeline,  Eliza- 
beth, John,  David  and  William.  Mr.  Sandoe 
died  in  West  Virginia  at  the  age  of  about 
forty  years. 

Mr.  Frame  remained  in  West  Virginia  about 
a  year  after  his  marriage,  when  he  returned  to 
Illinois  by  the  same  route  he  had  taken  in 
1841,  arriving  in  Dorr  Township,  May  28,  1846. 
He  soon  after  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
(consisting  of  prairie  and  "oak  openings") 
at  $5.00  per  acre.  This  he  improved,  erecting 
on  it  a  small  frame  house,  and  adding  thereto 
until  he  had  129  acres.  After  1853  he  removed 
to  Seneca  Township,  where  he  purchased 
100  acres  of  land,  by  additions  increasing 
his  holdings  to  160  acres,  a  portion  of  which 
(some  20  acres)  is  included  within  the  present 
corporation  of  Woodstock.  He  also  bought  120 
acres  one  mile  west  of  Woodstock,  which  is 
still  owned  by  his  heirs,  and  later  purchased 
a  residence  in  Woodstock,  where  he  resided 
for  some  twenty  years.  Mr.  Frame  also 
owned  a  tract  of  210  acres  adjoining  the  town 
of  Woodstock,  another  of  120  acres  and  400 
acres  in  the  Red  River  Valley  of  Minnesota, 
for  which  he  paid  $20  an  acre  fifteen  years 
ago.  Besides  this  he  owned  640  acres  of  farm- 
ing land  in  the  Red  River  region,  together  with 


valuable  holdings  of  town-lots  in  Woodstock, 
five  dwelling  houses,  valuable  milling  property 
and  a  canning  and  pickle  factory.  The  latter 
did  a  large  business  in  the  manufacture  of 
what  is  known  as  the  "Crescent"  brand  of 
pickles.  In  politics  Mr.  Frame  was  a  Demo- 
crat. He  had  five  children  named  James,  Jane. 
Sarah,  Burton  and  William.  While  essentially 
self-taught  and  self-made — compelled  to  gain 
his  first  inkling  of  an  education,  in  part  at 
least,  by  the  light  of  a  pine-knot  in  his  native 
State  of  West  Virginia — his  business  career 
was  a  conspicuous  success,  secured  by  in 
domitable  industry  and  business  tact,  winning 
for  him  a  reputation  for  high  business  integ- 
rity, as  well  as  general  recognition  as  one  of 
the  most  substantial  citizens  of  McHenry 
County.     Mr."  Frame  died  July  11,   1901. 


JOSIAH    R.    FORMAN. 

Josiah  R.  Foreman,  a  retired  farmer,  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  was  born  at  Ovid,  Seneca  County. 
N.  Y.,  May  20,  i'818,  the  son  of  Abraham  and 
Hulda  (Rhodes)  Forman.  The  family  is  of 
English  descent,  and  Isaac  Forman,  the  grand- 
father of  Josiah  R.,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade, 
carrying  on  his  business  for  many  years  at 
Ovid.  His  children,  who  are  remembered,  were 
Isaac,  Jonathan,  Henry  and  Abraham.  Isaac 
Forman  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  dying  at 
Ovid.  Abraham  Forman  was  a  shoemaker  by 
trade,  but  in  his  younger  days  was  engaged  as 
captain  of  a  vessel  on  the  lake,  and  also  as  a 
drover.  He  married  Hulda  Rhodes,  born  in 
Connecticut,  and  in  1833,  removed  to  Michigan, 
making  the  journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  to 
Detroit,  whence  he  proceeded  to  Clinton,  Mich. 
His  family  at  this  time,  besides  himself  and 
wife,  consisted  of  their  children,  Henry,  James, 
Filinda,  Josiah  R.,  Emma  and  Nory — all  born 
in  Ovid,  N.  Y.,  and  all  of  whom  accompanied 
their  parents  to  Michigan  except  Henry,  who 
remained  in  his  native  State.  Another  son, 
William,  was  born  in  Clinton,  Mich.,  where  he 
and  Mrs.  Forman  both  died.  The  former  was 
in  bad  health  when  he  removed  to  Clinton,  but 
survived  some  seven  years.  Abraham  For- 
man was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812  and  re- 
ceived a  land  warrant  for  his  services  from  the 
Government.  He  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


(09 


Josiah  R.  Forman  received  a  common-school 
education  and,  in  consequence  of  his  father's 
ill  health,  the  care  of  the  family  soon  de- 
volved upon  him.  He  began  work  and,  being 
of  frugal  and  industrious  habits,  saved  a 
little  money  and  induced  his  father  to  remove 
west,  giving  his  small  savings  so  assist  him 
in  doing  so.  On  his  arrival  at  Clinton  he  began 
driving  a  "breaking"  team,  and  soon  after 
bought  his  time  from  his  father;  then  hired 
out  to  a  Mr.  Holman,  a  fanning-mill  manufact- 
urer, at  $100  per  year,  but  at  the  end  of  three 
years  his  employer  gave  him  a  set  of  tools  and 
began  paying  him  $1.25  per  day.  At  the  end 
of  his  time,  after  paying  his  expenses,  he  had 
saved  $400,  which  he  gave  to  his  father  to 
assist  him  in  buying  a  house  and  lot.  Then 
going  to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  he  engaged  in 
carpenter-work  and  assisted  in  erecting'  a 
carpenter-shop  and  a  grist  and  saw-mill,  re- 
maining there  three  years.  He  next  moved  to 
Grand  Haven,  where  he  worked  a  short  time, 
but  in  the  spring  of  1840  came  to  Kenosha,  Wis. 
After  working  there  two  years,  during  which 
he  assisted  to  build  the  pier  and  a  warehouse, 
in  1842  he  went  to  Waukegan,  111.,  there  being 
at  that  time  only  one  frame  house  in  the  vil- 
lage. Here  he  remained  seven  years,  and  assist- 
ed in  erecting  many  buildings  in  that  infant 
city.  Feb.  16,  1842,  he  w,as  married,  at  Wauke- 
gan, to  Priscilla  Austin,  who  was  born  Nov.  1, 
1817,  at  Unadilla,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  the 
daughter  of  Pasco  and  Polly  (Collins)  Austin. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island  and 
of  English  ancestry,  while  the  Collinses  were 
of  French  extraction. 

Pasco  Austin  was  a  farmer,  but  also  serv- 
ed as  constable  and  tax  collector.  While  a 
boy  he  removed  with  his  father  to  New  York 
State,  the  latter  settling  in  Otsego  County.  A 
brother  of  Pasco's  was  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812,  who  died  in  consequence  of  being 
wounded  by  a  poisoned  bullet.  The  children 
of  the  Austin  family  were:  Angel,  Isaiah. 
William,  Seretha,  Priscilla,  Betsy,  David  and 
Pasco.  The  latter  was  the  owner  of  a  farm  in 
Otsego  County  and  a  substantial  citizen;  was 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  his 
apron  is  still  preserved  by  his  daughter  Mrs. 
Forman.'  His  death  occurred  about  the  age  of 
forty-five,  as  the  result  of  an  accident  caused 
by  a  pair  of  runaway  colts,  while  his  wife  died 


about  the  same  age.  Their  children  were: 
John,  Rufus,  Priscilla,  Seretha  (who  died  aged 
seventeen),  Jerubel,  Pasco,  Isaiah,  Sarah, 
Polly  and  Elisha — the  latter  born  six  months 
after  the  death  of  his  father.  The  second  son, 
Rufus,  came  west  with  Jere  Porter,  first  settling 
near  Kenosha,  Wis.,  but  afterwards  bought 
a  large  tract  of  wild  land.  In  the  spring  of 
1840,  his  older  brother,  John,  came  west  with 
their  mother  and  the  rest  of  the  family.  After 
coming  west,  the  mother  lived  with  Rufus,  but 
died  a  year  later,  being  cared  for  by  her 
daughter  Priscilla.  Jere  Porter,  through  whose 
influence  the  Austin  family  was  induced  to 
come  west,  though  (he  father  of  twelve  child 
ren,  gave  Rufus  and  the  rest  of  the  family 
material  assistance  in  getting  a  home,  and  it 
was  at  nis  house  that  Josiah  R.  Forman  and 
his  wife  Priscilla  Austin,  were  married.  After 
the  death  of  her  mother  and  until  her  mar- 
riage, she  kept  house  for  her  brother  Rufus. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mr.  J.  R.  Forman 
lived  in  Waukegan  until  1849,  when,  having 
entered  160  acres  of  land  in  Hebron  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  he  removed  thither 
and  began  improving  his  land.  He  first  built 
a  board  shanty,  hauling  the  lumber  a  distance 
of  forty  miles  from  Waukegan,  but  afterwards 
erected  a  frame  house,  hewing  the  timber  for 
the  frame-work  from  trees  cut  on  the  land  of 
Rufus  Austin.  William  Austin  was  a  .  settler 
in  the  same  township.  At  a  later  date  Mr. 
Forman  built  a  frame  barn  on  his  home  place, 
which  is  still  standing.  He  hauled  the  timber 
to  fence  his  farm  twelve  miles,  splitting  most 
of  it  into  four  foot  s.'ats,  making  an  excellent 
slat  fence.  At  this  he  worked  during  one 
winter,  for  forty  consecutive  days  except 
Sundays.  He  still  owns  this  farm  consisting 
of  120  acres.  By  frugality,  industry  and  self- 
sacrifice,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Forman  established 
here  a  good  home.  In  1868  he  removed  to 
Sioux  City,  Iowa,  then  a  frontier  post  and  out- 
fitting point  for  the  Black  Hills,  containing  a 
population  of  about  5,000,  including  some  of 
the  roughest  class.  Returning  to  McHenry 
County  in  1871,  he  soon  went  to  Woodstock, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  was  engaged 
in  contracting  until  some  three  years  ago.  He 
was  also  a  contractor  at  Waukegan  in  his 
younger  days,  and  assisted  to  build  up  the 
town,  being  one  of  its  prosperous  and  energetic 


770 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


business  men.  Mr.  Fcrman  is  a  man  of  sterling 
mora]  character  and,  in  tis  political  opinions, 
an  earnest  Republican,  having  cast  his  vote 
for  Fremont  and  Lincoln  for  the  Presidency 
in  the  early  days  of  that  party.  He  served  as 
school  director  for  many  years.  Mrs.  Form  an 
was  a  devoted  and  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  with  which  she  united  at 
seventeen  years  of  age.  One  of  Mr.  Forman's 
harsh  experiences  in  early  life  was  in  con- 
sequence of  an  attack  of  small-pox  on  Grand 
River,  Michigan,  where  he  was  placed  in  a 
vacant  house,  with  a  drunken  Irishman  'as  an 
attendant.  His  sufferings  during  this  exper- 
ience were  unspeakable.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  For- 
man  have  been  the  parents  of  the  following 
cbiJdren:  Emma  S.,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Antoinette;  Emorette,  who  died  a  married 
woman,  leaving  a  son,  James  Dunham,  who 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Philippines;  Isaiah  Austin, 
and  James  Henry. 

James  Henry  Forman  was  born  on  the  farm 
in  Highland  Prairie,  August  23,  1857,  received 
a  common-school  education  and  attended  the 
grammar  school  at  Woodstock,  learned  the 
photograph  business  with  John  Miller  and,  at 
nineteen  years  of  age,  went  to  Portland,  Ore., 
where  he  was  engaged  in  selling  goods  for  a 
canning  factory,  with  E.  Shannon,  his  brother- 
in-law.  Here  he  married  Mary  Stevenson  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  one  son,  Elvon 
Tracy.  Returning  to  McHenry  County,  he  be- 
gan farming  on  the  home  farm,  where  his 
wife  died.  In  1884  he  engaged  in  the  teaming 
business.  On  Jan.  27,  1887,  he  was  married, 
in  Woodstock,  to  Clara  Adelaide  Carpenter, 
who  was  born  at  Plain  View,  Wabasha  County, 
Minn.,  the  daughter  of  George  W.  and  Lucy 
(Judd)  Carpenter.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  a  native 
of  Meadville,  Penn.  After  marriage  Mr.  anl 
Mrs.  Forman  settled  on  the  home  farm,  where 
they  remained  until  1894,  when>  they  moved  to 
Woodstock.  In  1897  he  engaged  in  his  present 
business  as  a  dealer  in  newspapers  and  period- 
icals, books  and  stationery,  which  he  has  con- 
ducted successfully.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republi- 
can, and  fraternally  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  and  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe — 
in  the  former  having  held  the  office  of  Worthy 
Vice  in  Woodstock  Lodge  two  years.  Mrs. 
Forman  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.     By  his  last  marriage  Mr.  Forman  has 


one  son — Percy  Raymond.  "Jim"  Forman,  as 
he  is  familiarly  called  by  his  friends,  is  a  man 
of  genial  disposition  and  is  noted  for  his  kind- 
ness of  heart  and  strict  integrity. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Josiah  R.  Forman  celebrated 
the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  their  marriage  in 
February,  1902.  Mrs.  Forman  died  Oct.  30, 
1902,  lacking  one  day  of  eighty-five  years  of 
age. 


CHARLES    L.     FILLMORE. 

Charles  L.  Fillmore,  Postmaster  and  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  Union,  111.,  is  one  of  the  reliable 
citizens  of  McHenry  County,  and  the  son  of  a 
pioneer  and  soldier  of  the  Civil  War.  His 
father,  William  J.  Fillmore,  was  born  in  Middle- 
town,  Vt,  July  10,  1831,  the  son  of  Luther  and 
Susan  (Huggins)  Fillmore.  The  Fillmores  are 
descended  from  the  colonial  and  Puritan  an- 
cestry, which  early  became  identified  with  Con- 
necticut Colony.  John  Fillmore,  the  great- 
grandfather of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and 
of  the  same  stock  as  President  Fillmore,  was 
the  son  of  Luther  Fillmore  who  died  in  1792. 
Another  Luther  Fillmore,  the  son  of  John  and 
the  grandfather  of  Charles  L.,  who  was  born 
near  Middletown,  Vt.,  in  1804,  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade  and  married  in  the  vicinity  of 
his  birthplace  Susan  Huggins,  who  was  of 
Welsh  descent.  Their  children  were  John 
(who  died  young),  Ann  Jeanette,  Henry, 
Charles,  William,  Helen,  Hulda,  Charlotte,  El- 
vira, Luther  D.,  Millard  and  Sylvanus.  Luther 
Fillmore  came  to  McHenry  County  in  1854,  with 
his  son  William  J.,  who  had  already  settled  at 
Coral,  McHenry  County,  and  returned  to  Ver- 
mont for  his  father's  family.  On  arrival  ac 
Coral  Luther  Fillmore  engaged  with  his  sons 
William  J.  and  Charles  in  the  manufacture  of 
wagons,  and  in  their  blacksmith  shop  were 
manufactured  the  first  plows  made  in  that  part 
of  McHenry  County,  and  this  business  they 
carried  on  quite  extensively  for  that  early 
period.  Here  he  remained  until  1862  or  'ffS. 
when  he  removed  to  the  village  of  Union,  and 
there  carried  on  the  blacksmith  business  until 
his  final  retirement  from  active  life.  This 
Luther  Fillmore  was  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  in  which  he  was  a  deacon, 
and  he  assisted  to  build  the  Congregational 
church  at  Union.    He  held  the  office  of  Justice 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


771 


of  the  Peace  for  many  years,  and  his  docket 
is  still  preserved.  He  died  at  the  home  of  his 
son,  Charles,  in  Marengo,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  He  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  a 
man  of  sound  judgment  and  high  integrity  cf 
character. 

William  J.  Fillmore,  the  son  of  the  preced- 
ing, was  born,  as  stated  in  the  beginning  of  this 
sketch,  near  Middletown,  Vt,  received  the 
ordinary  common-school  education  of  that  per- 
iod., which  he  supplemented  by  the  reading  of 
good  books  later  in  life,  and  became  a  well- 
informed  man.  He  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  in  1853,  when  about  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  and  settled  in  the  village  of  Coral.  Here, 
in  company  with  his  brother  Charles,  he  start- 
a  wagon  manufactory.  A  year  later  he  return- 
ed to  Vermont  and  brought  out  his  father  as 
related  in  the  sketch  of  the  latter.  The  Fill- 
mores  continued  the  wagon  manufacturing 
business  until  1862,  when  "William  J.  enlisted 
as  a  private  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
seventh  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
where  he  was  soon  assigned  to  the  Quarter- 
master's Department  as  assistant  to  Quarter- 
master Frank  Hale.  Having  returned  to  Mc- 
Henry County  after  the  war,  he  settled  in 
Union,  whither  his  wife  had  removed  during 
his  absence  in  the  service. 

Mr.  Fillmore  was  married  twice;  first  in 
Vermont,  when  but  nineteen  years  of  age,  to 
Henrietta  Hastings,  who  died  soon  after. 
On  Jan.  10,  1855,  he  was  married  in  Coral, 
McHenry  County,  to  Mary  Elizabeth  Lyman, 
who  was  a  native  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and 
daughter  of  Charles  and  Alma  (Huntington) 
Lyman.  Left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  she 
came  with  her  two  brothers,  Charles  and  Wil- 
liam, to  McHenry  County.  William  J.  Fillmore 
and  wife  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
named  children:  William  Herbert,  born  Oct. 
1856;  Henrietta,  born  'April,  1859;  Charles 
L.,  born  Aug.  20,  1861;  Frank  M.,  born 
June,  1864;  Edith  M.,  born  June,  1869;  and 
Earnest  F.,  born  Nov.  27,  1871.  After  his  re- 
turn from  the  war,  Mr.  Fillmore  entered  into 
the  employment  of  a  hardware  firm  in  Chicago 
as  a  traveling  salesman,  remaining  with  them 
until  1868,  when,  having  been  seriously  injured 
in  a  railway  accident  at  Elgin,  he  was  confined 
to  his  bed  seventeen  weeks.  Having  recovered, 
he  resumed  his    business     as     a     commercial 


traveler  for  another  Chicago  firm,  with  which 
he  remained  until  1871,  when  the  firm  having 
failed,  he  engaged  in  the  wagon-making  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account.  This  he  continued 
until  1887,  when  he  removed  to  Elgin,  and  be- 
came traveling  agent  for  a  wholesale  paper 
house.  Here  Mrs.  Fillmore  died  in  1891.  Mr. 
Fillmore  is  still  living,  and,  notwithstanding 
his  advancing  years  and  hard  experience  dur- 
ing a  part  of  his  life,  enjoys  a  good  degree  of 
physical  and  mental  vitality.  He  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Ma- 
rengo and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican;  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Union  Lodge  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  and  of  Elgin  Post  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public. Mr.  Fillmore  was  Postmaster  of  the 
village  of  Coral  before  the  Civil  War,  and  has 
also  occupied  the  position  of  Collector  for 
Coral  Township. 

CHARLES  L.  FILLMORE,  son  of  the  pre- 
ceding, was  born  in  Coral  Township,  August 
20,  1861,  and  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation in  the  village  of  Union,  where  he  was 
taken  in  infancy  by  his  mother  during  the 
Civil  War,  his  father  being  then  in  the  service 
of  his  country  in  the  field.  In  1880,  at  the  age 
of  about  nineten  years,  young  Fillmore  went  to 
Elgin,  and  there  was  engaged  in  the  lightning 
rod  business  some  years,  but  still  later  was 
connected  with  the  Watch  Factory  at  Elgin 
for  seven  years.  On  Nov.  27,  1884,  he 
was  married  at  Woodstock,  McHenry  County, 
to  Anna  Gubbins,  who  was  born  in  Elgin,  in 
1863,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Gubbins, 
of  English  ancestry.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fillmore 
had  one  child,  Walter  L.,  who  was  born  July  3, 
1886,  Mrs.  Fillmore  dying  on  the  same  date. 
On  Nov.  1,  1889,  Mr.  Fillmore  was  married  at 
Geneva,  111.,  to  Eleanor  E.  Sanford,  the  widow 
of  Carson  Sanford.  She  was  born  at  Ashford, 
England,  Feb.  7,  1868,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Emma  Jarrett,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
with  her  parents,  who  settled  at  Genoa,  111., 
but  afterwards  removed  to  Elgin,  111.  Mrs. 
Jarrett,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Fillmore,  is  now 
deceased,  but  Mr.  Jarrett  still  survives,  mak- 
ing his  home  with  his  son  in  Elgin,  111. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fillmore  have  been  born 
seven  children:  William  J.,  born  June  5,  1891; 
Charles  M.,  born  April  1,  1894;  Dora  M.,  born 
March  9,  1896;  Zillah  A.,  born  March  8,  1898; 
Barbara   Ruth,    born   Dec.    10,   1899;    Alice   J., 


■772 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


born  August  21,  1901;  and  Ethel  A.,  born  June 
25,  1903.  Mrs.  Fillmore  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church.  In  politics  Mr.  Fill- 
more is  a  Republican  and  fraternally  a  mem- 
ber of  the  order  of  Modern  Woodmen,  in  which 
he  holds  the  office  of  Consul.  For  the  past- 
five  years  he  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  and  for  two  years  has  been  Post- 
master of  the  village  of  Union,  and  during  the 
present  year  (1903)  was  elected  Village  Clerk. 
He  is  recognized  as  a  capable  business  man 
and  a  representative  citizen  of  straight-forward 
life  and   character. 


THE  GILLMORE   FAMILY. 

This  family  is  of  Scotch  blood  and  descends 
from  the  Gillmores  of  Renfrewshire,  Scotland, 
who  settled  in  Londonderry,  Ireland,  after  the 
establishment  of  the  plantation  of  1612.  The 
name  Gillmore,  under  its  various  forms,  is  in- 
digenous to  the  lowlands  of  Scotland,  where 
it  has  existed  from  remote  times.  During  that 
period  in  Scotland  when  government  was 
based  on  clanship,  the  Gillmore  was  one  who 
carried  the  chief's  broad-sword,  and  was  prob- 
ably selected  for  his  size  and  strength.  Sir 
John  Gillmore,  who  defended  the  Duke  ot 
Argyle  before  the  Scotch  Parliament,  belong- 
ed to  this  family. 

The  Scotch  have  ever  been  a  thriving  and 
practical  people,  and  although  living  in  a  poor 
and  rugged  country,  were  renowned  for  their 
progress  and  education.  They  early  began  to 
read  and  think  for  themselves,  and  John  Knox 
first  taught  that  schools  should  be  maintained 
by  the  State  for  the  education  of  all  children. 
With  him  compulsory  education  for  the  pool 
was  a  leading  principle,  and  the  Scotch  had 
the  first  free  schools  in  the  world. 

The  Gillmore  family  entered  Ireland  from 
Argyleshire,  as  that  was  contiguous  territory, 
but  the  ancient  homes  of  the  GillmoreS  were 
in  the  western  lowlands  of  Scotland,  a  few 
miles  south  of  Glasgow.  In  religious  matters 
the  emigrants  were  similar  to  the  Puritans  of 
England,  but  different  in  church  government. 
The  Bible  was  their  first  school  book,  and  from 
it  the  children  were  taught  to  read,  besides 
being  required  to  commit  the  catechism  to 
memory. 

Robert  Gillmore,  the  founder  of  this  branch 


of  the  Gillmore  family  in  America,  was  born 
near  Coleraine,  Ireland,  about  1660,  and  emi- 
grated to  America,  probably  reaching  Boston 
with  the  Rev.  James  McGregor,  Oct.  14,  1718. 
On  arrival  in  America,  so  far  as  is  known,  his 
family  consisted  of  his  wife  (formerly  Marian 
Kennedy)  and  their  four  sons — William,  James, 
John  and  Robert,  Jr.  The  family  were  well 
educated  and  in  good  circumstances.  They 
resided,  for  a  time,  at  Billerica,  Massachusetts 
Bay,  and  then  between  1724  and  1726,  settled 
at  Londonderry,  N.  H. 

On  March  25,  1724,  David  Cargill  executed 
to  Robert  Gillmore  a  deed  of  conveyance  of 
seventy  acres  of  land  in  consideration  of  "Ye 
building  a  fulling  mill,"  doubtless  the  first  mill 
erected  in  the  town  of  Londonderry.  Robert 
Gillmore  was  thus  not  only  a  mechanic,  but 
understood  the  appliances  necessary  for  the 
manufacture  of  cloth.  He  lived  to  the  age  of 
eighty  years,  dying  in  1742.  The  children  of 
Robert  and  Marian  Gillmore  were  William, 
born  near  Coleraine,  Ireland,  in  1685,  and  died 
at  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  May  9,  1753;  John, 
who  never  married  and  probably  died  at  Lon- 
donderry, N.  H.;  James,  born  near  Coleraine. 
Ireland,  in  1695,  and  died  at  Londonderry,  N. 
H.,  in  1745,  and  Robert,  who  is  mentioned 
below. 

Marian  Kennedy,  wife  of  Robert  Gillmore, 
Sr.,  born  near  Coleraine,  Ireland,  was  des- 
cended from  the  Scotch  Kennedys,  who  occu- 
pied the  territory  of  Carrick  from  ancient 
times.  They  were  one  of  the  noted  families 
of  Scotland.  The  mother  of  Robert  Bruce  was 
a  Kennedy  of  Carrick. 

Second  Generation. — Robert,  son  of  Robert 
and  Marian  (Kennedy)  Gillmore,  was  born 
near  Coleraine,  Ireland,  in  1700,  and  when 
about  eighteen  years  old,  came  with  his  parents 
to  Massachusetts.  He  remained  at  Billerica, 
Mass.,  until  about  1726-8,  when  he  joined  the 
colony  at  Londonderry,  N.  H.  He  became  a 
land-owner  and  was  well-to-do.  In  1758  he  was 
chosen  to  collect  the  church  tax.  The  name 
of  his  first  wife  was  Ann — her  full  name  not 
being  known.  By  the  first  marriage  there 
were  two  children:  James,  born  Sept.  20, 
1731,  and  Elizabeth,  born  May  1,  1733.  By  his 
second  wife,  Elizabeth,  there  were  six  children, 
all  of  whom  were  born  at  Londonderry,  N.  H.:' 
John,  born  May  3,  1737,  and  died  April  8,  1813; 


-^z^i&^Z 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


773 


Roger,  born  July  31,  1739,  and  died  Nov.  15, 
1807;  Miriam,  born  Sept.  27,  1742,  and  died 
sometime  after  1815;  Jemima,  born  Feb.  3, 
1744,  and  died  March  29,  1774;  Robert,  who  is 
mentioned  below;  William,  born  Nov.  22,  1751, 
and  died  Feb.  18,  1831.  The  father  of  this 
family  was  prominent  in  both  military  and 
civil  affairs  in  Londonderry,  serving  in  Capt. 
Todd's  company  from  1758  to  1760.  He  died  in 
Londonderry  April  3,  1782,  in  his  eighty-third 
year.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Hunnewell,  descend- 
ed from  a  prominent  New  England  family, 
Robert  Hunnewell  having  settled  at  Saco,  in 
the  present  State  of  Maine,  where  he  died  in 
1754.  He  was  a  noted  Indian  fighter,  and  in 
a  personal  encounter,  killed  an  Indian  with  his 
scythe.  He  was  afterward  killed  and  mutilated 
by  the  Indians.  Roger,  the  brother  of  Eliza- 
beth Hunnewell,  fought  at  Louisburg,  where 
he  lost  an  arm.  Four  of  the  sons  of  Robert 
Gillmore  (2)  were  officers  In  the  War  of  the 
Revolution.  They  were  Capt.  James,  John 
(who  served'  at  Cambridge),  Capt.  Roger  and 
Robert. 

Third  Generation. — Robert  Gillmore,  son  of 
Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Hunnewell)  Gillmore, 
was  born  in  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  July  4,  1749. 
When  twenty-four  years  of  age  he  removed  to 
Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  near  the  great  Monadnock 
Mountain,  where  he  settled  on  land  received 
from  his  father.  He  married  Elizabeth  Andrus, 
who  was  horn  Sept.  18,  1759,  and  removed 
about  1799  to  Swansey,  N.  H.,  but  returned  to 
Jaffrey  about  1800,  and  finally  settled  at  Pots: 
dam,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  Nov.  15,  1816.  By  oc- 
cupation he  was  a  farmer  and  carpenter,  and 
the  family  were  highly  esteemed.  His  father 
disapproved  of  his  marriage  and  cut  him  off 
with  a  small  patrimony.  His  wife  was  a 
Universalist  and  a  woman  of  marked  ability, 
and  in  religious  discussions  quite  able  to  con- 
tend vigorously  with  any  of  the  clergy.  Robert 
(3)  spoke  with  a  broad  Scotch  brogue.  He  was 
a  man  of  strong  mind  and  impressed  on  his 
family  the  necessity  of  intellectual  improve- 
ment and  an  honorable  course  in  life.  He  was 
a  Revolutionary  soldier,  fought  at  Bunker  Hill 
and  Bennington,  and  at. the  last  named  battle 
was  a  private  in  Captain  Stone's  company, 
Col.  Nichols'  regiment  of  Gen.  Starke's  brigade. 
He  belonged  to  the  old  training  hand  at  Jaffrey 
and    served    at    Camp    Cambridge.      He      also 


served  in  Capt.  Parker's  company,  recruited 
out  of  Col.  Enoch  Hale's  regiment  in  1776, 
for  service  in  the  northern  army  at  Ticonder- 
oga.  His  sons  were  large,  powerful  men  and, 
with  one  exception,  over  six  feet  in  heigh  c, 
weighing  from  220  to  250  pounds  each. 

The  children  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (An- 
drus) Gillmore  were:  Jemima,  born  March  6, 
1778;  Jeremiah,  October,  1779;  Anna  N.,  born 
July  16,  1781;  Sarah,  April  27,  1783;  Elizabeth, 
April  4,  1785;  Sallie,  March  26,  1787;  Andrew, 
March  22,  1789;  Aaron,  June  30,  1791;  Asa, 
Dec.  26,  1793,  and  William,  March  6,  1799. 

Fourth  Generation. — Aaron  Gillmore,  son  of 
Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Andrus)  Gillmore,  was 
born  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H.  He  served  in  the  War 
of  1812,  as  Corporal  in  Capt.  Ripley's  com- 
pany, Thirty-seventh  United  States  i  Infantry, 
from  June  11,  1813,  to  June  11,  1814,  at  Ft. 
Griswold  (New  London).  He  was  honorably 
discharged  and  went  to  Potsdam,  N.  Y.,  where, 
on  March  15,  1818,  he  married  Miss  Betsy 
Dickerson,  who  was  born  May  9,  1799. 

Aaron  Gillmore  was  a  man  of  great  physical 
strength.  While  he  had  no  more  than  a  com- 
mon-school education,  he  was  a  careful  bibli- 
cal student  and  well  informed  on  many  sub- 
jects. A  relative  with  whom  he  passed  the 
last  years  of  his  life,  said:  'Aaron  Gillmore 
was  the  best  man  I  ever  knew."  Most  of  his 
life  was  spent  as  a  pioneer  in  a  new  country. 
He  was  a  Whig  in  politics,  but  later  a  Republi- 
can. His  wife  was  of  Welsh  descent.  On  her 
mother's  side  she  was  related  to  the  Royce 
family  of  Potsdam.  Aaron  Gillmore  died 
April  29.  1873.  His  wife  died  Aug.  10,  1870, 
both  deaths  occurring  in  Norfolk,  N.  Y. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aa^on  Gilmore 
are  as  follows:  Harvey,  born  May  8,  1819,  and 
whose  record  is  given  below;  Alvira,  born  Feb. 
4,  1821,  and  died  Dec.  17,  1884;  Andrew,  born 
June  18,  1823,  and  died  Nov.  12,  1825;  Alfred, 
born  Sept.  8,  1826,  and  died  Feb.  25,  1895; 
Clarinda,-  born  Sept.  8,  1828,  and  died  Feb. 
14,  1834;  Harriet,  born  Aug.  4,  1833,  and  died 
young;  Charles,  born  Sept.  8,  1836;  George, 
born-  Dec.  21,  1837.  Charles  Gillmore  of  this 
family,  served  twenty  years  on  an  American' 
man-of-war  and,  for  many  years,  was  not  heard 
from,  but  returned  home  between  1880  aad 
1890.  He  later  re-enlisted  in  the  navy,  serv- 
ing until  1891,  when  on  going  ashore  in  New 


774 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


York,  he  was  attacked  with  pneumonia,  and 
died  at  the  Sailor's  Home.  He  left  on  deposit 
in  New  York  and  Boston  $3,000. 

Fifth  Generation. — Harvey,  son  of  Aaron 
and  Betsy  (Dickerson)  Gillmore,  was  born  at 
Potsdam,  N.  Y.  His  early  life  was  spent  in 
rural  pursuits  and  he  received  a  fair  education 
in  the  common  schools.  On  reaching  hi** 
majority  he  entered  the  employ  of  Justice 
Webber,  of  Norfolk,  N.  Y.,  who  carried  on  a 
large  farm  and  operated  a  blast  furnace. 
Having  remained  here  four  years,  he  then 
went  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  worked  in  the 
pineries  and  rafted  timber  down  the  Wiscon- 
sin and  Mississippi  rivers. 

On  February  15,  1847,  Mr.  Gillmore  married 
Esther  (Richardson)  Sawyer,  and  in  1854, 
moved  to  Marengo,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming.  In  the  fall  of  1864,  he  bought  a  farm 
two  and  one-half  miles  southwest  of  Marengo, 
settling  on  it  the  next  winter.  In  1867  he  was 
attacked  with  a  severe  form  of  bronchial 
asthma,  which  incapacitated  him  for  labor  and 
caused  him  intense  suffering.  In  the  year 
1875  he  sold  his  farm  and  bought  a  small 
place  near  Woodstock,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Scotch 
Presbyterian  church.  He  was  well  informed,  as 
it  had  been  his  practice  to  read  every  sub- 
stantial book  he  could  obtain.  He  was  well 
versed  in  European  and  American  history  and 
possessed  an  extensive  biographical  knowledge. 
When  a  young  man,  he  had  powers  of  great 
endurance,  and  has  been  known  to  walk  sixty 
miles  in  a  day  without  injury.  He  was  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  and  was  accumulating  property 
rapidly  when  stricken  by  disease.  In  early 
life  Mr.  Gillmore  was  a  Whig,  but  became  a 
Republican  on  the  organization  of  that  party. 
He  never  aspired  to  office,  was  broad-minded, 
liberal  to  a  fault,  absolutely  honest  and  highly 
respected.  He  died  at  his  residence,  near 
Woodstock,  111.,  Jan.  13,  1877. 

Mrs.  Harvey  Gillmore  was  born  at  Stock- 
bridge,  Vt,  Aug.  15,  1824.  Her  father  moved 
with  his  family  to  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y., 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Norfolk. 
The  family  was  of  Scotch  descent  but  the  date 
of  their  arrival  in  America  is  unknown.  Their 
earliest  known  place  of  residence  was  West 
moreland,  Cheshire  County,  N.  H.  Her  grand- 
father,   Jonathan    Sawyer,    enlisted    from   this 


place  for  service  at  the  battle  of  Bennington. 
He  was  sixteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  was  one  of  the 
picked  men  for  that  engagement.  He  was  also 
in  the  battles  of  Princeton,  Stillwater,  Trenton 
and  Yorktown.  Mrs.  Gillmore  was  very  skill- 
ful with  her  needle,  and  her  work  in  this  line 
display  rare  design  as  well  as  execution.  She 
had  a  good  education  and  before  marriage  was 
an  excellent  teacher.  Her  great-grandmother 
was  Jemima  Webster,  also  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire.  To  Mrs.  Gillmore's  great  energy 
and  judgment  the  success  of  the  family  was 
largely  due.  During  her  whole  life  she  was  a 
most  exemplary  Christian  and  in  later  years, 
as  long  as  her  health  would  permit,  a  regular 
attendant  of  the  Methodist  church.  After  her 
husband's  death  she  was  an  invalid  and  re- 
sided with  her  son,  Judge  Gillmore.  She  died 
July  11,  1897.  Their  children  were  Orson 
Harris,  born  June  17,  1848,  at  Norfolk,  St. 
Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.;  Russell,  born  June 
6,  1851,  and  died  March  22,  1852,  at  Norfolk. 
N.  Y,.  the  place  of  his  birth. 


ORSON  HARRIS  GILLMORE. 

From  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Ply- 
mouth until  the  uprising  of  Charles  I.,  about 
20,000  emigrants  came  over  from  old  England 
to  New  England.  The  English  emigration  was 
never  renewed,  and  from  these  men,  with  those 
who  came  from  Scotland  and  France,  are  des- 
cended the  vast  numbers  who  have  New  Eng- 
land blood  in  their  veins.  From  two  of  these 
sources,  the  Scotch  (or  Scotch-Irish,  as  they 
are  erroneously  called)  and  the  English  Puri- 
tans, came  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Judge 
Orson  Harris  Gillmore.  On  the  paternal  side, 
the  line  is  of  sterling  Scotch,  unmixed,  the 
English  Puritan  strain  coming  through  inter- 
marriages. It  is  good  stock  on  both  sides — 
none  better,  none  abler  in  peace,  none  braver 
in  war.  There  is  in  it  an  inheritance  of  cour- 
age, of  manliness,  of  imperishable  love  of  liber- 
ty, of  undying  adherence  to  principle. 

Judge  Gillmore  was  born,  June,  1848,  in 
Norfolk,  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  and  in 
1854,  when  but  six  years  of  age,  came  with  his 
parents  to  McHenry  County,  111.  The  journey 
was  made  by  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  where  the 
family  arrived  during  the  summer. 


fa-  0-  *.  £JL^  . 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


Young  Gilmore  worked  on  a  farm  during  the 
summer  season,  and  attended  the  district 
schools  in  the  townships  of  Marengo  and  Riley 
during  the  winter  months,  until  he  was  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  and  thus  became  inured,  in 
his  youth,  to  the  quiet  and  healthful  farm  life 
in  which  have  been  reared  many  of  our  ablest 
Americans.  The  ill  health  of  his  father  early 
threw  the  care  of  the  farm  upon  him,  and  the 
discipline  of  facing  the  stern  realities  of  life 
added  its  force  to  the  development  of  his 
character.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  began 
to  attend  a  private  school  at  Marengo,  taught 
by  Miss  Hattie  Carleton,  a  successful  and  ex- 
perienced teacher.  Young  Gillmore  early 
evinced  the  natural  powers  of  the  debater  and 
speaker,  and  endeavored,  by  honest,  hard 
study,  to  improve  his  mind  and  to  develop  his 
oratorical  powers.  In  the  old-time  school 
much  attention  was  devoted  to  training  the 
boys  in  the  art  of  public-speaking,  it  being 
properly  deemed  a  necessity  to  educate  the 
young  citizens  of  a  republic  to  be  able  to  ad- 
dress their  fellow-citizens  at  a  public  meeting; 
and  thus  many  of  the  foremost  American 
statesmen  received  their  early  training,  while 
some  of  the  most  eloquent  orators  who  have 
adorned  the  halls  of  Congress  had  no  other. 
Under  the  instruction  of  Miss  Carleton,  young 
Gillmore  soon  became  skilled  in  declamation, 
showing  so  much  ability  that  his  teachpr  was 
impressed  with  his  unusual  aptitude  and  ad- 
vised him  to  study  law,  which  he  resolved  to 
do.  He  soon  after  applied  to  Hon.  Ira  R.  Cur- 
tiss,  of  Marengo,  a  well-known  lawyer  and 
highly  respected  citizen  of  that  town.  Mr. 
Curtiss  encouraged  his  young  applicant,  advis- 
ing him  to  begin  with  "Walker's  American 
Law,"  loaning  him  the  work.  Young  Gillmore 
took  the  book  home  to  the  farm  and  read  it 
while  in  the  field  and  at  every  interval  of  farm 
work,  and  by  the  fireside  during  the  long  eve- 
nings after  his  hard  day's  work.  During  the 
winter  of  1869  he  read  law  in  Mr.  Curtiss'  of- 
fice and  walked  three  miles  each  way  between 
the  office  and  farm.  He  attended  to  the  chores, 
cared  for  thirty  head  of  cattle  and  arose  every 
morning  between  three  and  four  o'clock,  and 
frequently  pursued  his  legal  studies  until 
eleven  o'clock  at  night.  He  lived  on  simple 
food,  keeping  his  brain  clear  and  active,  and  in 
this  severe  school  acquired  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  fundamental  principles  of  law  that 
have  remained  in  the   powerful   grasp   of  his 


memory  to  this  day,  and  will  be  a  part  of  his 
mentality  until  his  death. 

Besides  his  studies  with  Mr.  Curtiss,  young 
Gillmore  read  law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  A.  B. 
Coon,  of  Marengo,  one  of  the  legal  giants  of 
Northern  Illinois,  and  who  served  as  Provost 
Marshal  during  the  Civil  War.  He  was  also 
Master  in  Chancery  in  McHenry  County  four 
years.  Mr.  Coon  took  a  great  interest  in  his 
hardworking  young  law  student,  and  believing 
his  abilities  to  be  such  that  he  would  become 
a  credit  to  the  bar  of  Illinois,  loaned  him  $400 
with  which  to  pursue  his  legal  studies  in  the 
law  department  of  the  University  of  Ann  Ar- 
bor, Mr.  Coon  requiring  only  of  his  young  friend 
that  he  repay  him  when  able,  which  trust  was 
faithfully  fulfilled. 

Mr.  Gillmore  entered  the  law  department  at 
Ann  Arbor,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1873 
and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Woodstock  in  1874.  He  soon  succeeded  in 
establishing  a  good  legal  business  and  became 
one  of  the  leading  lawyers  at  the  McHenry 
County  bar.  In  1882  he  was  elected  County 
Judge,  serving  continuously  until  1890,  when 
he  resigned  to  accept  a  position  on  the  Pen- 
sion Board  of  Appeals  at  Washington,  where  he 
remained  five  and  one-half  years,  until  the 
change  of  administration.  He  was  then  re- 
elected to  the  office  of  County  Judge,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  still  holds  and  in  which  he  en- 
joys the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  people 
to  a  marked  degree. 

Besides  his  duties  on  the  bench  of  McHenry 
County,  Judge  Gillmore  frequently  holds  court 
in  Chicago  for  Judge  Carter,  by  whom  his 
knowledge  of  law  is  highly  esteemed.  (It  is 
but  just  to  mention  here  that  Judge  Gillmore's 
opinions  have  been  generally  affirmed  by  the 
higher  courts  at  Springfield.)  Judge  Gillmore 
is  noted  as  a  wise  legal  counselor  and  his  ad- 
vice has  always  been  much  sought  after,  es- 
pecially by  people  who  wish  to  avoid  legal  en- 
tanglements. 

Politically,  Judge  Gillmore  has,  from  his 
earliest  manhood,  been  a  stanch  Republican. 
When  a  young  man  the  vital  questions  growing 
out  of  the  Civil  War  took  firm  hold  upon  him, 
and  he  made  his  first  political  speech  when 
but  twenty  years  of  age,  having  been  invited 
by  some  members  of  the  Grant  Club  of  Riley 
Township  to  .address  them.  The  speech  was 
made  in  the  school  house.  It  was  a  bad,  rainy 
night  and  the  meeting,  which  was  attended  by 


776 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


about  one  dozen  persons,  proved  a  dismal 
failure.  One  week  later  he  was  invited  by  the 
Grant  Club  of  Marengo,  to  speak  in  Lansing's 
hall.  This  meeting  was  largely  attended  and 
the  young  orator  made  an  impassioned  appeal 
to  the  voters.  This  time  he  made  a  marked 
impression  and  the  Republicans  were  delight- 
ed, but  a  dampness  was  thrown  on  their  ardor 
when  a  Chicago  drummer  who  was  present  re- 
marked: "Your  man  is  a  pretty  shrewd  fellow, 
but  I  heard  the  same  speech  delivered  by  John 
A.  Logan  a  short  time  since."  This  shock  fell 
like  a  bomb-shell  and  many  people  believed  it; 
but  later  in  the  campaign  Mr.  Gillmore  made 
another  more  powerful  speech,  which  effect- 
ually dispelled  all  doubt  as  to  his  ability  and 
originality. 

In  the  days  of  hard  work  and  small  begin- 
nings, his  character  was  formed,  his  mind 
strengthened  and  his  memory  rendered  retent- 
ive by  exercise,  until  few  men  have  a  more 
tenacious  hold  on  historical  events.  What  a 
wonderful  fount  is  memory!  We  probe  its 
depths  and  there  comes  forth  a  wail  of  sorrow; 
again  the  voice  of  gladness;  anything,  every- 
thing is  there,  and  ready  at  any  moment,  and 
who  would  have  it  changed  even  if  there  are 
some  dark  spots? 

The  peculiar  method  by  which  young  Gill- 
more  strengthened  his  memory  is  of  interest. 
While  engaged  in  hard  work  on  the  farm,  he 
was  daily  accustomed  to  compose  some  few 
lines,  and  unaided  by  writing,  committed  them 
to  memory.  This  not  pnly  assisted  him  in  com- 
position, but  acted  as  a  wonderful  stimulus  to 
his  memory.  In  this  way  he  soon  began  to 
compose  his  own  declamations  for  school  work, 
and  afterwards  thought  out  his  early  political 
speeches  and  committed  them  to  memory, 
verbatim  ct  literatim,  with  all  the  finished 
periods  exactly  as  he  delivered  them.  Keeping 
on  in  this  way,  his  memory  became  so  firm  that 
he  has  been  known  to  deliver  a  long  and  fin- 
ished oration  and,  years  after,  repeat  it  word 
for  word,  which  is  a  feat  of  memory  unparal- 
leled as  far  as  the  experience  of  the  writer 
goes.  The  Judge's  method  is  to  make  an  ex- 
haustive study  of  the  subject  on  which  he  is  to 
speak,  thoroughly  assimilate  the  matter,  arrange 
the  sentences  in  his  mind  with  all  the  orna- 
ments of  the  practiced  orator,  and  go  upon  the 
platform  and  deliver  it  without  a  break,  in  its 
full  flow  of  polished  eloquence.  It  may  be  said, 
however,  that  Judge  Gillmore's  memory  is  best 


on  his  productions  that  have  never  seen  print, 
and  that  in  recent  years,  as  the  result  of  exper- 
ience and  thought,  he  has  delivered  many  of 
his  most  forcible  speeches  extemporaneously, 
and  that  he  is  very  frequently  carried  away  by 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  subject  and  the  occa- 
sion. 

Immediately  after  his  first  effort  at  speech- 
making,  Judge  Gillmore  entered  the  political 
arena  and  has  since  been  an  active  participant 
in  every  campaign  with  the  exception  of  that 
of  1876.  Among  his  co-laborers  have  been  such 
men  as  the  famous  Solon  Chase,  of  Maine  (the 
great  Greenbacker),  Gen.  John  A.  Logan  and 
Hon.  Shelby  M.  Cullom.  Judge  Gillmore  made 
many  speeches  in  the  first  campaign  of  Ben- 
jamin Harrison,  being  on  the  road  most  of  the 
time,  da3r  and  night,  until,  when  the  end  of  the 
campaign  was  reached,  he  was  utterly  exhaust- 
ed and  partially  disabled  for  a  long  time. 

Judge  Gillmore  is  not  only  an  eloquent  and 
powerful  orator  and  a  successful  debater,  but 
he  has  inherited  from  his  Celtic  ancestors  a 
natural  taste  for  poetry,  and  from  some  beau- 
tiful productions  of  his  pen,  we  quote  the  fol- 
lowing: 

Mother's   Love. 
"Search  the  continents  vast  and  the  isles  of  the 

sea, 
Break  the  seal  of  the  past,  lift  the  veil  to  be, 
There  is  nothing  so  lovely,  there's  naught  so 

complete, 
As  the  love  of  a  mother,  pure,  tender  and  sweet. 

"Night's  host  has  a  voice,  impressive,  though 

still, 
The  heaving  of  ocean  may  move  us  to  tears, 
Yet  they  stir  not  the  soul  with  so  holy  a  thrill 
As  the  thoughts  of  that  love  which  is  change- 
less for  years. 

"Death  in  its  course  of  destruction  may  sever 
All  matter  from  form,  all  beauty  from  art, 
Yet  it  breaks  not  the  stream  that  is  flowing 

forever 
Through  Maker  to  man,  through  the  true  moth- 
er's heart." 

Judge  Gillmore  has  been  twice  married,  first 
to  Miss  Cora  Coon,  daughter  of  Hon.  A.  B. 
Coon,  who  is  now  deceased.  They  had  one 
daughter,  Harriet  Esther,  now  the  wife  of  Dunk- 
lin E.  Thames,  who  resides  with  her  husband 
at   Greenville,   Ala.     In   1881,   the   Judge   mar- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


777 


ried  as  his  second  wife,  Miss  Annie  Granger, 
daughter  of  George  S.  and  Susan  (Crawford) 
Granger. 

Launcelot  Granger,  the  founder  of  the  Gran- 
ger family  in  America,  was  of  old  English 
stock,  and  came  from  England  in  1632,  settling 
first  on  Kent  Island,  Mass.,  whence  he  removed 
to  Ipswich,  Conn.,  where  he  died.  George  S. 
Granger,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Gillmore,  was  born 
at  Sodus,  "Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan  28,  1821, 
the  son  of  Lyman  and  Achsah  (Wells)  Granger. 
His  wife,  Susan  (Crawford)  Granger,  was  born 
in  West  Bloomfield,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y., 
June  12,  1821.  The  Crawfords  were  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent  and,  in  1837,  moved  from  West 
Bloomfield  to  Troy,  Oakland  County,  N.  Y.  In 
early  manhood  George  S.  Granger  moved  with 
his  parents  to  Columbus,  St.  Clair  County, 
Mich.,  where,  besides  helping  to  open  up  the 
home  farm,  he  purchased  land  for  himself  be- 
coming the  owner  of  a  240-acre  farm.  Mr. 
Granger  was  well  educated,  having  spent  two 
years  in  college  and  in  addition  read  law  with 
James  Eldridge,  in  Mt.  Clemens,  Mich.  He 
was  a  cousin  of  Gen.  Gordon  Granger,  and 
during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  a  strong 
Union  man  raising  a  volunter  company 
of  which  he  was  elected  captain,  but 
was  unable  to  serve  on  account  of  phys- 
ical disability,  During  the  same  period 
he  served  as  Township  Supervisor,  be- 
ing Chairman  of  the  County  Board  for  more 
than  20  years,  and  rendered  excellent  service 
in  caring  for  the  soldiers'  widows  and  children. 
It  was  largely  due  to  his  efforts  that  the  full 
quota  of  soldiers  was  enlisted  from  his  town- 
ship. In  political  opinions  he  was  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  Democratic  principles  taught  by 
Jefferson  and  Jackson.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Granger  ded  on  the  home  farm  in  Columbus 
St.  Clair  County,  Mich.,  his  death  occurring  in 
March,  1892,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years 
and:  that  of  his  wife  in  November,  1877.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children,  named  as 
follows :  Elizabeth  Crawford,  William  Wallace 
and  Annie  (Mrs.  O.  H.  Gillmore). 

Judge  and  Mrs.  Gillmore  have  one  son,  Rob- 
ert Harvey,  born  June  7,  1888.  They  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Woodstock. 
Mrs.  Gillmore  is  a  lady  of  education  arid' cult- 
ure, being  a  graduate  of  the  State  University 
at  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  of  the  Class  of  1874, — the 
first  in  that  institution  to  Which  Wornen  were 


admitted.  After  fitting  for  college  she  was, 
on  this  account,  obliged  to  wait  one  year  be- 
fore she  could  enter.  She  has  had  an  exten- 
sive experience  as  a  teacher,  having  taught 
in  the  high  schools  of  Michigan,  Wisconsin, 
Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  for  some  years  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Wood- 
stock. She  and  her  husband  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church. 

Fraternally  Judge  Gillmore  is  associated  with 
the  Masonic  Order  and  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Hamilton  Club  of  Chicago,  and  an  ex-member 
of  the  Veteran  Union  League  of  the  same  city. 

Judge  Gillmore  is  one  of  the  best-known  and 
most  honored  citizens  of  McHenry  County.  A 
popular  orator,  there  are  few  hamlets  in  Mc- 
Henry County  in  which  his  voice  has  not  been 
heard  in  some  good  cause  as  the  earnest  cham- 
pion of  the  common  people.  He  has  also  deliv- 
ered many  orations  before  large  audiences  in 
Chicago  and  other  cities,  which  have  received 
high  praise  from  the  press,  and  he  is  held  in 
high  esteem  as  an  eloquent  and  brilliant  pub- 
lic speaker.  Possessing  a  vigorous  and  earnest 
personality,  his  manner  upon  the  rostrum  is 
very  impressive.  He  is  one  of  tnose  men  who, 
by  determined  effort,  has  hewn  out  his  path  from 
the  farm  to  the  bench,  and  has  opened  up  for 
himself  a  career  as  an  educated  roan.  He 
is  an  extensive  reader  of  history  and  scientific 
works,  especially  such  as  pertain  to  the  origin 
of  the  races,  and  his  retentive  memory  rend- 
ers him  a  pleasing  and  instructive  conversa- 
tionalist. There  is  no  man  in  Illinois  more 
earnest  and  honest  in  a  firm  adherence  to 
right.  Entertaining  a  deep  interest  in  the 
genealogy  and  history  of  the  Gillmore  family, 
he  has  visited  many  early  homes  of  the  found- 
ers of  the  family  in  America,  in  search  of  in- 
formation on  this  subject.  In  this  respect  he 
has  as  predecessors  such  men  as  Benjamin 
Franklin,  the  greatest  of  American  citizens, 
the  martyred  President  Garfield,  and  Daniel 
Webster,  the  great  statesman,  who  has  written 
as  follows:    -.'.■.' 

"It  did  not  happen  to  me  to  be  born  in  a  log 
cabin,  but  my  older  brothers  and  sisters  were 
born  in  a  log  cabin,  raised  amid  the  snow  drifts 
of  New  Hampshire  at, a  period  so  early  that, 
when  the  smoke  first  rose  from  its  rude  chim- 
ney and  curled  over  the  frozen  hills,  there  was 
no  similar  evidence'  of  a  white  man's  habita- 
tion between  it  and  the  settlements  on  the 
rivers   of  Canada.     Its   remains   still   exist.     I 


778 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


carry  my  children  to  it  to  teach  them  the 
hardships  endured  by  the  generations  which 
have  gone  before  them.  I  love  to  dwell  on  the 
tender  recollections,  the  kindrea  ties,  the  early 
affections  and  the  touching  narratives  and 
incidents  which  mingle  with  all  I  know  of 
this  primitive  abode." 


MRS.    LOUISA   C.  GATES. 

Mrs.  Louisa  C.  Gates  is  one  of  the  pioneer 
women  of  McHenry  County  and  belongs  to  a 
family  of  old  New  England  ancestry.  She  was 
born  in  Massachusetts  near  the  Connecticut 
line,  daughter  of  Almon  and  Lamont  (Robe) 
Holcomb. 

Almon  Holcomb  was  a  farmer  and  married  in 
Southworth,  Mass.,  Lamont  Ro'be,  a  lady  of 
Scotch  descent.  Their  children  were:  Erne- 
line,  Wilson,  Caroline,  Dwight,  Eliza,  Louisa 
C,  Edward,  Elijah,  Cordelia  and  Lyman.  Mr. 
Holcomb  moved  to  Illinois  in  1838  and  settled 
on  Ringwood  Prairie.  His  wife  died  in  1843, 
and  he  returned  to  Southworth,  Mass.,  where  he 
died  June  5,  1868,  aged  about  eighty-four  years. 
He  was  a  prosperous  and  respected  man,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  a  sol- 
dier in  the  War  of  1812.  His  father  was  a  Cap- 
tain in  the  War  of  the  Revolution  and  descend- 
ed from  good  English  stock,  the  family  bearing 
a  coat  of  arms.  , 

Louisa  C.  Holcomb,  now  Mrs.  Gates,  came 
to  McHenry  County  with  her  parents,  and  can 
well  remember  the  pioneer  scenes  and  inci- 
dents, which  she  relates  with  much  pleasure. 
In  early  life  she  taught  school  in  the  family 
of  George  Boone,  ,a  well-known  pioneer,  who 
then  lived  on  what  is  known  as  the  old  Petitt 
place.  In  Nov.,  1841,  she  married  Nathan  S. 
Hait,  who  was  a  native  of  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  his  parents  being  very  old  settlers  of  that 
region.  Mr.  Hait  learned  the  blacksmith  trade 
in  his  native  county.  After  completing  his 
studies  he  started  on  a  tour  of  observation 
through  the  Southern  States,  but  meeting  an 
intimate  friend,  Henry  Owen,  a  well-known 
resident  of  McHenry  County,  he  visited  his 
family  and  was  induced  to  locate  in  McHenry, 
and  here  opened  a  blacksmith  shop.  When  the 
town  of  McHenry  was  platted  the  few  citizens 
drew  lots,  and  Mr.  Hait  chose  the  spot  where 
Rev.  Joel  Wheeler  pitched  his  tent  on  his  ar- 
rival in  the  county.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathan 
S.  Hait  were  born  two  sons,  one  of  whom  died 


in  infancy,  and  Wilson  S.,  who  is  still  living  at 
the  old  home.  When  Mr.  Hait  arrived  in 
McHeriry  County,  he  had  no  capital  but  was 
a  skillful  mechanic  and  a  successful  farmer, 
and  previous  to  his  death  owned  a  good  farm 
of  320  acres  well  stocked.  He  died  Sept.  29, 
1845. 

Mrs.  Hait  was  married  a  second  time,  to 
Avery  A.  Gates,  Jan.  11,  1848,  and  they  lived 
in  McHenry  County,  Illinois.  Their  children 
were:  Franklin  W.,  born  November  20,  1848, 
died  June  3,  1876,  and  Adaline,  born  Jan.  21. 
1852.  Of  their  children,  Franklin  W.  was  a 
prominent  and  substantial  citizen  of  McHenry 
County.  Adaline  became  a  sculptress  having 
studied  in  Boston  and  Paris,  and  was  a  lady 
of  much  ability  and  executed  some  very  fine 
pieces  of  work.  Her  talent  attracted  so  much 
attention  that  she  had  an  unknown  benefactor 
who  paid  her  expenses  in  Paris  for  three  years. 
She  established  her  art  very  successfully  in 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  where  she  died. 


WILLIAM    H.  GROESBECK. 

William  Herman  Groesbeck,  retired  farmer, 
of  Hebron,  111.,  is  a  substantial  citizen  of  Hol- 
land-Dutch descent.  His  grandfather,  Myndert 
Groesbeck,  was  born  iD  Albany,  N.  Y.,  June  27, 
1767,  became  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  mar- 
ried Margaret  Van  Vechten,  whose  family  was 
of  the  same  general  stock,  their  ancestors 
having  come  from  Holland  and  settled  in  New 
Amsterdam  (now  New  York  City)  in  1667. 
After  living  on  a  farm  twelve  miles  south  of 
Albany  for  a  number  of  years,  he  moved  to 
Central  New  York,  and  settled  near  Manches- 
ter, where  he  bought  a  farm  and  where  he 
died,  aged  about  seventy  years.  The  famous 
hole,  where  the  Mormon  bible  was  said  to  have 
been  found,  was  on  an  adjoining  farm.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
church.  The  first  Methodist  church  west  of 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  was  organized  by  an  itinerant 
minister  of  that  denomination  in  the  Groes- 
beck home  about  1790.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Groes- 
beck had  two  children,  Philip  2nd  John  Wes- 
ley. The  latter,  who  became  the  father  of 
William  H.  Groesbeck,  was  born  on  his  fath- 
er's farm  near  Albany,  July  1,  1802.  On  May 
13,  1824,  he  married  Rebecca  Ann  Knicker- 
bocker, who  was  born  in  1800,  the  daughter  of 
William   and   Derika    (Van   Vechten)    Knicker- 


8kS^ 

MmWKlk 

,             ,:        ■.     ...     .             ■■■,.:•■     ,     .      ■     .:     .        .         ■■■.-.     ,                 ■           .,:         :■     .          :■    .          ■    ■           :::     .    ■  . .,         :■             ■■:■             .          ■                                                 ■  .                        .■                       ■■■ 

McHENRY      COUNTY. 


779 


bocker,  all  of  whom  were  of  pure  Holland- 
Dutch  ancestry.  Derick  Van  Vechten,  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Groesbeck,  was  a  Major 
in  the  War  of  the  American  Revolution,  and 
was  killed  by  Indians  during  the  invasion  of 
New  York  by  Burgoyne  in  1777,  his  remains 
being  buried  in  the  old  Fort  at  Albany.  Sev- 
eral chairs  which  belonged  to  Derick  Van 
Vechten,  and  which  were  brought  by  his  an- 
cestors from  Holland,  have  been  preserved  by 
different  members  of  the  family  in  America. 
These  are  a  part  of  some  household  goods 
taken  to  Fort  Albany,  for  preservation  during 
the  Revolutionary  War.  Derick  Van  Vechten 
inscribed  his  initials — "D.  V.  V." — on  each 
chair,  and  these  are  still  plainly  to  be  seen 
on  a  chair  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  William 
H.  Groesbeck.  The  chairs  were  of  what  was 
called  the  "fiddle-back"  pattern,  and  the  one 
owned  by  Mr.  Groesbeck  is  yet  solid  and  in  a 
well-preserved  condition.  He  also  has  a  num- 
ber of  other  interesting  family  relics,  which 
have  been  handed  down  from  his  forefathers. 
One  of  these  is  a  heavy  bureau  which  be- 
longed to  his  grandfather  Groesbeck,  and 
which  was  sunk  in  a  small  vessel  in  Milwau- 
kee harbor  for  a  time,  but  finally  recovered. 

John  W.  Groesbeck  and  wife  first  settled  on 
a  farm  near  Albany,  belonging  to  one  of  the  old 
patroon  families,  but  in  1832,  they  removed 
to  Manchester,  N.  Y.,  later  settling  in  Wayne 
County,  in  that  State,  where  he  bought  a  farm 
on  which  he  lived  until  1844.  During  the  lat- 
ter year  he  removed  to  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  and  settled  on  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
immediately  on  the  State  line,  one-half  being 
in  Wisconsin  and  the  other  half  in  McHenry 
County,  111.  He  improved  his  farm  and  made 
additions  to  it  until  he  was  the  owner  of  220 
acres.  Here  he  lived  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  May  8,  1888,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six 
years.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Presby- 
terian and,  politically,  a  Jacksonian  Democrat, 
in  later  life  becoming  a  Lincoln  Republican. 
In  his  younger  days  he  was  a  captain  in  the 
New  York  State  militia.  His  children  were: 
Eve  Eliza,  Benjamin  F.,  William  Herman  (now 
of  McHenry  County),  Philip  Henry,  Margaret 
Ann,  John  Wesley  and  Abraham  Derick.  The 
shortest  of  the  five  brothers  was  six  feet  tall. 
Mr.  Groesbeck  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  many  years.  A  pleasant  event  of 
.Ms  later  years  was  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of 

*s  wedding,  which    was     celebrated    at    the 


home  of  his  son  William,  May  13,  1884,  in 
which  a  large  number  of  descendants  and  old 
friends  joined.  His  faithful  wife  died  June  5, 
1886. 

William  H.  Groesbeck  was  born  at  Schaghti- 
coke,  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  July  31,  1830, 
about  twelve  miles  south  of  Albany,  was  only 
two  years  old  when  his  parents  removed  to 
Manchester,  and  still  a  boy  when  he  accom- 
panied them  to  Wayne  County  in  the  same 
State.  Here  he  attended  school  during  the 
winter  months  until  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Wiscon- 
sin, the  journey  being  made  by  the  Erie  Canal 
to  Buffalo,  and  thence  by  the  lakes  to  Chicago 
and  by  team  to  Linn  Township,  Walworth 
County,  Wis.  After  coming  to  Wisconsin  he 
attended  school  for  several  winters  in  a  frame 
school  house,  which  he  assisted  to  build. 
When  ahout  twenty-one  years  old,  he  took  a 
brief  course  in  Beloit  College,  after  which  he 
taught  several  winter  schools  in  Walworth 
County.  On  Dec.  27,  1860,  he  was  married  in 
Alden  McHenry  County,  111.,  to  Josephine  L. 
Udell,  who  was  born  in  Alden,  Erie  County. 
N.  Y.,  Feb.  21,  1838,  the  daughter  of  Alby  and 
Jane  (Wilson)  Udell.  (By  some  branches  of 
the  family  the  name  was  spelled  "Udall.") 
Alby  Udell  was  a  native  of  Woodstock,  Vt., 
horn  Feb.  14,  J812,  the  son  of  Oliver  and 
Lucretia  (Grow)  Udell.  The  founder  of  the 
family  in  America  was  Benoni  Udell,  who 
came  to  America  in  colonial  times  and  settled 
in  New  Bedford,  Mass.  He  had  fled  from 
England  on  account  of  some  political  offense 
not  now  clearly  understood,  but  believed  to 
have  been  in  connection  with  the  Cromwellian 
period.  While  on  board  ship,  finding  himself 
likely  to  be  captured,  he  jumped  into  the  sea 
and,  by  swimming,  escaped  to  an  island, 
where  he  took  another  vessel,  finally  reaching 
America  as  already  stated.  He  afterwards 
sent  to  England  for  his  wife  and  child,  both 
of  whom  died  on  shipboard  while  crossing  the 
ocean.  Later  he  married  his  second  wife  in 
Massachusetts,  Bay  Colony. 

Oliver  Udell,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Groes- 
beck, was  the  third  in  regular  descent  of  that 
name.  The  name  Oliver,  which  was  in  com- 
mon use  in  the  American  family  for  many  gen- 
erations, frequently  in  connection  with  the 
name  "Cromwell,"  w,as  adopted  in  honor  of  the 
great  English  Reformer,  and  this  is  regarded 
as  evidence  that  the  coming  of  the  founder  of 


780 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  family  to  America  was  due  to  the  restoration 
of  the  Stuart  dynasty  to  power,  and  the  at- 
tempt to  punish  those  connected  with  the 
dethronement  and  execution  of  Charles  I. 
Oliver  Udell  was  ,a  farmer  in  Woodstock,  Vt., 
where  his  grandfather  had  settled,  and  where 
he  owned  a  farm.  He  married  Lucretia  Grow, 
and  their  children  were:  Sophia,  Morris, 
Joseph,  Otis,  Alby,  Elsie  and  Caroline.  About 
1815  he  moved  to  New  York  and  settled  near 
Buffalo,  making  the  journey  overland  with  an 
ox-team.  The  family  were  in  this  region  dur- 
ing the  "starvation"  period  caused  by  the 
frosts  which  occurred  in  every  month  during 
the  year  1816,  destroying  the  crops  of  that 
year  and  causing  great  distress  and,  in  some 
cases,  actual  starvation  among  the  widely 
scattered  settlements  made  up  of  pioneer 
families  occupying  little  clearings  in  the 
heavily  timbered  portion  of  Western  New 
York.  The  distress  caused  throughout  the 
northern  portions  of  the  United  States,  during 
that  memorable  year,  was  universal,  but  of 
course  most  severe  in  the  newly  settled  re- 
gions, many  families  being  compelled  to  sub- 
sist on  wild  roots,  herbs  and  nuts  until  the 
crops  of  the  following  year  could  be  grown; 
and,  even  then,  its  effects  were  felt  for  a  year 
or  two  following.  Mr.  Udell  cleared  up  a  farm 
in  this  region  and  finally  became  a  prominent 
citizen  of  his  county.  He  died  in  1822  at  the 
comparatively  early  age  of  forty-four  years, 
from  the  effects  of  the  privations  he  had  en- 
dured during  his  pioneer  life.  He  was  a  more 
than  ordinarily  well-educated  man  and  served 
as  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  his  community. 

Alby  Udell,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Groesbeck, 
was  born  Feb.  14,  1812,  near  Woodstock,  Vt., 
and,  when  three  years  of  age,  was  taken  bjr 
his  parents  to  Western  New  York.  Here,  be- 
ing left  fatherless  at  ten  years  of  age,  he  re- 
ceived a  somewhat  limited  education,  grew  up 
to  the  life  of  a  farmer  and,  on  June  18,  1834, 
was  married  at  Alden  near  Buffalo,  to  Jane 
Wilson,  who  was  born  in  Colerain,  Mass.,  Feb. 
10,  1813,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Annie 
(Stewart)  Wilson.  John  Wilson  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  and  his  family  were 
Presbyterians  and  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Massachusetts.  Five  years  after  marriage 
Alby  Udell  and  wife  moved  to  Canada  and  set- 
tled near  Grimsby  in  that  province,  where 
they  remained  seven  years,  when  in  1845,  they 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  bought  300 


acres  of  land  in  Alden  Township,  which  he 
improved,  making  for  himself  and  family  a 
fine  home.  He  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  many  years  and  was  an  attendant 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  his  wife 
was  a  member  from  her  girlhood.  Politically 
he  was  originally  a  Democrat,  but  joined  in 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  and 
was  one  of  the  ardent  supporters  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln for  the  Presidency.  While  in  New  York, 
Mr.  Udell  was  a  member  of  the  State  militia. 
His  children  were:  Oliver,  Josephine,  George 
and  Asad.  He  died  May  5,  1885,  aged  seventy- 
three  years.  Mrs.  Alby  Udell  died  Feb.  10, 
1879,  on  her  sixty-sixth  birthday. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  H. 
Groesbeck  settled  on  a  part  of  the  paternal 
homestead  in  Alden  Township,  and  to  this  he 
made  additions  until  he  was  the  owner  cf 
valuable  farming  lands  amounting  to  470 
acres.  This  he  improved,  erecting  on  it  sub- 
stantial farm  buildings,  and  by  the  exercise  of 
industry  and  economy,  aided  by  his  faithful 
wife,  was  very  successful.  In  1893  they  re- 
moved to  Hebron,  where  they  bought  a  pleasant 
residence  in  which  is  their  present  home. 
They  have  three  daughters,  Jennie  R.,  Grace 
G.  and  Josephine  Ida,  all  active  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  Grace  G.  married 
Ira  E.  Hyde,  May  11,  1893,  a  business  man  of 
Hebron. 

Politically  Mr.  Groesbeck  is  an  earnest  Re- 
publican, and,  in  religious'  views,  a  Presby- 
terian, and  has  been  an  elder  and  liberal  giver 
in  that  church  for  the  past  twenty-five  years. 
While  a  resident  of  Alden  Township,  he 
served  for  more  than  twenty  years  as  Town- 
ship Supervisor,  and  has  occupied  a  prominent 
position  in  the  community.  Three  brothers  of 
William  H.  Groesbeck  served  in  the  Civil  War, 
Philip,  John  W.  and  Abraham  D.,  the  first 
named  in  a  Wisconsin  regiment  and  the  others 
in  Illinois  regiments.  Philip  served  four  years, 
was  in  many  battles  and  finally  died  after 
reaching  home,  in  consequence  of  exposure  in- 
curred during  his  army  life.  Abraham  also 
died  from  the  effects  of  his  war  service.  Asad 
Udell,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Groesbeck,  was  also  i 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War.  Mr.  William  H. 
Groesbeck  was  nursed  by  an  old  ex-slave 
woman, .  who  had  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
family  from  the  time  that  slavery  existed  m 
New  York  State. 

Mrs.      Groesbeck's      maternal      grandfather: 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


781 


John  Wilson,  was  a  contractor    on     the     Erie 
Canal  while  it  was  in  process  of  construction, 
and  his  partner  ran  away  with  the  funds  be- 
longing to  the  firm,  but  Mr.  Wilson,  with  ster- 
ling integrity  and  at  great  sacrifice,   paid   up 
all     his     debts,     preserving     his     honor     un- 
tarnished.    A     story    of    Mrs.  Groesbeck's  pa 
ternal  great-gr.andfather,  Oliver  Udell,   handed 
down   to   the  present  day,   relates   that,    after 
settling  in  Vermont,  he  with  his  four  sons  cut 
down  the  timber  on  forty  acres  of  land,  leav- 
ing it  to  dry  for  one  year,  when  he  set  fire  to 
it.     The  reflection  upon  the  sky  produced   by 
the   flames   from  the   mass  of  burning  timber, 
was  visible  for  many     miles,     causing     much 
alarm     among     superstitious     people  who  be- 
lieved that  the  world  was   coming  to   an  end, 
and  they  suddenly  betook  themselves  to  pray- 
ing with  great  fervor. 

In  1901,  in  company  with  her  daughter  Ida, 
Mrs.  Groesbeck  visited  the  old  Canadian  home 
of  the  Udells,  which     she    found     almost     un- 
changed from  the  condition  in  which  she  had 
left  it  at  seven  years  of  age.       The  old  pear 
tree,  which  she  remembered     seeing    when    a 
child,  was  still  standing,  stanch  and  strong  and 
bearing  fruit.     On  this  visit  they  saw  the  Duke 
and    Duchess    of    Connaught.     Mrs.    Groesbeck 
received  a  good  education  while  young,  attend- 
ing a  young  ladies'  seminary  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
under  the  principalship  of  the  famous  educa- 
tor, Dr.  Charles  E.  West,  and,  after  coming  to 
McHenry   County,    engaged   in  teaching  for   a 
time  with  successful  results. 


RICHARD  GILLIAN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  son  of  one 
of  the   original   pioneers   of  McHenry  County, 
his  father,  Samuel  Gillian,  having  been  the  first 
permanent  white  settler  in  the  county,  where 
he  located  in  1834.     The  Gillian  family  were  of 
Scotch-Irish   descent,     the     founders     of     the 
American  branch  having  emigrated  to  Virginia 
in     the    colonial     period,     finally     settling    in 
Nicholas  County,   now  in  the  central   part  of 
West  Virginia.       The  grandfather  of  Mr.   Gil- 
lian was   a  farmer  and  hunter  in  the  county, 
where  his  son  Samuel,  the  father  of  Richard, 
was  born,  adopting     his     father's     occupation 
and  opening  a  farm  in  the  woods  of  his  native 
county.     He  was  married  to  Margaret  Hill,  a 
native  of  the  same  State,  born  Aug.  10,  1797, 
and  had  nine  children:     Armstrong  (who  died 


in  Virginia),  Chaney,  Lydia,  Gita,  Nancy   Rich- 
ard,  Elipta,   Tolitha   and     Martha— the  '  latter 
born  in  Ohio.     In  1833  Mr.  Gillian  moved  with 
his   family   by  wagon   from   West   Virginia  to 
Champaign  County,   Ohio,  where  he  remained 
about  a  year,   when  he   emigrated  to   Illinois 
arnving  in  what  is  now  Algonquin  Township' 
McHenry  County,  Nov.   18,   1834.     Besides  his 
family,   he  was  accompanied   by  Edward  Rut- 
ledge  and  two  old  bachelors  named  Alonzo  and 
Morris   Cutler,    who   came   with   him   from  In- 
diana.    He  located   a  claim,   built  a  log-cabin 
and   established  his   pioneer  home   on  a  tract 
of  land  now  belonging  to  Edward  Chappel  of 
Elgin,  and  occupied  as   a  farm  by  a   Mr    Ritt 
'  but  died  in  1837  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years' 
before  perfecting  his  title    from    the    Govern- 
ment.   His    wife,    however,    finally    secured    a 
patent  to  417  acres,  embracing  the  home  farm 
Later  Mrs.  Gillian     was      married     to     a     Mr. 
Thomas  Hooper,  an  Englishman,     who     after- 
wards returned  to  England.     No  children  were 
born  of  the  second  marriage.     Mrs.  Gillian  was 
the  first  white   woman  to  reside  permanently 
m  McHenry  County,  where  their  daughter  Gita 
died   in   1835-this    being   the   first   death   and 
burial  of  a  white  person  in  the  county.     Mrs. 
Gillian  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  was  highly  respected,  and  died 
at  the  age  of  ninety-four  years  at  the  home  ot- 
her daughter,  Tolitha,  in  Knox  County,  Mo. 

Mr.    Richard    Gillian    was    born   in   Nicholas 
County,  Va.   (now  W.  Va.),  Sept.  18,  1828,  and 
had  just  passed  the  ,age  of  six  years  when  the 
family  arrived  in  McHenry  County,  as  detailed 
above.     The  journey  from  Virginia  was  made 
in  two  canvas-covered  wagons,  one  drawn   by 
a  team  of  two  horses   and  the   other  by  two 
yoke  of  oxen.     They  also  brought  with   them 
several  cows.     There  were  but  few  houses  in 
Chicago  when  they  passed  through  the  place, 
and,  over  much  of  the  distance  traveled,  there 
were  no   roads.     At  LaPorte,   Ind.,   they  were 
joined   by  the  Cutler  brothers,  who  located  a 
claim  in  McHenry  County,  but  afterwards  sold 
out  and  went  away.    At  that  time  there  was 
no  house  between     Chicago     and     the     Gillian 
home.     The  landscape    was    a    beautiful    one, 
m,ade  up  of  alternate  stretches  of  prairie  and 
oak  groves- the  latter  called  "oak  openings"— 
over  which  roamed  all     kinds  of    game     then 
common    to    the   country.     In    a    single    grove 
seventy   deer   were    counted,    and    wolves    and 
lynxes   abounded   along   Fox  River.       The   In- 


(82 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


dians  had  a  camp  at  Algonquin  and  another 
across  the  river  opposite  the  Gillians.  Before 
the  town  of  Algonquin  was  settled  it  was 
known  as  Cornish's  Ferry;  then,  when  the 
town  was  started,  it  took1  the  name  of  Osceola, 
hut  was  finally  named  Algonquin  by  Mr.  Sam- 
uel Edwards,  after  a  boat  which  he  owned  and 
which  had  been  named  for  the  Algonquin  tribe 
of  Indians.  The  first  school  was  taught  in  a 
log-cabin  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cole,  the  wife  of 
James  Cole,  and  this  Mr.  Gillian  attended  one 
winter.  He  afterwards  attended  a  school 
taught  by  William  Burnham,  in  a  log-house 
erected  for  that  purpose;  near  where  the  town 
of  Gary  now  stands.  Later,  Burnham  Cole 
taught  in  a  frame  house  belonging  to  Jesse  Mil- 
ler, and  William  Hodges  where  the  Lowe 
School  now  is.  The  first  religious  meetings 
attended  by  the  family  were  held  at  the  house 
of  Isaac  Denny,  across  the  river  from  the  Gil- 
lians,  conducted  by  pioneer  Methodist  intiner- 
ants.  Among  those  remembered  were  a  Rev. 
Mr.  White  and  Mr.  Gaddis.  Services  were 
also  held  sometimes  in  the  Gillian  home,  and 
the  good  old  Methodist  hymns  were  sung  with 
deep  feeling  by  preachers  and  pioneers,  among 
whom  the  former  were  laboring  with  great 
zeal  to  establish  the  principles  of  their  faith. 
The  country  was  full  of  game,  the  streams 
swarmed  with  fish,  there  was  abundance  of 
mast  for  the  hogs  which  ran  wild  in  the  woods, 
and  large  crops  were  raised  with  little  effort 
on  the  fertile  and  newly  broken  soil.  The 
pioneers  worked  hard,  but  found  much  com- 
fort in  their  mode  of  life;  the  "latch  string" 
was  always  "out"  and  hospitality  was  gener- 
ous. The  Indians,  who  always  proved  them- 
selves peaceful  and  friendly,  often  came  to  the 
house  for  food,  and  were  seldom,  if  ever, 
turned  away  empty.  Richard  learned  the  ait 
of  farming  in  his  boyhood,  and,  as  his  father 
died  while  he  was  quite  young,  and  his  only 
brother  (Chaney)  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  a  large 
share  of  the  responsibility  for  carrying  on  the 
farm  and  supporting  the  family  soon  fell  upon 
his  shoulders,  and  well  did  he  acquit  himself. 
Mr.  Gillian  is  a  memher  of  Algonquin  Lodge 
A  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  established  a  reputa- 
tion for  straightforward  integrity,  generosity, 
public-spirit  and  kind-hearted  liberality  to  the 
poor,  that  is  gratefully  remembered  in  the 
community. 


HENRY   GORHAM. 

Henry  Gorham  (deceased),  of  Ridgefield,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  was,  during  his  life,  one  of 
the  substantial  and  respected  citizens  of  Dorr 
Township,  McHenry  County,  and  the  head  of 
an  excellent  family.  The  Gorham  family  is  of 
English  extraction,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  having  been  born,  as  believed,  in 
Quebec,  Canada.  He  was  married  there  to  a 
lady  of  French  descent,  who  was  the  owner  of 
a  farm,  but  they  finally  settled  at  San  Barnato, 
some  thirty  miles  from  Montreal,  where  he 
lived  to  the  age  of  ahout  one  hundred  and 
seven  years.  He  was  a  man  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  the  owner  of  a  good  home- 
stead, a  church  member,  and  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812  on  the  British  side,  as  was  to  be 
expected  from  him  as  a  citizen  of  a  British 
province.  His  children  were:  David,  Eli, 
Frank,  Robert,  Julia,  Peter,  Mary,  Henry  and 
a  daughter  who  died  aged  seventeen  years. 
All  of  the  sons  except  Frank  became  citizens 
of  the  United  States.  David,  the  oldest,  lo- 
cated in  Dundee,  McHenry  County,  111.,  and 
served  as  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War  in  the 
Fifty-second  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers.  Eli 
settled  at  Utica,  and  also  served  in  the  Civil 
War. 

Henry  Gorham,  whose  name  heads  this 
article,  and  the  youngest  son  of  this  family, 
was  born  at  St.  Isaacs,  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  within  thirty  miles  of  Montreal,  in  the 
latter  part  of  December,  1855.  While  young 
he  received  a  limited  education,  but  learned  to 
read  the  French  language.  At  fourteen  year? 
of  age,  he  went  to  Vermont  and  engaged  in 
farm-work  near  Fairfield  in  that  State,  where 
he  remained  until  1855,  when  he  came  with  his 
brother  David  and  a  cousin,  George  La 
Chance,  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  to  Chi- 
cago by  railroad  and  thence  to  Gilbert  Station, 
Kane  County,  where  he  again  took  up  farm- 
work  as  an  employe  of  George  Sawyer  of  Dun- 
dee, in  the  meantime  attending  school  three 
winters.  In  the  spring  of  1859  he  joined  a 
party  for  a  trip  across  the  plains.  Besides 
himself,  the  party  included  Jules  and  Jacob 
Horbach  and  William  and  Gardner  Southworth 
— the  latter,  for  many  years  at  a  later  period, 
editor  of  the  "Woodstock  Sentinel."  Their 
outfit  consisted  of  two  yoke  of  oxen,  a  cow  and 
a  canvas-covered  ox-wagon  with  supplies  pur- 
chased at  Nebraska  City.  They  first  contem- 
plated going  to  Pike's  Peak  to  engage  in  the 


^Kt^^y 


4. 


^c^w-i 


//On. 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


783 


search  for  gold,  but  meeting  many  adventur- 
ers returning  from  that  region,  they  decided  to 
extend  their  journey  to  California.  Leaving 
Cary  Station,  in  McHenry  County,  on  March  9, 
1859,  they  reached  the  Eureka  mines  in  Sierra 
County,  Cal.,  Aug.  20th  following,  after  a 
journey  of  nearly  five  and  a  half  months.  Mr. 
Gorham  walked  the  whole  distance,  averaging 
twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  per  day,  and  meet- 
ing plenty  of  Indians,  buffalo  and  antelope  on 
the  way.  After  working  in  the  Eureka  gold 
mines  and  .a  quartz-mill  two  months,  he  went 
to  Tulare  County  in  company  with  two  others — 
a  Mr.  John  Coon  and  William  Wilson — packing 
their  food  supply  a  distance  of  200  miles  on  a 
burro.  Finding  no  satisfactory  prospect  for 
profitable  mining  here,  he  returned  to  Turn- 
back Creek,  remaining  in  that  vicinity  four  or 
five  years  and  obtaining  fairly  good  returns 
for  his  labor.  In  lAipril,  1867,  he  started  from 
San  Francisco  on  his  return,  by  way  of  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  to  his  old  home  at  Dundee, 
where,  on  Dec.  ,26th  of  the  same  year,  he  was 
married  to  Judith  Helen  Sawyer.  After  mar- 
riage they  settled  on  the  old  Sawyer  home- 
stead in  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  County. 
Here  they  have  made  their  home,  except  dur- 
ing the  absence  of  Mr.  Gorham  in  Cowley 
County,  Kan.,  where  he  went  in  1871  aud 
homesteaded  160  acres  of  land,  spending  a 
part  of  his  time  in  freighting  to  Emporia, 
Humboldt  and  other  places.  After  an  absence 
of  fourteen  months,  he  sold  his  Kansas  land 
and  returned  to  his  Illinois  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gorham  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Bertha,  Elmer 
S.,  William  Henry  and  George  F. — all  well 
educated.  Bertha,  Elmer  and  George  attended 
the  Woodstock  High  School,  and  Elmer  took 
a  course  in  a  business  college  at  Elgin.  Ber- 
tha married  Richard  Reed,  a  farmer  living 
near  Ridgefield,  and  they  have  had  two  chil- 
dren,  Pearl   Marie   and   Clarence   Edward. 

In  political  belief  Mr.  Gorham  was  a  Repub- 
lican. He  was  of  industrious,  frugal  haJbits, 
and  invested  his  savings  in  the  Sawyer  home- 
stead, which  was  heavily  encumbered,  finally 
paying  off  the  indebtedness.  He  was  a  strict- 
ly honest  and  self-made  man,  and  accumu- 
lated his  property  by  his  own  individual 
efforts,  aided  by  those  of  his  faithful  wife.  He 
built  a  substantial  frame  residence  on  the 
homestead  and,  at  his  death,  was  the  owner 
of  two  farms — the  home  farm  consisting  of  1SS 


acres,  and  another  of  158  acres  one  mile  from 
the  Dorr  butter  and  cheese  factory.  Begin- 
ning life  at  fourteen  years  of  age  with  noth- 
ing, he  accumulated  a  handsome  competency. 

His  wife,  Judith  Helen  Sawyer,  was  born  in 
Bradford,  Vt.,  Jan.  9,  1842,  the  daughter  ot 
William  and  Savilla  (Hayes)  Sawyer,  who 
were  of  English-Puritan  ancestry.  Her 
mother  was  a  native  of  Strafford,  Vt.,  born 
Jan.  3,  1811,  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Abi- 
gail (Merrill)  Hayes — the  former  a  soldier  of 
the  American  Revolution.  Their  children 
were:  David,  John,  Samuel,  Sallie,  Irene.. 
Lydia,  Roxana,  Elvira,  Lucy  (who  died  young) 
and  Savilla.  The  Hayes  family  were  of  the 
same  stock  as  the  late  Ex-President  Ruther- 
ford B.  Hayes. 

William  Sawyer,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Gorham, 
was  born  at  Oxford,  N.  H.,  in  November,  1807. 
the  son  of  John  and,  Judith  (Webster)  Sawyer, 
the  ancestors  of  the  former  being  among  the 
early  settlers  of  New  Hampshire.  He  was  of 
the  same  stock  as  the  late  Senator  Sawyer  of 
Wisconsin.  Judith  Webster  was  a  second 
cousin  of  Daniel  Webster.  John  was  killed  al 
an  early  day  in  Canada.  His  son  William  was 
well  educated  for  his  day,  an  earnest  student 
of  history,  adopted  the  life  of  a  farmer  and  in 
1839  was  married  to  Savilla  Hayes.  For  a 
time  he  was  engaged  in  transporting  produce 
by  way  of  the  Connecticut  River  to  Bostoi', 
using,  for  the  river  part  of  the  route,  flat-boats 
made  by  himself.  Atfter  marriage  he  bougbt 
a  farm  near  Bradford,  Vt.,  which  he  improved 
and  where  he  lived  until  1840,  when  he  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Bradford.  In  August, 
1851,  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  settled 
on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  which  had  no  im- 
provements, except  a  small  log-house  without 
doors,  windows  or  floors,  and  a  few  acres  of 
broken  land.  This  he  improved,  increasing 
his  holding  to  188  acres,  and  erecting  on  it  a 
frame  house  and  a  fine  barn — the  former  in 
1853  and  the  latter  in  1871.  In  1891  the 
house  was  destroyed  by  fire.  He  managed  this 
farm  for  many  years  until  enfeebled  by  age, 
dying  aged  eighty-one  years.  His  widow  sur- 
vived many  years,  dying  on  her  birthday,  Jan. 
3,  1902,  aged  ninety-one  years.  She  was  a 
Methodist  in  religious  belief,  a  woman  of  ster- 
ling virtues  and  retained  her  faculties  to  the 
last.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sawyer  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  Judith 
Helen,  who  became  Mrs.  Gorham,  and  George, 


(84 


McHEN'RY     county. 


who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  serving  as 
a  private  in  Company,  F,  Ninety-fifth  Regiment 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  The  latter  enlisted 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  for  three  years  or  dur- 
ing the  war,  but  a  few  months  later  died  of 
pneumonia  at  Lake  Providence,  La. 


LIEUT.  THOMAS  GILKERSON. 

Lieut.  Thomas  Gilkerson,  Marengo,  111.,  early 
settler  and  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  is  of 
English  ancestry,  having  been  born  in  En- 
gland, the  son  of  John  Gilkerson.  His  father 
was  born  about  1780,  grew  up  to  be  a  farmer, 
but,  for  some  time,  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a  cattle-trader  and  inn-keeper.  He  married 
Mary  Twentiman  in  Cumberland  County,  En- 
gland, and  lived  for  a  time  at  Warwick  Bridge. 
During  the  Napoleonic  war  he  was  a  member 
of  the  "Yeoman  Cavalry,"  and  was  also  en- 
gaged some  time  in  the  cattle  trade,  in  which 
he  was  finally  a  heavy  loser  in  consequence  of 
the  "slump"  in  prices  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
Then  having  removed  to  Bemont,  Cumberland 
County,  he  lived  on  rented  land  and  conducted 
farming  operations  successfully  for  some 
years,  still  later  living  for  nine  years  at  Orton 
Hall  in  the  same  county.  Other  places  in 
which  he  lived  included  Carlisle  and  New 
Town,  in  the  borough  of  Carlisle,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  business  as  an  inn-keeper,  and 
later  at  Trywood  and  Bellevue,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming.  The  following  named  chil- 
dren were  born  to  him  and  his  wife  during  his 
stay  in  England:  George,  John,  Eleanor, 
Thomas,  James  and  Margaret.  In  1840  he 
emigrated  to  America,  bringing  with  him  his 
wife  and  four  younger  children,  the  other  two, 
George  and  John,  coming  the  following  year. 
In  coming  to  America  the  family  embarked  on 
a  steamer  at  Annon  Water-Foot,  Cumberland 
County,  for  Liverpool,  where,  on  April  1,  1840, 
they  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  for  New 
York,  where  they  arrived  after  a  voyage  of 
twenty-five  days.  Two  days  later  they  took 
steamer — the  old  "Swallow" — up  the  Hudson, 
thence  by  the  Erie  Canal  and  by  teams  to 
Truxton,  Cortland  County,  N.  Y.,  where  the 
following  spring  he  settled  on  a  rented  farm. 
Other  places  at  which  he  lived  in  Cort- 
land County  included  East  Homer  and  a 
point  between  Homer  and  Cortland.  His 
wife  having  died  at  the  latter  place,  he 
afterwards  lived  with     his     son     James,     who 


was  a  blacksmith  and  cattle-dealer  in  Homer, 
and  here  the  father  died  in  the  fall  of  1862. 
He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Church 
of  England  and,  in  his  early  days,  he  was  a 
prosperous  citizen.  Of  the  children  of  John 
Gilkerson  and  wife,  George  married  in  Eng- 
land, Sarah  Reason,  settled  in  Homer,  N.  Y., 
and  was  a  farmer;  both  are  deceased,  leaving 
five  children;  John  married  in  America  Fran 
ces  Williams,  was  a  farmer  owning  a 
farm  in  DeKalb  County,  111.;  he  and  wife  are 
deceased,  leaving  three  children:  Eleanor  mar- 
ried Joseph  Jackson,  a  farmer  of  Summit,  Wis., 
and  had  two  children;  Mr.  Jackson  is  deceased 
but  his  wife  is  still  living;  James  married 
Abbie  Pretchard,  was  a  blacksmith  and  cattle- 
dealer  at  Homer,  N.  Y.;  had  one  son,  Arthur; 
is  deceased  but  his  wife  is  still  living:  Mar- 
garet died  at  Marengo,  111.,  in  1900,  unmarried. 
Thomas  Gilkerson,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  at  Bemont,  Cumber- 
land County,  England,  April  23,  1822,  received 
a  common  English  education,  learned  the 
farming  business  and,  coming  with  his  parents 
to  America  in  1840,  afterwards  lived  at  Trux- 
ton and  at  Homer,  N.  Y.  In  1843  he  came  to 
Chicago  by  way  of  the  lakes,  and  soon  after 
bought  120  acres  of  Government  land  in  Hamp- 
shire Township,  Kane  County,  111.,  built  there- 
on a  small  log-house  and,  returning  to  his  home 
in  New  York,  remained  there  five  years,  in  the 
meantime  being  employed  in  a  sash  factory 
at  Seneca  Falls.  On  October  1,  1851,  he  was 
married,  at  Seneca  Falls,  by  Rev.  Elisha 
Wood,  a  Methodist  minister,  to  Jane  Maria 
Van  Alstyn,  and,  in  May  following,  came  to 
Kane  County,  111.,  locating  on  his  land  in 
Hampshire  Township  in  the  log-cabin  which 
he  had  built  seven  years  before.  This  had 
been  neatly  constructed  with  white-ash  board 
floor,  shingle  roof  and  glass  windows.  Here 
he  and  his  wife  remained  thirteen  years, 
worked  hard  in  developing  his  farm  and  im- 
proved his  cabin,  covering  the  walls  with  sid- 
ing and  making  an  addition  to  it,  in  the  mean- 
time enjoying  the  comforts  and  pleasures  of 
pioneer  life.  When  Mr.  Gilkerson  came  to  tis 
Western  home,  his  nearest  neighbor  was  two 
miles  distant,  wild  game  was  plentiful  and 
home-grown  food  abundant.  This  condition  of 
rural  comfort  was  broken  in  upon  by  the  Civil 
War,  and  Mr.  Gilkerson,  not  to  be  outdone  in 
patriotism  by  others,  on  August  13,  1862,  en- 
listed for  three  years  and,  a  few  weeks  later, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


was  mustered  in,  at  Rockford,  as  Orderly  Ser- 
geant in  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Regiment 
"  Illinois  Volunteers.  Later  he  was  promoted 
for  meritorious  service  to  the  rank  of  Second 
Lieutenant  and  finally  to  First  Lieutenant, 
serving  until  Dec.  12,  1864,  when  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  Gen. 
George  H.  Thomas,  on  account  of  disabilities 
incurred  in  the  line  of  duty.  Among  the 
sieges,  battles,  etc.,  in  which  he  took  part 
were  the  siege  of  Vicksburg;  was  first  to  leap 
from  the  steamer  on  taking  possession  of 
Natchez;  the  Red  River  campaign;  the  battle 
of  Guntown,  Miss.,  (June  10,  1864),  when  his 
regiment  lost  half  its  officers  and  one-third 
of  its  men  in  killed  and  wounded;  the  White 
River  expidition,  besides  many  minor  battles 
and  skirmishes.  During  the  unfortunate  Gun- 
town  affair,  he  was  detailed  to  take  command 
of  the  rear  guard  of  the  regiment,  but  later 
went  to  the  front  taking  command  of  his  com- 
pany and  engaging  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 
He  also  performed  important  service  in  the 
White  River  expedition,  there  being  detailed 
to  take  charge  of  the  convalescent  camp  and 
camp  ,and  garrison  equipage.  Returning  to 
Memphis,  he  was  continued  in  charge  of  the 
camp,  being  entrusted  with  the  drilling  of  a 
large  number  of  recruits  whom  he  took  to 
Nashville  to  be  assigned  to  their  respective 
regiments.  Early  in  1863  he  was  in  hospital 
at  Lake  Providence,  La.,  for  three  weeks  on 
account  of  sickness;  spent  a  like  period  in 
hospital  at  Alexandria,  La.,  during  the  Red 
River  expedition,  and  was,  for  a  short  time,  on 
a  hospital  boat.  Except  when  in  hospital  or 
on  detached  service,  he  took  an  active  part  in 
the  numerous  campaigns,  marches,  battles  and 
skirmishes  in  which  his  company  was  engaged. 
Returning  home  broken  in  health  after  his 
discharge  from  the  army  in  December,  1864, 
he  was  unable  for  a  year  to  engage  in  any 
regular  employment,  in  the  meantime,  however, 
he  was  appointed  guardian  for  the  children  of 
his  deceased  brother  John.  In  April,  1865,  he 
removed  to  Marengo,  where  he  was  engaged 
for  some  years  in  the  grain  and  lumber  busi- 
ness with  McKenney  &  Ingersoll.  In  1870  he 
bought  his  present  homestead,  consisting  of 
twenty-five  acres,  besides  a  wood-lot  of  six 
acres.  This  he  has  improved,  building  upon 
it  a  substantial  and  tasteful  frame  residence, 
and  for  thirty  years  has  here  conducted  a 
nursery  business. 


Mr.  Gilkerson  has  always  been  an  important 
factor  in  the  Methodist  church,  with  which  he 
united  at  iSeneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  in  1848,  his  wife 
becoming  a  member  in  1847.  After  coming  to 
Illinois,  they  took  a  prominent  part  in  church 
organization  in  their  section  of  the  State. 
Mr.  Gilkerson  organized  Sunday  Schools  at  an 
early  day  in  Hampshire  and  Pigeon  Woods, 
utilizing  local  school  houses  for  the  purpose. 
As  the  result  of  interest  awakened  at  Pigeon 
Woods,  during  the  winter  of  1854,  there  were 
eighteen  conversions.  Six  months  after  unit- 
ing with  the  church  he  became  a  class-leader, 
and  has  since  frequently  served  in  this  posi- 
tion; on  May  22,  1858,  he  was  licensed  as  a 
local  preacher,  often  officiating  in  that  capaci- 
ty and,  even  at  the  present  day,  is  occasion- 
ally called  upon  to  fill  some  local  pulpit.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gilkerson  assisted  in  the  erection  of 
the  early  Methodist  church  at  Harmony,  and 
later,  the  present  Methodist  church  at  Maren- 
go. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Gilkerson  is  a  Royal  Arch- 
Mason,  and,  in  his  political  relations,  a  stanch 
Republican,  having  been  a  supporter  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  the  early  days  of  that  party. 
He  has  served  as  School  Director  and  Trustee 
for  Coral  Township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilkerson  are  the  parents  ot 
one  son,  Charles  Thomas  Gilkerson.  In  her 
infancy  they  adopted  Ella  Coles,  the  daughter 
of  Dexter  Coles,  a  comrade  of  Mr.  Gilkerson 
in  the  Civil  War,  giving  to  her  the  same  care 
and  education  they  would  have  given  their 
own  child.  She  is  now  the  wife  of  Chauncey 
A.  Dunham. 

Mrs.  Gilkerson,  nee  Jane  M.  Van  A.lstyn,  was 
born  at  Junius,  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  June  8, 
1828,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sherezeda 
(Roosevelt)  Van  Alstyn,  and  died  at  her  home, 
May  18,  1903.  Her  parents  on  both  sides 
were  descended  from  Holland-Dutch  stock 
identified  with  early  New  York  history.  Thomas 
Van  Alstyn  was  the  son  of  Lambert  and  Eliza- 
beth (Lee)  Van  Alstyn — Lambert  Van  Alstyn 
being  a  hotel-keeper  at  Waterloo,  Seneca  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.  His  children  were:  Thomas,  Maria, 
Harriet  and  George.  Of  these,  Thomas,  born 
at  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  July  18,  1794,  was  a 
carpenter  and  farmer,  who  married  at  Junius, 
N.  Y.,  Sherezeda  Roosevelt,  born  Oct.  29,  1804, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  Wilton  and  Betsey 
(Cook)  Roosevelt.  Thomas  Van  Alstyn  was 
a  ship-carpenter,  and  was  killed  at  the  launch- 


786 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing  of  a  canal  boat  at  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  June 
10,  1847.  The  children  or  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van 
Alstyn  were:  Jane  M.  (Mrs.  Gilkerson).  Eg- 
bert, Elizabeth,  Phillips,  Helen,  Raikes  ,and 
George  W.  (twins),  Cornelius  R.,  Thomas  VV. 
and  Albert  S;  Mrs.  Van  Alstyn  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-three  years,  dying  April 
25,  1898,  at  the  home  of  her  daughter  Mrs.  Gilk- 
erson, where  she  spent  the  last  seven  years  of 
her  life.  Three  of  her  sons — George,  Cornelius 
and  Thomas — served  as  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
War.  The  Roosevelts  were  of  Holland-Dutch 
ancestry,  who  came  to  New  Amsterdam — now 
New  York  City — at  an  early  day,  being  of  the 
same  general  stock  as  that  from  which  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  is  descended. 

Among  the  early  colonists  from  Holland 
were  Claes  Martensbergen  Van  Roosevelt,  and 
his  wife,  Jannetze,  who  came  from  Holland 
to  New  Amsterdam  about  1649-50.  Their  son 
Nicholas  was  baptized  in  the  Dutch  church  in 
New  York,  Oct.  2,  1658.  From  the  old  church 
records  it  appears  that  Samuel  and  Thomas 
Roosevelt,  on  Dec.  4,  1674,  were  admitted  to 
the  Dutch  Reformed  church  in  New  York, 
which  their  decendants  attended  for  255 
years.  Nicholas  Roosevelt  was  married  Dec. 
9,  1682,  to  Heytye,  daughter  of  Jan  Kunst,  ,and 
and  1680  they  moved  to  Esopus  (now  Kings- 
ton), N.  Y.,  but  returning  to  New  York  in  1690, 
he  served  as  alderman  there  in  1698,  1701  and 
1705.  This  Nicholas  had  a  son  Nicholas,  who 
was  baptized  at  Kingston,  August  28,  1687; 
another  Nicholas  was  born  Feb.  6,  1715.  Jo- 
hannes (John),  son  of  Nicholas,  was  born  at 
Kingston,  Feb.  ,27,  1679;  Oliver,  son  of  Johan- 
nes, Feb.  8,  1716;  Cornelius,  son  of  Oliver, 
March  24,  1749.  Cornelius  married  a  Miss  Wil- 
ton, and  his  son,  Thomas  Wilton  Roosevelt, 
born  in  New  York  City,  April  26,  1781,  and  edu- 
cated there,  became  a  civil  engineer  and  sur- 
veyor, ,and  went  to  Junius,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
took  up  a  tract  of  land  and  farmed  for  a  time, 
finally  moving  to  Welles;  married  Betsy  Cook, 
who  was  born  iSept.  30,  1785;  was  appointed 
Lieutenant  of  an  infantry  company  by  Gov. 
Tompkins,  Fen.  4,  1812,  was  shot  during  the 
siege  of  Fort  Erie,  Sept.  5,  1814,  and  buried  in 
the  old  cemetery  at  Buffalo.  The  following 
letter,  addressed  to  his  wife,  Mrs.  Betsy 
Roosevelt,  Seneca,  N.  Y.,  informed  her  of  his 
fate: 

"Mrs.     Betsey     Roosevelt,     Madam: — I     am 
sorry  to  inform  you  of  the  death  of  your  hus- 


band and  our  officer,  which  we  all  very  much 
lament.  On  the  5th  of  September,  1814,  our 
picket  guard  was  attacked  by  a  considerable  ■ 
force  of  British  and  Indians,  and  we  volunteers 
were  immediately  ordered  out  by  Col.  Wilcox, 
who  then  took  command,  and,  after  a  smart 
skirmish  of  half  an  hour,  Lieut.  Roosevelt  was 
shot  through  the  right  breast  and  expired  in 
a  few  minutes  after  I  brought  nim  into  the 
fort,  and,  on  the  6th  inst.,  he  was  taken  over 
the  river  to  Buffalo  and  buried  in  a  decent 
and  officer-like  manner.  Col.  Wilcox  fell  in  the 
same  action  and  was  carried  in  and  took  across 
to  Buffalo  and  buried  in  the  same  manner. 

"I  shall  endeavor  to  take  care  of  his  effects 
here  and  see  that  they  are  sarely  conveyed 
home  to  you.      I  am, 

Yours  with  respect, 

GEORGE  ALFRED. 

"Fort  Erie,  Sept.  6,  1814." 

"P.  S.  We  consider  ourselves  perfectly  safe, 
as  we  are  receiving  reinforcements  every 
hour." 

Cornelius  Roosevelt,  the  father  of  Thomas 
Wilton  Roosevelt,  was  the  great-granufather 
of  Mrs.  Gilkerson,  and  his  father,  Oliver  Roose- 
velt, was  the  ancestor  of  both  the  Van  Alstyn 
and  President  Roosevelt  branches  of  the 
family. 

Charles  Thomas  Gilkerson,  the  son  of  Lieut. 
Thomas  Gilkerson,  was  born  in  Hampshire, 
Kane  County,  111.,  June  12,  1864,  received  a 
superior  education  in  the  Marengo  High  School 
and  attended  the  Northwestern  University  for 
a  time,  but  was  prevented  from  graduating  by 
bad  health.  After  leaving  the  University  he 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  with  E.  B. 
Van  Alstyn.  On  June  24,  1885,  he  was  married 
in  Dunham  Township,  McHenry  County,  to 
Libbie  Pauline  White,  who  was  'born  in  Dun- 
ham Township,  Sept.  30,  1866,  the  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Phoebe  E.  (Face)  White.  Na- 
thaniel White  was  born  in  County  Cork,  Ire- 
land, June  4,  1826,  and  in  1831  was  brought 
by  his  parents  to  America,  where  he  became  a 
farmer.  He  married  Elizabeth  Cunningham, 
and  they  had  two  children:  Royal  George  and 
John.  His  wife  having  died,  he  married  at 
Gloversville,  N.  Y.,  Phoebe  E.  Face,  who  was 
born  in  that  State,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Emeline  (Williams)  Face,  who  were  of  Hol- 
land-Dutch ancestry.  Mr.  White  was  an  early 
settler  of  Dunham  Township,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  improved  a  farm.  In  October,  1864, 
he  enlisted  as  a  recruit  in  Company  E,  Ninety- 
fifth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers,  being  the 
same  company  of  which  Thomas  Gilkerson  was 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


787 


Lieutenant.  He  joined  the  company  at  Mem- 
phis, Tenn.,  at  the  time  Mr.  Gilkerson  was 
drilling  the  recruits;  later  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Nashville,  and  the  campaign  against 
Mobile,  including  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort 
and  Fort  Blakely.  He  was  mustered  out  with 
his  regiment  at  Springfield,  111.,  Aug.  16,  1865. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  were  the  parents  of  one 
child — Libbie  Pauline  White — who  became 
Mrs.  Charles  Thomas  Gilkerson.  Her  mother, 
Mlrs.  White,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist church  and  a  woman  of  high  character, 
died  Feb.  15,  1886. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
T.  Gilkerson  settled  on  the  old  homestead, 
where  they  remained  five  years,  when  they 
moved  to  Chicago.  Mr.  Gilkerson  was  then 
employed  as  a  mail-carrier,  remaining  nearly 
four  years,  when  they  returned  to  Marengo 
and  Mr.  Gilkerson  has  since  managed  the  homo 
farm.  Their  children  are:  Bessie  Phebe,  born 
in  Marengo,  June  7,  1886;  Harry  Charles,  born 
Oct.  30,  1887;  Earl  Jean,  born  in  Chicago,  Aug. 
23,  1890.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilkerson  and  their 
children  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  is  now  serv- 
ing as  School  Trustee  of  Coral  Township. 


GEORGE  J.  GRIFFITHS. 

George  Jamesi  Griffiths,  foreman  of  what  is 
known  as  the  "assembling  department"  of  the 
Oliver  Typewriter  Works,  Woodstock,  111.,  was 
born  in  London,  England,  in  1864,  the  son  of 
James  and  Charlotte  (Dunn)  Griffiths.  His 
father,  James  Griffiths,  a  native  of  Birming- 
ham, England,  was  an  expert  gunsmith,  who 
came  to  America  with  his  family  in  1868,  sail- 
ing from  Liverpool  to  Quebec.  The  son  being 
at  that  time  only  four  years  old,  received  his 
primary  education  chiefly  at  Guelph,  Ontario, 
where  his  father  settled  on  coming  to  Amer- 
ica. When  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  the 
family  returned  to  England,  and,  having  com- 
pleted his  education  there,  between  fourteen 
and  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  began  learning  the 
machinist's  trade  at  the  Royal  Small  Arms 
Gun  Factory,  at  Enfield,  England,  an  estab- 
lishment conducted  under  the  direction  of  the 
British  government.  Here  he  learned  thi 
rudiments  of  the  machinist's  trade  with  thor- 
oughness, according  to  the  custom  in  England, 
remaining  in   this   establishment   three   years. 


The  factory  being  managed  through  the  agency 
of  the  government,  insured  for  him  the  most 
thorough  and  systematic  training  on  purely 
practical  lines.  When  about  nineteen  years 
of  age  he  returned  to  America,  making  his 
fifth  trip  across  the  Atlantic  before  reaching 
his  majority,  having  meanwhile  spent  some 
time  with  the  Witten  Arms  Company  in  Ger- 
many, one  of  the  most  famous  arms  manufac- 
turing concerns  in  the  world.  He  also  spent 
some  time  with  the  Marlin  Arms  Company  at 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  with  the  Ames  Manufactur- 
ing Company  of  Chicopee,  Mass.,  and  ten  years 
with  the  National  Sewing  Machine  Company 
at  Belvidere,  111.  In  1896  Mr.  Griffiths  came  to 
Woodstock,  111.,  and  soon  afterwards  assumed 
the  foremanship  of  the  department  of  the  Ol- 
iver Typewriter  Company,  already  referred  to, 
and  under  his  management  this  important  de- 
partment has  advanced  to  a  high  standard  of 
excellence.  While  it  is  true  this  beautiful  ma- 
chine is  the  product  of  many  minds,  it  owes 
much,  for  the  perfection  which  has  been  at- 
tained, to  the  ingenuity  and  skill  of  Mr.  Grif- 
fiths in  the  introduction  of  practical  improve- 
ments. The  Oliver  Typewriter  Company  has 
been  fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of  so 
competent  a  foreman,  as  he  brought  to  it  the 
thorough  an;d  efficient  training  of  the  English 
machinists,  who  are  universally  recognized  as 
among  the  most  skillful  in  the  profession. 
During  his  connection  with  the  company  for 
the  past  seven  years,  he  has  proved  himself 
most  invaluable  in  his  department,  and,  by 
his  honest  and  efficient  administration,  has 
won  the  good  will  of  both  employers  and  em- 
ployed. Mr.  Griffiths  resides  with  his  family 
in  Woodstock,  and,  by  his  strong  personality 
and  bluff  English  heartiness,  has  gained  a  de- 
served and  wide  popularity  among  his  fellow 
citizens. 

Mr.  Griffiths  was  married  May  4,  1892,  to 
Mary  Niobe  Cronk,  daughter  of  Joel  Enoch 
and  Lottie  (Boomer)  Cronk,  and  they  have 
three  daughters:  Niobe  Charlotte,  born  Aug. 
28,  1894;  Gladys  Araminta,  born  Aug.  12,  1895, 
and  Mary  Rubina,  born  Nov.  29,  1899. 

Joel  E.  Cronk,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Griffiths, 
is  the  son  of  Enoch  and  Mary  (Denny)  Cronk. 
Three  brothers  of  the  Cronk  family — Casper, 
James  and  Jacob — came  from  Holland  some- 
time   before    the    American    Revolution.      Of 


788 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


these  Casper  returned  to  his  native  country, 
but  the  others,  remaining  in  America,  tooii 
part  in  the  war.  They  lived  in  Dutchess  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  where  they  were  farmers  and  where 
their  descendants  lived  for  generations.  James 
Cronk,  the  son  of  Jacob — and  also  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution — had  a  son  named  Samuel,  who 
married  and  had  children  named  Enoch,  Asa- 
hel,  Abraham  and  perhaps  others.  Enoch 
Cronk  of  this  family,  born  in  Dutchess  County, 
was  the  father  of  Joel  E.,  and  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Griffiths.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, and  at  an  early  day  came  to  Bonus  Prai- 
rie, north  of  Belvidere,  Boone  County,  where 
he  entered  eighty  acres  of  Government  land,  to 
which  he  made  additions  by  purchase,  until, 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  the  owner  of 
240  acres.  His  children  were  Abbie,  Jane,  Rich- 
ard and  Joel  E.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Griffiths. 
Abbie  J.  married  Loren  Bills  and  settled  in 
Siskiyou  County,  Cal. ;  Richard  married  Laura 
Denny  and  died  in  Waverly,  Iowa.  Joel  E., 
born  at  Tower  Hill,  Dutchess  County,  N.  Y., 
Sept.  17,  1829,  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, and,  at  seventeen  years  of  age, 
come  west.  In  boyhood  he  was  a  farmer. 
In  1849  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California, 
taking  beef  cattle  with  him,  the  trip  occupying 
six  months.  He  engaged  in  merchandising  /or 
a  time,  and  later  was  engaged  in  the  fruit 
trade,  shipping  apples  and  other  fruits  from 
Oregon.  Returning  to  the  States  in  1855,  he 
again  drove  a  lot  of  beef  cattle  across  the 
plains  to  California.  In  all  he  made  three 
trips  to  California,  crossing  the  plains  three 
times.  His  last  trip  was  made  by  water,  re- 
turning the  same  way,  in  all  spending  in  the 
Pacific  Coast  State  fifteen  years.  Returning  to 
Illinois  in  1866,  he  located  in  Bonus  Prairie, 
Boone  County,  where  he  became  the  owner  of 
560  acres  of  land  and  remained  fifteen  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Belvidere  and  has  lived 
there  ever  since.  He  has  seventeen  acres  of 
land  there,  besides  a  like  amount  in  lots  (most- 
ly sold),  also  owns  a  farm.  Mr.  Cronk  married 
May  19,  1866,  Mary  Boomer,  daughter  of  Al- 
len and  Niobe  (Franklin)  Boomer.  Mrs.  Boom- 
er is  a  relative  of  the  family  of  Dr.  Benjamin 
Franklin,  and  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  nine- 
ty-three years.  Allen  Boomer  was  born  in 
Ellisburg,  N.  Y.,  in  1798,  the  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Esther  Boomer.     The  Boomers  came  from 


Wales  and  settled  on  Gardner  Island  in  Long 
Island  Sound,  ten  miles  from  the  main  land,  in 
order  that  they  might  enjoy  the  privilege  of 
worshipping  God  according  to  the  dictates  of 
their  own  conscience. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cronk  have  had  ten  children, 
of  whom  nine  are  still  living — Florence  I., 
Joel  D'Aubigne,  Wakeman  H,  Mary  Niobe. 
Enoch  Costello  (deceased,  August  23,  1894, 
aged  twenty-one),  Lottie  E.,  Araminta,  G.,  Ben- 
jamin F.,  Louis  Agassiz  and  Rubina  Y. — all  ex- 
cept Rubina  Y.  born  en  the  home  farm  in 
Bonus  Prairie,  Boone  County,  111. 


HENRY    M.    GEROULD. 

Henry  M.  Gerould  is  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Greenwood  Township  and  descends  from 
French  Huguenot  ancestry.  The  founder  of 
the  family  in  America  was  Jacques  (or  James) 
Gerauld,  as  the  name  was  originally  spelled, 
of  the  Province  of  Languedoc,  France.  Ac- 
cording to  tradition  the  family  were  Huguenoto 
and  successful  silk  manufacturers.  Imme- 
diately following  the  revocation  of  the  edict 
of  Nantes  (which  occurred  in  1685,  when  five 
hundred  thousand  Protestants  left  their  homes 
for  England,  Nova  Scotia,  Massachusetts, 
South  Carolina  and  other  localities),  Jacques 
Gerauld  came  to  America.  The  date  of  his 
birth  and  arrival  here  are  unknown,  but  well 
authenticated  accounts  state  that  he  was  about 
twenty  years  of  age  when  he  emigrated,  and 
that  he  was  one  of  a  family  of  twenty-one 
children.  His  first  place  of  settlement  is  be- 
lieved by  some  members  of  the  family  to  have 
been  Boston,  but  it  is  positively  known  that 
he  and  his  family  were  early  settlers  of  Med- 
field,  Mass.,  as  his  name  appears  on  the  early 
records  of  that  community  as  being  a  physi- 
cian. During  his  voyage  to  America,  he  became 
associated  with  a  Huguenot  family  to  whom  a 
daughter,  Martha  Dupries  or  Dupee,  was  born, 
and  whom,  when  she  had  arrived  at  a  suit- 
able age,  he  married.  It  is  supposed  that  this 
was  when  he  was  about  thirty-six  or  thirty- 
eight  years  of  age,  and  she  was  about  sixteen. 
He  practiced  medicine  in  Medfield  until  the 
time  of  his  death,  Oct.  25,  1760.  His  wife  died 
March  25,  1763.  The  home  that  he  built,  and 
where  he  last  lived,  is  still  standing  and  in  a 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


789 


a  good  state  of  preservation.  A  grandson, 
bearing  the  same,  name,  studied  medicine  with 
him,  succeeded  to  his  practice  and  lived  at  the 
old  homestead.  There  were,  in  1885,  some  per- 
sons yet  living  who  remembered  the  latter  and 
having  been  treated  by  him.  The  will  of  the 
founder,  James  Gerauld,  dated  Sept.  15,  1759, 
shows  him  to  have  been  possessed  of  consid- 
erable property.  It  also  indicates  that  he  was 
a  slave-holder,  as,  after  disposing  of  his 
real-estate  and  movable  effects,  he  proceeds 
to  enumerate  his  bequests  to  his  wife, 
adding,  "and  also  all  my  negroes  to  be 
at  her  disposal  forever;  only  I  will  that 
my  Negro  Caesar  be  not  sold  or  disposed 
of  out  of  my  family,  that  is  to  say,  to 
be  sold  to  any  excepting  to  some  of  my  chil- 
dren and  their  children  during  life."  His  chil- 
dren, all  born  at  Medfield,  excepting  two  whose 
birthplace  is  unknown,  were  named  as  fol- 
lows: James;  Martha,  died  in  Medfield,  Mass. 
Sept.  23,  1733;  Gamaliel,  born  Sept.  23,  1719; 
Stephen,  born  Nov.  29,  1720,  and  settled  at 
Sturbridge,  Mass.,  where  he  died  Jan.  22,  1785; 
Dupee,  born  March  5,  1723,  became  a  physi- 
cian and  settled  at  East  Greenwich,  R.  I.; 
Mary,  born  July  8,  1725,  married  Jacob  Spauld- 
ing,  May  2,  1758,  and  lived  first  in  Medfield 
and  then  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  she  died; 
Joanna,  born  Nov.  2,  1728;  Susanna,  born  Nov. 
6,  1730,  died  Sept.  16,  1770. 

Second  Generation. — Gamaliel,  son  of  James 
G'erauld,  married  Rebecca  Lawrence  for  his 
first  wife  Dec.  25,  1741.  She  died  Jan.  12,  1751, 
and  he  married  as  his  second  wife,  Oct.  11, 
1751,  Jerusha  Mann,  who  was  bort  Nov.  12,  1724, 
and  died  Nov.  6,  1762.  His  third  marriage  was 
celebrated  August  10,  1763,  with  Mary  Everett 
of  Dedham,  Mass.,  who  died  Oct.  18,  1795. 
For  some  unknown  reason  he  changed  the 
spelling  of  the  family  name  from  the  original, 
as  did  his  brother  Stephen,  and  their  descend- 
ants have  followed  their  example.  The  other 
branches  of  the  family  have  retained  the  orig- 
inal spelling.  The  children  by  Gamaliel  Ger- 
auld's  first  marriage  were:  Gamaliel,  born 
Dec.  25,  1742,  died  Jan.  12,  1750;  Rebecca,  born 
April  28,  1744,  died  May  22,  1744;  Katie,  born 
May  30,  1745,  died  March  14,  1749;  Rebecca, 
born  Feb.  9,  1747,  died  July  5,  1747;  Jabez, 
born  Nov.  1,  1748.  The  children  by  the  second 
marriage  were:    Ebenezer,  born  July  13,  1752, 


died  July  25,  1752;  Elias,  born  Sept.  22,  1753, 
died  Oct.  16,  1753;  Samuel,  born  July  28,  1755, 
Benona,  born  Nov.  19,  1756,  died  Nov.  24,  1756; 
Jacob,  born  Dec.  12,  1759,  died  Nov.  3,  1837; 
Jerusha,  born  July  20,  1760;  Theodore,  born 
Sept.  11,  1761. 

Third  Generation. — Jabez,  son  of  Gamaliel 
and  Rebecca  (Lawrence)  Gerould,  married 
Damaris  Bennett,  of  Newton,  Conn.,  who  died 
March  20,  1829.  He  served  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  first  as  an  enlisted  soldier  at  Bunker 
Hill,  where  he  was  wounded,  which  caused  his 
discharge,  and  subsequently  he  was  commis- 
sioned a  captain  and  had  charge  of  the  ordnance 
of  his  division.  After  retiring  from  the  army 
he  settled  in  Newton,  Conn.,  and  engaged  in 
blacksmithing.  In  1798  he  emigrated  to  Frank- 
lin County,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1801,  removed  to  East 
Smithfield,  Penn.,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death,  June  12,  1802.  Mrs.  Gerould  was  a  de- 
voted and  pious  woman.  At  the  time  of  their 
settlement  in  Pennsylvania,  there  were  neither 
churches  nor  school  houses  in  which  to  hold 
religious  services,  but  their  house  was  always 
open  for  this  purpose.  Prayer  meetings  were 
held  there  at  frequent  intervals,  and  a  result 
of  these  meetings  was  the  building  of  the  first 
Congregational  church  in  that  village.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jabez  Gerould  were  the  parents  of 
Jerusha,  born  March  15,  1783,  died  young; 
James,  born  May  5,  1784;  Susanna,  born  Jan. 
],  1786;  Ephraim  Bennett,  born  Jan.  14,  1788; 
George,  born  Nov.  .25,  1789;  Ziba,  born  Jan.  11, 
1792;  Jabez  Lawrence,  born  Dec.  13,  1795; 
Abel  Judson,  born  April  8,  1799;  Theodore, 
born  May  11,  1801. 

Fourth  Generation. — Ziba,  son  of  Jabez  and 
Rebecca  (Lawrence)  Gerould,  married  Eliza 
A.  Bird,  Nov.  25,  1816,  and  their  children  were 
Sophia,  born  Nov.  16,  1817;  Louisa,  born  July 
24,  1820;  Betsy,  born  Aug.  21,  1822,  married 
Jesse  Bullock  Oct.  29,  1851;  Lewis  B.,  born 
March  31  1824;  Phebe,  born  March  14,  1829; 
Henry  M.,  born  April  26,  1831;  Clayton,  born 
Oct.  28,  1835;  Jane  Eliza  (wife  of  Dexter 
Phelps),  born  Oct.  15,  1841,  died  July  21,  1873. 
Ziba  Gerould  was  a  farmer  at  East  Smithfield, 
Penn.,  where  he  owned  a  farm  of  100  acres 
and  where  he  died  Feb.  7,  1871.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Disciples  Church. 

Fifth  Generation. — Henry  M..  Gerould,  prin- 
cipal subject  of  this  article  and  the  fifth  lineal 


700 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


descendant  of  Jacques  or  James  Gerould,  was 
born  in  East  Smithfield,  Penn.,  son  of  Ziba  and 
Eliza  A.  (Bird)  Gerould.     He  received  a  com- 
mon-school education  and  was  reared  a  farmer, 
attending  school  during  the  winter  and  work- 
ing on  the  farm  in  the  summer  season.    When 
about  twenty  years  of  age  he  began  working  for 
himself   at   lumbering  in   the   pine   forests   of 
Bradford    County,   Penn.,    where  he  continued 
for   three   years,    carefully  saving  his    money. 
In  that   county   on  Jan.   21,   1855,  he  married 
Caroline    Ayer    Blackman,    born    ?n    Madison 
County,  N.  Y.,  daughter  of  Parley  and  Eunice 
(Smith)    Blackman.     The   same  year  of   their 
marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerould  came  to  Mc- 
Henry    County,    111.,    where   he    bought    eighty 
acres  of  his  present  farm,  which  was  then  but 
slightly  improved.    By  industrious  habits  and 
careful  management  Mr.  Gerould,  with  the  aid 
of  his  faithful  wife,  has  not  only  brought  his 
farm  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  but  has 
added  to  its  area  until  he  now  owns  200  acres 
of  excellent  farming  land,  well  improved  with 
modern  buildings.       Mr.  Gerould  lived  in  Mc- 
Henry  a  number  of  years,  and  later  in  Elgin, 
being  absent  from  his  farm,    in    all,    thirteen 
years,  but  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  returned 
to  the  farm  where  he  has  since  resided.    Poli- 
tically Mr.  Gerould  is  a  Democrat.     He  is  a 
self-made  man  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  term 
and  has  accumulated  a  handsome  estate.     Mr. 
and  Mrs.    Gerould    have    but      one     child,     a 
daughter,  Maude  E.,  who    was    born    Oct.    13, 
1855.     She  married  Jan.  27,  1875,  John  Wilson, 
a  merchant  and  land-broker  in  Redfield,  Dakota, 
and  their  children  are  Henry  G.,  born  Dec.  23, 
1875;  Raymond  L.,  born  Jan.  11,  1878,  and  Lewis 
Dale,  born  August  1,  1884.     Mrs.  Gerould  was 
an  estimable  lady  and  greatly  beloved  by  all 
her  friends.    She  died  in  1893. 


JOHIN  H.  GRACY. 

John  Hammond  Gracy,  farmer,  Terra  Cotta, 
Nunda  Township,  McHenry  County,  111.,  was 
born  on  his  father's  farm  in  the  neighborhood 
where  he  now  resides,  Oct.  16,  1852,  the  son 
of  James  and  Permelia  (Broughton)  Gracy,  a 
pioneer  family  of  McHenry  County.  The  Gracy 
branch  of  the  family  are  of  Scotch-Irish  ex- 
traction, and  in  religious  belief  were  Scotch 
Presbyterians.     The  name  may  originally  have 


been  spelled  "Gracey."  Mr.  Gracy  has  in  his 
possession  a  copy  of  the  Presbyterian  "Con- 
fession of  Faith"  printed  in  1764,  in  which  the 
name  of  the  original  owner  is  written 
"Gracey." 

James  Gracy,  the  father  of  John  H.,  was  born 
May  8,  1812,  near  Lisbon,  North  of  Ireland,  the 
son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Groves)  Gracy. 
Robert  Gracy,  who  was  the  son  of  a  farmer 
in  Ireland,  married  in  his  native  country  and, 
about  the  year  1821,  came  to  America  with  his 
family,  settling  at  Crown  Point,  Essex  County, 
N.  Y.  Here  he  was  employed  in  farming  and 
milling  and  he  and  his  wife  were  parents  of 
the  following  children:  James,  Jane,  Lucia, 
Margaret,  Robert,  Jr.  and  a  son  whose  name  is 
not  remembered.  Robert  Gracy  died  in  Essex 
County,  N.  Y.,  May  8,  1862. 

James  Gracy  came  from  his  native  country 
to   America  with  his  father  when  about  nine 
years   of  age,   and   received   a   common-school 
education   in   Essex   County,   N.   Y.     He   was, 
for  a  time,  a  sailor  on  Lake  Champlain,  was 
employed  on  the  Erie  Canal  and  later  sailed 
the  Great  Lakes  for  several  years,  some  of  the 
time  a  first-mate   of  the  vessel   on   which   he 
sailed.       In   1842   he  was  united  in  marriage, 
in  Essex  County,  N.  Y.,  to  Permelia  Broughton, 
who  was  born  in  the  Town  of  Wells,  Rutland 
County,    Vt.,    Sept.    25,    1810,   the   daughter   of 
John   and    Elizabeth      (McGraw)      Broughton. 
Mrs.   Gracy's  father,  John  Broughton,  was  of 
an   old   New   England   family,   while   the   Mc- 
Graws  were  of   Scotch  ancestry.     After   mar- 
riage  James    Gracy   remained   for  a   time   in 
Essex  County,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1844,  came  to  Mc- 
Henry   County,    111.,    where    he    purchased    a 
tract  of  380  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Nun- 
da  Township.     Here  he   built   a  small   house 
for   his    family,    but    continued    to   follow    the 
lakes   during  the  summer  season  for   several 
years.     Of  his   original   land  purchase   he   re- 
tained 320  acres  at  the  time  of  his  death.     He 
improved  his  land  and  later  bought  two  other 
farms   in  the  same  neighborhood — one  of  117 
acres  and  another  of  105  acres.     He  was  well 
known. in  the  community  for  his  industry  and 
uprightness    of    character.      He    and    his    wife 
had  one  daughter,  Ellen  E.,  and  one  son,  John 
H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.     Ellen  E.  was 
born  in  Essex  County,  N.  Y.,  May  28,  1843,  and 
on  Feb.  12, 1893,  married  Thomas  Huggins.    She 
is  now  deceased.     Politically  James  Gracy  was 
a  Democrat  previous  to  the  outbreak  of  the 


^M^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


791 


War  of  the  Rebellion,  when  he  allied  himself 
with  the  Republican  party.  His  wife  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mr.  James 
Gracy  died  May  2,  1886,  aged  nearly  seventy- 
four  years. 

John  H.  Gracy,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
grew  up  among  the  pioneer  families  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  there  received  the  usual 
common-school  education,  meanwhile  being 
trained  to  the  life  of  a  farmer.  He  has  ex- 
tended the  range  of  his  information  toy  read- 
ing and  home  study,  and  has  always  been  a 
liberal  patron  of  the  daily  and  periodical  press, 
so  that  now  he  is  one  of  the  well-informed 
citizens  of  McHenry  County  on  general  topics. 
For  three  terms  he  taught  district  school,  two 
of  which  were  in  his  home  district.  April, 
1888,  he  was  elected  Supervisor  for  the  town 
of  Nunda,  which  office  he  held  for  fourteen 
consecutive  years,  until  April,  1902.  During 
this  time  he  was  twice  chosen  Chairman  of  the 
McHenry  County  Board.  On  October  6,  1880, 
Mr.  Gracy  was  married  to  Emma  L.  Earle, 
who  was  born  in  Rochester,  Wis.,  Jan.  2,  1859, 
the  daughter  of  Calvin  and  Hannah  (Parker) 
Earle.  Both  the  Earles  and  the  Parkers  are  of 
old  New  England  ancestry.  The  genealogy  of 
the  Earle  family  has  been  published  in  book 
form,  tracing  the  family  back  to  1638  in  Amer- 
ica and  still  back  to  1154,  when  they  were  of 
Beckington,  in  the  County  of  Somerset,  Eng- 
land. 

Calvin  Earle,  the  father  of  Mrs.  John  H. 
Gracy,  was  a  native  of  Westford,  Vt.,  born  May 
2,  1814,  and  on  Nov.  12,  1842,  he  was  married 
to  Hannah  Parker,  daughter  of  Theron  and 
Rachel  (Reed)  Parker.  He  came  west,  locat- 
ing in  Wisconsin,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
and  teaching  school.  Later  he  returned  to  New 
York  where  he  married,  but  again  returning  to 
Wisconsin,  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Roch- 
ester, Racine  County,  where  he  became  a 
substantial  farmer  and  well-to-do  citizen.  He 
was  prominent  in  Congregational  church  work. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Calvin  Earle  had  the  following 
named  children,  who  lived  to  years  of  maturi- 
ty, viz.:  Rachel,  Moses,  W.  Watson  and  Emma 
L. — the  latter  is  now  the  wife  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch. 

John  H.  Gracy  and  wife  have  two  children: 
Royal  W.,  born  March  5,  1884,  and  Merton  L., 
born  Nov.  4,  1889.  Mr.  Gracy  has  continuous- 
ly resided  in  the  township  of  his  birth,  and  for 
many  years  has  been  extensively  engaged   in 


farming,  now  owning  and  operating  more  than 
600  acres  of  land. 


M.   D.   HOY. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  an  early  settler 
of  McHenry  County  and  for  many  years  a 
leading  business  man  of  Woodstock,  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  extraction,  his  grandfather, 
Marmaduke  Hoy,  having  been  born  in  the  Par- 
ish of  Comress,  Ireland,  afterwards  lived  at 
Burris-a-Nostis,  Parish  of  Kyle,  County  Queens, 
and  married  a  Miss  Whitford,  a  relative  of  Sir 
George  Whitford.  The  family  had  lived  for 
more  than  a  century  in  Antrim.  This  Mr. 
Hoy  was  a  farmer  and  in  religious  faith  a 
Presbyterian.  His  children  were:  John, 
Joseph,  Richard  and  Marmaduke.  The  last 
two  emigrated  to  America  about  1805,  and 
Marmaduke  (2)  enlisted  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  for 
the  War  of  1812,  as  a  private  in  the  New  York 
"Greens,"  but  died  while  in  service  near 
Plattsburg,  N.  Y.  John,  the  oldest  brother, 
married  in  Ireland,  and  had  a  son  named  Mar- 
maduke, who  came  to  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  and  had 
two  sons — Joseph  and  one  other  whose  name 
is  not  remembered.  Joseph  siill  lives  at  Cats- 
kill  and  has  a  son  Marmaduke.  Richard,  the 
son  of  Marmaduke  (1),  was  born  in  1784  at 
Comress,  in  the  Parish  of  Upperwood,  Ireland, 
sixty  miles  from  Dublin,  became  a  small 
farmer  and  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade, 
partly  with  his  father  and  partly  in  Dublin, 
where  he  worked  several  years.  Coming  to 
America  about  1805,  he  worked  at  his  trade 
for  a  time  in  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  with  a 
Mr.  Stevens,  whose  sister-in-law,  Sarah  Fan- 
ning, he  married,  afterwards  settling  at 
Albany,  where  he  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery trade.  Six  years  later  he  went  to 
Gilboa,  N.  Y.,  kept  a  tollgate  and  fol- 
lowed his  trade  as  shoemaker.  His  later 
years  were  spent  at  Stamford,  Delaware  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  where  he  died  July  27,  1831,  aged 
forty-seven  years.  He  was  an  industrious, 
law-abiding  citizen,  and,  in  his  younger  days, 
accumulated  considerable  property,  but  lost 
heavily  by  indorsing  for  his  friends.  He  and 
his  wife,  Sarah  Fanning  Hoy,  were  the  parents 
of  six  children:  Mary  A.,  Eliza,  Nancy  and 
Jane  (twins),  Marmaduke,  Margaret  (died 
when  about  eleven  years  of  age)  and  John 
(died   aged   about  two  years).     After  Richard 


792 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Hoy's  death,  his  widow  married  a  Mr.  Reuben 
Atwater. 

Marmaduke  Hoy  (3),  our  subject,  and  son 
of  Richard  Hoy,  was  born  near  Gilboa,  Scho- 
harie County,  N.  Y.,  March  3,  1821,  and  re- 
ceived such  education  as  the  common  schools 
of  that  period  afforded.  During  nis  school 
days  he  began  writing  his  name  "M.  D.  Hoy," 
which  he  has  since  retained.  After  leaving 
the  district  school  between  seventeen  and 
eighteen  years  of  age,  and  spending  one  win- 
ter in  a  select  school  at  Conesville,  N.  Y.,  he 
began  teaching  a  district  winter  school  at 
Huntersfield,  in  the  town  of  Prattsville,  Green 
County,  N.  Y.,  receiving  a  salary  of  $10  per 
month.  He  taught  during  the  winters  until 
twenty-three  years  old,  working  on  the  farm 
with  his  step-father  during  the  summer.  June 
15,  1843,  he  was  married  at  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  to 
Miss  Catherine  Maria  Alberty,  born  in  Green 
County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  19,  1821.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Esther  (Atwater)  Al- 
berty, her  father  having  been  born  in  Green 
County,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of  Bernard  Alberty,  a 
native  of  Germany,  who  married  in  New  York. 
John  Alberty  became  a  substantial  farmer  in 
his  native  county,  but  afterwards  removed  to 
the  vicinity  of  Lockport.  The  children  of  this 
family  remembered  were:  Hannah,  Esther, 
Bernard,  John,  Reuben,  Catherine,  Stephen, 
Thomas  and  Sarah.  John  Alberty  was  a 
devout  Methodist  and  class-leader.  He  came 
to  Illinois  in  his  old  ,age  and  died  at  the  home 
of  M.  D.  Hoy,  aged  about  seventy-four  years. 

Less  than  one  year  after  Marmaduke  (M.  D.) 
Hoy's  marriage,  he  and  his  wife  came  by  way 
of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes  to  Illinois, 
arriving  at  Southport  (now  Kenosha),  Wis. — 
their  intended  destination— May  23,  1844,  but 
owing  to  rough  weather  were  compelled  to  go 
on  to  Chicago  and  back  to  Southport,  thence 
making  their  way  to  Alden  Township,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  where  they  began  house-keep- 
ing. Mr.  Hoy  then  made  a  foot  journey  of 
sixty  miles  into  Wisconsin,  but  finding  prices 
of  land  higher  there,  returned  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  in  Alden  Township  for  $180. 
Having  been  joined  on  his  journey  from  New 
York  State  by  his  brother-in-lav/,  Reuben  Al- 
berty and  wife,  the  two  families  lived  together 
for  a  year  in  a  log-cabin  14x24  feet,  a  story 
and  a  half  high,  with  a  loft  reached  by  a  lad- 
der. Mr.  Hoy  then  finished  a  partly  built  log 
house,  which  already  stood  on  the  place  pur- 


chased by  him,  and  this  became  his  home. 
This  was  a  primitive  affair  with  the  ordinary 
stick-chimney.  Here  he  liyed  three  years, 
when  he  put  up  a  frame  addition  ,and,  three 
years  later,  a  frame  residence.  For  the  first 
five  years  he  farmed  in  a  small  way  with  little 
profit,  but  an  excellent  wheat  crop  ,at  the  end 
of  this  period,  which  he  was  able  to  sell  at  a 
good  price,  brought  him  a  return  for  his  labor 
and  he  and  his  wife  were  enabled  to  make  a 
visit  to  his  mother,  which  he  had  promised 
when  leaving  New  York  five  years  before.  His 
mother  and  step-father  afterwards  came  to 
Illinois,  and  lived  near  Mr.  Hoy  until  their 
death.  By  industry  and  economy  Mr.  Hoy 
added  to  his  estate  until  he  was  the  owner  of 
150  acres  of  well-improved  land.  In  1865,  hav- 
ing been  elected  County  Clerk  of  McHenry 
County,  he  removed  to  Woodstock,  remaining 
in  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people  eight 
years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  with  his  second  son, 
George  H.,  as  partner.  The  firm  prospered 
and  became  well  and  favorably  known.  In 
1888  a  general  banking  business  was  added  to 
the  concern;  the  firm  now  consists,  as  formerly, 
of  M.  D.  Hoy  and  George  H.  Hoy,  and  they 
have  associated  with  them  Fremont  and  John 
M.  Hoy.  Luman  T.,  another  son,  is  a  promi- 
nent druggist  in  an  adjoining  store.  Besides 
other  branches  of  business,  the  firm  are  the 
owners  of  a  butter  factory,  which  they  have 
operated  for  -nine  years,  and  also  conduct  a 
Life  and  Fire  Insurance  business.  There  is 
no  safer  or  more  reliable  business  firm  in  Mc- 
Henry County. 

Mr.  Hoy  and  his  first  wife,  Catherine  Maria 
(Alberty)  Hoy,  were  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren: Sarah  Delia,  born  Oct.  10,  1847;  Luman 
Thomas,  born  Oct.  28,  1850;  George  H.,  born 
Feb.  21,  1853;  Fremont,  born  June  1,  1856; 
Jennie,  born  June  26,  1859,  died  Sept.  21,  1861. 
Mrs.  Hoy  died  July  23,  1863.  She  was  a  Meth- 
odist and  a  woman  of  many  admirable  traits 
of  character.  October  4,  1864,  Mr.  Hoy  was 
married  a  second  time,  to  Esther  Eleanor  At- 
water, born  in  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb. 
20,  1833.  Their  children  are:  Kittie  A.,  born 
July  27,  1865,  and  John  M.,  born  April  5,  1872. 

Kittie  Atwater  Hoy,  after  living  a  sweet  and 
loving  life  of  seventeen  years,  passed  over  the 
dark  river  on  Jan.  25,  1883,  mourned  and  loved 
by  all  who  knew  her. 


<&^£^  &tz^cxJ££& 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


793 


Sarah  Delia  Hoy  married,  on  Jan.  25,  1871, 
with  Ethelbert  W.  Wilbur,  and  they  formerly 
made  their  home  at  Rockford,  Iowa,  hut  now 
(1902))  reside  at  Mesa,  Arizona.  Their  chil- 
dren, Jennie  E.  and  Gracie  M.,  died  after  attain- 
ing mature  age  and  fine  mental  attainments; 
George  Herbert,  Walter  Hoy,  Ethel  May  and 
Everet  Ray  are  all  living  (1902.) 

Luman  Thomas  Hoy,  on  October  28,  1875. 
married  Anna  Amelia  Vandebogert,  born  Oct. 
13,  1853,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  sons, 
Clinton  Luman,  born  Oct.  17,  1876,  and  Eugene 
Richard,  born  July  7,  1878. 

George  Homer  Hoy  married  April  4,  1877. 
Mary  Lufannie  Belcher,  born  Sept.  5,  1857,  and 
their  union  has  been  blessed  with  two  sons, 
William  Pierson,  born  March  5,  1879,  and  Wal- 
ter George,  born  Jan.  1,  1882. 

Fremont  Hoy  married  on  Sept.  6,  1879,  Har- 
riet Victorine  Osborn,  born  May  11,  1858,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  the  rollowing  named 
children:  Clarence  Fremont,  born  May  31, 
1882;  Marmaduke  Ogden,  born  April  6,  1886,  a 
fine,  promising  child  until  death  claimed  him, 
Aug.  28,  1892,  (our  love  for  him  availed  not 
to  save);  Arthur  Dwight,  born  Sept.  7,  1889, 
and  Kenneth  Osborn,  born  Sept.  13,  1895. 

John  Marmaduke  Hoy  married  Nov.  11,  1886. 
Letah  May  Bunker,  born  Sept.  8,  1874.  They 
have  no  children. 

All  of  the  foregoing  children  and  grandchil- 
dren of  M.  D.  Hoy  have  their  homes  in  Wood- 
stock, except  the  family  of  the  son-in-law  and 
daughter,  who  reside  at  Mesa,  Maricopa  Coun- 
ty, Arizona. 

Politically  Mr.  Hoy  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  that  party  in  Mc- 
Henry  County.  He  cast  his  first  vote  for  Pres- 
ident for  James  G.  Birney,  the  Abolition  candi- 
date, in  1844.  In  1856  his  vote  was  cast  for 
John  C.  Fremont  and,  in  1860  and  1864,  for  Ab- 
raham Lincoln.  While  in  no  sense  an  office 
seeker,  he  has  not  shrunk  from  his  duties  as 
a  citizen.  Besides  serving  as  County  Clerk  for 
eight  years,  he  has  held  the  offices  of  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  Township  Treasurer  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  Highway  Commissioner;  he  has 
also  been  a  champion  of  good  schools  and  the 
earnest  friend  of  every  good  cause.  During  the 
Civil  War  he  was  a  zealous  supporter  of  the 
Union  cause,  and  while  physically  disqualified 
from  serving  as  a  soldier,  on  local  committees 


and  otherwise  was  active  in  promoting  enlist- 
ments and  filling  the  quota  of  Alden  Township. 
He  had  for  associates  on  the  local  committee 
to  promote  enlistments  Stephen  Alberty,  Wil- 
liam Barnes,  William  Wedgewood  and  others. 
Finding  the  raising  of  funds  on  township  and 
county  securities  to  pay  the  bounty  of  $600  per 
recruit  impracticable,  these  gentlemen  raised  a 
considerable  share  of  the  needed  amount  on 
their  personal  notes,  thereby  saving  the  town- 
ship about  $1,200  in  discount. 

Mr.  Hoy  united  with  the  Methodist  Church  in 
1861,  and  his  career  in  connection  with  that  de- 
nomination has  been  as  noteworthy  as  in  sec- 
ular affairs.  It  was  mainly  through  the  efforts 
cf  himself,  Richard  Cuter,  N.  B.  Helm  and 
others,  his  associates  on  the  building  commit- 
tee, that  the  $1,000  for  the  erection  of  the  first 
church  edifice  in  Alden  Township  was  secured. 
The  frame-work  having  been  blown  do-wn  while 
in  process  of  erection,  leaving  it  a  mass  of 
broken  lumber,  the  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Reynolds, 
remarked:  "If  the  Lord  has  blown  his  churcn 
down,  He  will  blow  it  up  again."  Many  of  the 
men  who  had  been  employed  upon  the  church 
having  enlisted  for  the  war,  an  excursion  was 
planned  to  visit  the  soldiers  in  camp  at  Rock- 
ford.  A  train  of  cars  was  chartered  on  the 
Kenosha  &  Rockford  Railroad,  the  company,  in 
stead  of  passenger  cars,  sending  cattle  and  flat 
cars  for  the  purpose.  These  were  decoratea 
and  covered  with  branches  of  trees  (It  being 
summer  time),  and  the  excursion  proved  a 
great  success,  $900  profit  from  fares  received 
from  the  people  from  the  various  towns  enroute 
being  realized.  This  was  applied  to  rebuilding 
the  demolished  structure,  and  thus  the  church 
was  "blown  up"  again  as  unexpectedly  as 
it  had  been  blown  down.  This  sum  proved  suf- 
ficent  to  complete  the  building,  and  no  more 
was  needed  except  to  buy  carpets.  Mr.  Hoy 
served  as  steward  of  this  church  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  School.  In  1865  Mr. 
Hoy  removed  to  Woodstock,  ana  he  and  his 
wife  joined  the  first  Methodist  church  there, 
Oi'  which  he  became  steward.  Later  he  served 
on  the  building  committee  in  the  erection  of  a 
new  church  edifice.  He  and  Mr.  George  K. 
Bunker  were  active  members  of  this  committee, 
and  succeeded  in  securing  subscriptions  to  the 
amount  of  $3,000.  The  architects  submitted 
plans   requiring   an   expenditure   of  twice    this 


794 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


sum,  which  the  church  people  voted  to  adopt. 
This  structure  was  also  badly  damaged  by  a 
storm,  but  was  strengthened  by  extra  sheeting 
and  the  filling  of  spaces  with  grout,  the  total 
cost  being  $8,000,  of  which  $1,000  was  obtained 
by  the  sale  of  the  old  edifice.  On  the  day  of 
dedication  $3,000  of  this  amount  still  remained 
to  be  raised.  Charles  Fowler,  afterwards  Bish- 
op Fowler,  who  delivered  the  dedication  ser- 
mon, in  his  appeal  to  the  congregation  for  this 
sum,  said:  "Now  brethren,  we  want  eight  men 
to  give  $300  each."  The  whole  sum  was  raised, 
the  church  relieved  of  debt  and  today  it  stands 
as  one  of  the  most  substantial  church  edifices 
in  Woodstock.  Mr.  Hoy  and  his  family  after- 
wards thought  it  their  duty  to  withdraw  from 
the  Methodist  church,  as  they  thought  the  pas- 
tor an  unworthy  man. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Mr.  Hoy  is  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry,  through  a  prominent  colonial 
American  family.  The  written  record  of  the 
Fanning  family  extends  back  more  than  six 
hundred  years,  furnishing  ample  testimony  of 
their  antiquity.  Their  coat  of  arms  is  found  in 
heraldry.  Believed  to  have  been  originally  from 
Wales,  they  emigrated  several  centuries  ago  to 
Scotland,  and  thence  to  Ireland.  Beginning 
with  the  Irish  branch  of  the  family,  Domican 
Fanning  was  a  historical  character,  was  Mayor 
of  the  City  in  Ireland  and  was  beheaded  by 
Cromwell  during  the  civil  war.  His  son,  Ed- 
mond,  having  escaped  the  Irish  massacre,  came 
to  Stonington,  Conn.,  in  1641,  and,  according 
to  some  authorities,  led  a  wandering  life  for 
eleven  years,  finally  settling  at  New  London, 
Conn.  He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Hugh 
Hays,  Earl  of  Connaught,  and  had  children; 
Edmond,  John,  Thomas,  Mary  (wife  of  Benjamin 
Hewitt),  and  William.  From  this  family  orig- 
inated the  old  Fanning  families  of  Connecticut, 
Long  Island  and  New  York,  whose  posterity  is 
now  widely  scattered  throughout  the  United 
States.  Capt.  Walter  Fanning,  the  maternal 
grandfather  of  Mr.  Hoy,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  later  a  pensioner.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  New  York  and  married  Grace  Ben- 
jamin, Nov.  6,  1771,  their  children  being:  Cath- 
erine, born  Aug.  12,  1772;  Joshua,  born  Aug.  13, 
1774;  Benjamin,  born  Aug.  19,  1776;  Thomas, 
born  Sept.  6,  1778;  Phoebe  and  Elizabeth 
(twins),  born  April  22,  1781;  John,  born  Aug. 
1,  1783;  Sarah  (the  mother  of  Mrs.  Hoy),  born 


Oct.  15,  1785.  Capt.  Walter  Fanning  died  near 
Gilboa,  N.  Y.,  and  his  widow  at  the  home  ot 
her  son  Benjamin,  aged  eighty  years.  There 
were  many  patriot  soldiers  of  the  name  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  while  others  were  prom- 
inent and  influential  royalists.  One  of  those 
on  the  patriot  side  was  Gilbert  Fanning  of 
Stonington,  Conn.  Charles  Fanning  was  ap- 
pointed Ensign  of  the  General  Assembly.  Lieut- 
enant John  Fanning  was  in  command  of  the 
frigate  Trumbull  in  August,  1781,  when  he  was 
captured  by  the  British  and  taken  to  New  York. 
His  brother  John  was  Lieutenant  on  the  Ran- 
dolph, and  was  blown  up  with  the  frigate  Yar- 
mouth of  sixty-four  guns.  Another  of  the  fam- 
ily, Capt.  Nathaniel  Fanning,  was  a  midshipman 
with  Paul  Jones,  in  the  fight  with  the  "Serapis," 
and  received  a  special  commendation  for  his 
gallantry,  and  afterwards  commanded  various 
French  vessels.  A  brother  of  his  commanded 
a  privateer  which  was  captured  tiy  the  British; 
still  another  (Capt.  Edmond  Fanning)  made  a 
voyage  around  the  world,  in  command  of  a 
corvette  sailing  under  letters  of  marque,  dis- 
covering a  number  of  islands  which  were  named 
"Washington,"  "Fanning,"  "Brintnels,"  and 
"Williams ; "  was  also  projector  of  an  expedition 
to  the  South  Polar  Sea.  Another  prominent  in 
the  history  of  the  Revolution  was  Thomas  Fan- 
ning, who  won  distinction  by  his  efficient  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  as  a  commissary  in  connec- 
tion with  Connecticut  troops.  The  most  prom- 
inent royalist  was  a  Col.  Edmond  Fanning,  who 
raised  a  regiment  under  Gov.  Tryon  and,  as  a 
consequence,  lost  a  large  property  by  confisca- 
tion. Col.  A.  C.  W.  Fanning,  late  of  the  Uniteo. 
States  Artillery,  was  a  distinguished  scholar  as 
well  as  a  soldier,  serving  with  credit  in  the 
War  of  1812  and  in  the  Florida  War.  Dr.  Nel- 
son Fanning  served  as  surgeon  in  a  regiment 
raised  in  Schohaiie  County,  N.  Y.,  in  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion. 

Mrs.  Esther  Eleanor  Hoy  is  descended,  on  the 
maternal  side,  from  the  Atwater  family  of  col- 
onial and  Puritan  New  England  ancestry. 
Stephen  Atwater,  her  grandfather,  a  farmer  of 
Green  (now  Schoharie)  County,  N.  Y.,  was 
married  July  17,  1771,  to  Hannah  Mead.  Their 
children  were:  John,  born  May  30,  1772  (died 
Oct.  24,  1776;  Levi,  born  April  13,  1774  (died 
Oct.  12,  1776);  Stephen,  born  Nov.  12,  1775 
(died  July  11,  1777);    Stephen    (2),  born  Feb. 


^aZ?^^  yka^lcv 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


791 


21  1778  (died  Dec.  12,  1778);  Reuben,  born 
Nov.  27,  1779;  Lydia,  born  Feb.  17,  1782  (died 
July  12, 1816) ;  Hannah,  born  Jan.  13,  1784  (died 
Dec.  6,  1805);  Esther,  born  Oct.  31,  1785;  Sarah, 
born  Jan.  23,  1788;  Mead,  born  Jan.  24,  1790; 
Titus,  born  July  5,  1792;  John  (2L  born  Oct 
15,  1795  (died  Oct.  17,  1826).  The  father  of 
Stephen  Atwater  died  April  13,  1774,  and  his 
mother  August  1,  1781.  Titus  Atwater,  of  the 
above  named  family,  was  born  on  his  father'^ 
farm  in  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  became  a 
farmer  and  married  Jane  Hay,  the  daughter  of 
Daniel  Hay,  a  native  of  Scotland — her  mother 
being  of  German  descent.  The  children  of 
Titus  and  wife  were:  Catherine,  Emily,  James, 
Daniel,  Reuben  (died  aged  twelve  years),  Es- 
ther E.,  and  Myra,  who  died  after  reaching  ma- 
turity. Titus  Atwater,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ho>, 
was  a  Free-Will  Baptist,  and  m  politics,  an  or- 
iginal Abolitionist  and  later  a  Republican.  He 
made  his  home  for  a  few  years  with  his  son, 
James  Atwater,  but  later  lived  at  the  home  of 
his  son-in-law,  Adolphus  Craw,  near  Lockport, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  

JOHN   M.  HOY. 

John  M.  Hoy,  banker,  Woodstock,  111.,  and 
leading  business  man  of  McHenry  County,  was 
horn  in  Woodstock,  April  5,  1875,  the  son  of  M. 
D.  and,  Esther  E.  (Atwater)  Hoy.  The  son  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  county  and  the  Woodstock  High 
School,  from  which  he  graduated,  besides  re- 
ceiving supplementary  training  under  the  di- 
rection of  a  private  tutor.  Later  he  engaged  in 
business  as  a  clerk  in  his  father's  dry  goods 
store  in  Woodstock,  of  which  he  finally  became 
business  manager. 

Mr.  Hoy  remained  in  mercantile  business  un- 
til 1901,  when  the  firm  of  M.  D.  Hoy  &  Sons 
bought  out  the  bank  of  Cook  Brothers  of  Hunt- 
ley, McHenry  County,  of  which  John  M.  Hoy 
assumed  the  position  of  manager  and  cashier 
in  September  following.  The  bank  is  a  private 
institution,  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of 
M.  D.  Hoy  &  Sons,  with  a  capital  of  $25,000. 
It  is  one  of  the  principal  institutions  of  its 
kind  in  the  southern  part  of  McHenry  County, 
and  under  the  conservative  and  careful  manage- 
ment of  John  M.  Hoy  is  doing  a  safe  and  pros- 
perous business. 


In  politics  Mr.  Hoy  is  a  Republican  and  has 
served  one  term  as  City  Treasurer  of  Wood- 
stock. In  his  native  city  and  county  he  enjoys 
a  high  reputation  as  a  capable  and  trustworthy 
business  man. 

Mr.  Hoy  was  married  in  Woodstock  Nov.  11. 
1896,  to  Letah  May  Bunker,  the  daughter  of 
Amos  K.  and  Adell  (Sherman)  Bunker,  of  that 
city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoy  now  reside  in  Wood- 
stock. 


LIEUT.  WILLIAM    H.  HUFFMAN. 

Lieut.  William  H.  Huffman  pioneer,  farmer 
and  Civil  War  veteran,  now  residing  at  Nunda, 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Nunda,  Livings- 
ton County,  N.  Y.,  June  20,  1827,  of  Holland 
Dutch  ancestry.  Mathias  Huffman,  grandfather 
of  William  H.,  was  a  native  of  Holland,  born 
March  20,  1773,  and  at  fifteen  years  of  age  came 
to  America,  probably  first  settling  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. Some  time  between  1794  and  1799  he 
moved  his  family  and  household  effects,  by 
means  of  horse  and  wagon,  to  the  vicinity  of 
Auburn,  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared 
up  a  farm.  He  also  established  a  hotel,  which 
he  managed  for  many  years.  He  was  long  a 
substantial  and  influential  citizen  of  Auburn 
and  there  he  died,  Oct.  30,  1833.  May  20,  1793, 
Mr.  Huffman  married  in  Pennsylvania,  Eve 
Simms,  who  was  born  Jan.  27,  1775,  and  died 
July  11,  1846.  Of  this  union  there  were  twelve 
children:  William,  born  Jan.  4,  1794;  Philip, 
born  Oct.  30,  1795,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812;  Elsie,  born  Oct.  30,  1797;  Catherine, 
born  Nov.  11,  1799;  Elizabeth,  born  March  4, 
1802;  Ann,  born  June  11,  1804;  Phoebe,  born 
March,  4,  1807;  John  born  March  1,  1809,  and 
died  in  1812;  Submit,  born  Feb.  23,  1811;  Abi- 
gail, born  April  10,  1813;  Hiram,  born  Aug.  30, 
1815;  and  Polly,  born  Nov.  3,  1816. 

Brig.-Gen.  William  Huffman,  who  was  the  ola- 
est  of  these  children,  became  father  of  Lieut. 
Huffman,  for  many  years  a  farmer  and  hotel 
keeper  in  New  York  State.  He  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  childhood  came  with  his 
parents  to  Auburn,  N.  Y.t  and  here  was  reared 
to  both  farming  and  hotel-keeping.  August  25. 
1814,  he  married  in  Camillus,  N.  Y.,  Lovilla 
Sears,  who  was  born  in  Saratoga  County,  N.  "Y, 
June  10,  1793,  and  died  Oct.  25,  1875.  Their 
children   were:      Hulda,   Philip  M.,   Catherine 


79C 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Julia,  David,  William  H.,  Laura,  John  F.,  born 
June  14,  1831,  and  Charles,  born  Jan.  1,  1834. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Huffman  settled  upon 
new  land  near  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared 
a  farm,  but  in  1824  moved  to  Nunda,  N. 
Y.,  and  there  opened  a  hotel,  which  he  con 
ducted  until  1837.  During  that  year  he  moved 
with  his  family  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  tak- 
ing steamer  at  Buffalo  for  Detroit,  and  from 
there  making  the  journey  overland  by  horse  ana 
wagon.  At  Detroit  the  family  was  joined  by 
the  Joslyn  family,  among  whom  was  Judge 
Merritt  L.  Joslyn,  now  of  Woodstock.  The 
Huffmans  purchased  a  claim  from  a  Mr.  Doug- 
las for  $300,  half  a  mile  from  Crystal  Lake,  and 
finishing  up  a  half  completed  log  cabin,  there 
passed  the  winter.  The  Joslyn  family  lived  a 
mile  distant  with  a  few  other  neighbors,  among 
whom  were  a  Mr.  Crandall  ana  Abraham 
Beardsley.  The  Huffman  claim  proving  low 
and  wet,  late  in  the  fall  of  1838,  Mr.  Huffman 
purchased  of  Daniel  Brady  a  claim  of  160  acres 
of  prairie  and  timber  land,  on  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Huffman  Prairie,  which  he  after- 
wards entered  at  the  Government  Land  Office. 
Mr.  Huffman  cleared  up  this  tract  and  put  it 
under  cultivation,  adding  to  its  area  until  it 
embraced  300  acres.  Here  he  passed  his  last 
days,  dying  Dec.  15,  1857,  at  the  age  of  nearly 
sixty-four  years. 

Mr.  Huffman  was  a  man  of  prominence  and 
in  New  York,  served  for  a  number  of  years 
as  Brigadier-General  of  the  State  militia.  Dur- 
ing the  War  of  1812  he  was  drafted  for  service, 
but  secured  his  release  in  order  to  care  for  his 
aged  father.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the 
building  up  of  McHenry  County  and  gave  to  the 
town  of  Nunda  its  name,  from  the  place  in 
which  he  had  resided  in  New  York. 

Lieut.  William  H.  Huffman  was  reared  to 
farm  work,  and  was  but  eleven  years  old  when 
the  family  moved  to  McHenry  County.  He  well 
remembers  the  journey,  and  how  the  Huffman 
and  Joslyn  boys  walked  most  of  the  way,  and  of 
the  scraps  they  had  with  the  village  boys  on 
the  way.  For  a  number  of  years  after  coming 
to  Illinois,  Mr.  Huffman  attended  the  schools 
of  his  neighborhood — known  as  the  Huffman 
district — in  winter,  while  working  upon  the  farm 
in  summer.  Upon  reaching  manhood  he  pur- 
chased of  his  father  a  part  of  the  family  home- 
stead,   where,   after   his   marriage,   he   located, 


remaining  until  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War. 
September  4,  1862,  he  enlisted  at  Nunda  as  a 
private  in  Company  D,  Ninety-fifth  Regiment, 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  went  to  the 
front.  He  was  soon  after  elected  Second  Lieut- 
enant, and  later  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant, 
often  serving  as  Captain  when  his  superior 
officer  was  disabled.  During  his  period  of  ser- 
vice he  took  part  with  his  regiment  in  Gen. 
Grant's  campaign  in  Northern  Mississippi  in  the 
fall  of  1862,  and  later  in  the  Vicksburg  cam- 
paign, the  Red  River  expedition  and  many  other 
important  movements.  The  history  of  these  ex- 
peditions is,  in  large  part,  a  history  of  the  sol. 
diers  of  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  from  McHenry 
County,  who  took  part  in  some  of  the  most 
memorable  engagements  of  the  war,  including 
the  capture  of  Vicksburg  and  the  opening  of  the 
Mississippi  to  the  sea,  as  well  as  the  sad  affair 
at  Guntown,  Miss.,  the  destruction  of  Hood's 
army  at  Nashville  and  the  final  round-up  at 
Mobile,  following  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort 
and  Fort  Blakely. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Huffman  returned  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  he  took  up  farming  on 
his  section  of  the  homestead.  He  improved  his 
property  and  added  to  its  area  until  he  is  now 
one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in  his  section 
of  McHenry  County.  About  thirty  years  ago  he 
purchased  a  pleasant  residence  in  Nunda,  where 
he  has  since,  for  the  most  part,  made  his  home. 

October  5,  1852,  Mr.  Huffman  was  united  in 
marriage  at  Nunda,  Livingston  County,  N.  Y., 
to  Mary  Starkweather,  a  former  schoolmate, 
who  was  born  Dec.  22,  1828,  in  Cato,  Cayuga 
County,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Huffman  is  a  man  of  in- 
fluence, and  for  two  years  has  served  as  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace. 

Thomas  Starkweather,  son  of  Ezra  Stark- 
weather, and  father  of  Mrs.  Huffman,  is  of 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  stock,  the  early  members 
of  the  family  having  settled  in  that  State  in  col- 
onial times.  When  a  young  man  he  came  to 
Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there  married  Elvira 
Butler,  daughter  of  David  Butler,  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  who  came  of  an  old  Vermont  family, 
and  who  married  Annice  Wellington.  Mr. 
Starkweather  died  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years. 
To  him  and  his  wife  were  born  three  children: 
Ann,  Mary  and  Lydia.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
Starkweather  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Cayuga 
County,  where  he  made  an  excellent  home  for 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


797 


himself.    Mrs.  Starkweather  died  when  upwards 
of  eighty  years  of  age. 

PHILIP  M.  HUFFMAN,  an  older  brother  of 
Lieut.  William  H.  Huffman,  was  born  in  Auburn, 
Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  March  5,  1821,  and  was 
about  three  years  old  when  his  parents  moved 
into  their  hotel  in  Nunda,  N.  Y.  In  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  latter  place  he  received  a 
limited  education,  and  at  an  early  age  turned 
his  attention  to  farming.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen he  accompanied  his  parents  to  McHenry 
County,  where  he  first  assisted  his  father  in 
clearing  up  the  new  homestead.  He  was  an  ex- 
cellent shot  and  helped  to  red  ace  the  great  num- 
ber of  wild  beasts,  killing  in  one  winter  six 
deer  and  as  many  wolves.  During  this  period 
he  made  many  trips  by  way  of  Elgin  to  Chicago, 
where  at  first  all  the  marketing  had  to  be  done, 
allowing  himself  three  days  for  the  journey, 
and  bringing  home  lumber,  groceries  and  other 
supplies.  Later  he  procured  his  goods  at  Wau- 
kegan,  a  nearer  station. 

At  twenty-three  years  of  age  Mr.  Huffman 
ma'ried  in  Kishwaukeo  Prairre,  Dorr  township, 
Althea  Turner,  who  was  born  in  Ypsilanti,  Mich. 
Dec.  18,  1826,  the  daughter  of  Josiah  Turner,  a 
farmer  of  that  place.  Mr.  Turner  died  at  Yp- 
silanti, Mich.,  but  had  six  children,  who  set 
tied  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  viz.:  Harrison, 
Orsamus,  Ann,  Betsy,  Emma  and  Althea.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Huffman  had  six  children,  three  of 
whom  died  young.  The  others  are  William, 
Amelia  and   Charles. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Huffman  resided  for  two 
years  on  a  rented  farm  upon  Crystal  Lake 
Prairie,  and  for  the  next  three  years  upon  a 
portion  of  Dewitt  Brady's  farm.  Then  purchas- 
ing 100  acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land  on 
Huffman  Prairie,  he  there  established  a  home 
for  himself,  finally  becoming  the  owner  of  260 
acres.  He  has  since  sold  eighty  acres,  making 
the  present  area  of  his  farm  180  acres. 

Mr.  Huffman  has  figured  prominently  in  the 
affairs  of  his  township,  having  served  as  school 
director  for  a  long  time  and  for  fifteen  years 
as  constable'.  Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican. He  is  fond  of  reminiscence,  and  re- 
lates how  he  and  his  brothers  and  the  Joslyn 
boys — among  them  the  present  Judge  Joslyn, 
of  Woodstock — walked  across  the  State  of  Mich- 
igan from  Detroit  to  McHenry  County,  keeping 
up  with  the  horses  most  of  the  way.     (For  in- 


cidents of  this  trip  see  the  preceding  sketch  of 
William  Huffman.)  He  remembers  well  the  old 
chinked  and  daubed  log  cabin  on  the  Crystal 
Lake  claim,  and  how  he  and  his  father  and 
brothers  had  to  provide  for  it  a  roof  and  floor, 
and  build  a  brick  fireplace  before  they  could 
pass  the  winter  there.  The  same  energy  shown 
in  these  early  pioneering  experiences  Mr.  Huff- 
man has  manifested  in  every  undertaking  in 
life,  and  he  has  been  a  most  powerful  factor  in 
the  building  up  of  McHenry  County. 


REV.   SAMUEL   COX    HAY. 

Rev.  Samuel  Cox  Hay,  Clergyman,  Pastor 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  Woodstock,  111.,  is 
descended  from  old  colonial  and  Revolutionar> 
ancestry,  though  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  His 
grandfather,  Col.  Samuel  Hay,  born  in  County 
Armagh,  Ireland,  came  to  America  sometime 
prior  to  the  Revolution  and  first  settled  in  New 
York,  whence  he  removed  to  Carlisle,  Penn.. 
and  there  engaged  in  the  iron  business.  On  Jan. 
9,  1776,  he  joined  the  colonial  army  as  Captain 
of  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania  Battalion,  composed 
of  employes  connected  with  his  blast  furnaces 
at  Carlisle.  October  5,  1776,  he  was  made  a 
Captain  in  the  Seventh  Regiment,  and  on  Feb. 
21,  1778,  was  transferred  to  the  Fourth  Reg- 
iment, Second  Pennsylvania  Line,  with  the 
rank  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  and,  in  recognition 
of  his  bravery  in  leading  the  attack  as  acting 
Colonel  at  battle  of  Stony  Point,  on  July  16, 
1779,  was  presented  by  General  Washington 
with  a  brace  of  pistols.  He  served  under  Gen. 
Anthony  Wayne  in  the  attack  on  Stony  Point, 
and  was  severely  wounded  on  that  occasion  in 
the  hip,  in  consequence  of  which  he  was  com- 
pelled to  retire  from  the  service  Jan.  17,  1781. 
His  services  at  Stony  Point  received  spe- 
cial commendation.  After  the  war  he  be- 
came a  charter  member  of  the  "Society 
of  the  Cincinnati,"  composed  of  retired  officers 
of  the  army,  of  which  General  Washing- 
ton was  a  member,  and  was  Captain  of 
the  "Silver  Grays,"  at  Newark,  N.  J.; 
was  Postmaster  of  Newark  about  1789,  and 
was  one  of  the  organizers  and  a  member  of  the 
first  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Newark  Academy 
He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity,  and,  after  the  war,  corresponded 
extensively   with    his    fellow    officers,    among 


798 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


whom  he  enjoyed  a  reputation  for  exalted  pat- 
riotism. Many  of  his  letters  were  carefully 
preserved  by  the  recipients. 

Rev.  Philip  Courtland  Hay,  the  son  of  Col. 
Samuel  Hay,  and  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  in  1783, 
graduated  from  Princeton  College,  and  studied 
theology  with  Rev.  James  Richards,  pastor  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Newark,  and 
afterwards  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  The- 
ological Seminary  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.  His  first 
pastorate  was  in  connection  with  the  Presby- 
terian church  at  Mendham,  N.  J.,  after  which 
he  accepted  a  call  to  the  Second  Presbyterian 
church  at  Newark,  where  he  remained  ten 
years.  In  1836  he  removed  to  Geneva,  Ontario. 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  another  decade 
in  successful  ministerial  work,  after  which  he 
took  charge  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Owego,  Tioga  County,  N.  Y.  After  eight  years 
of  strenuous  labor  here,  during  which  he  lost 
the  use  of  his  voice,  he  removed  to  Orange,  N. 
J.,  and  there  established  a  classical  school  for 
boys.  After  a  few  months  rest,  having  recover- 
ed the  use  of  his  voice,  he  resumed  preaching 
in  connection  with  the  Orange  Valley  congre- 
gation, continuing  up  to  the  day  of  his  sudden 
death,  which  occurred  in  December,  1860.  Rev. 
Dr.  Hay  was  Moderator  of  the  Presbyterian 
General  Assembly  of  1849,  and  received  the  de- 
gree of  D.  D.  from  Princeton  College.  His  wife 
was  a  Miss  Elizabeth  Condit,  born  at  Newark. 
N.  J.,  in  1808,  the  daughter  of  Hon.  Silas  and 
Elizabeth  (Smith)  Condit.  The  former  was  a 
banker  of  Newark,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of 
1812,  and  served  as  a  member  of  Congress  from 
New  Jersey  for  many  years,  ±ilr.  Condit  was 
a  close  personal  friend  of  the  distinguished 
Theodore  Frelinghuysen.  His  father,  John  Con- 
dit, was  an  early  graduate  of  Princeton  Col- 
lege and  served  as  surgeon  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary "War,  and  later  represented  New  Jer- 
sey in  the  United  States  Senate.  The  historic 
Condit  home  at  the  foot  of  the  Orange  Moun- 
tains in  New  Jersey  is  still  standing. 

Rev.  Samuel  Cox  Hay,  the  son  of  Rev.  Philip 
Courtland  and  Elizabeth  (Condit)  Hay,  was 
born  at  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  1,  1836,  acquired 
his  classical  education  ,at  Owego  Academy  and 
Hamilton  College,  N.  Y.,  and  began  his  theo- 
logical course  at  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York  City.       In  1863  he  was  licensed  to 


preach  by  the  Rockaway  Presbytery.  On  Jan. 
1,  1864,  he  arrived  in  Illinois,  established  a 
Presbyterian  church  in  Will  County  and,  dur- 
ing the  same  year,  entered  the  McCormick 
Theological  Seminary,  Chicago,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1865.  In  October  of  that  year  he 
went  to  Woodstock  and,  for  a  time,  supplied 
the  pulpit  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
that  city,  which  had  been  organized  by  the 
Rev.  J.  B.  Plumstead,  and  of  which  Rev.  R.  K. 
Todd  had  been  the  first  pastor.  Declining  an 
invitation  to  accept  the  pastorate  of  this 
church  at  that  time,  he  went  to  Apalachin, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  became  pastor  of  a  Presby- 
terian church  and,  in  June,  1867,  was  married 
to  Sarah  Oakley,  who  was  a  native  of  Geneva, 
N.  Y.,  born  in  December,  1836,  the  daughter  of 
Dr.  Lewis  and  Mary  (Halsey)  Oakley.  Im- 
mediately after  marriage  Mr.  Hay,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  came  to  Crystal  Lake,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  accepted  the  pastorate  of 
the  Congregational  church,  at  that  place,  one 
of  the  oldest  and  strongest  churches  in  the 
county.  Here  he  remained  one  year,  when  he 
removed  to  St.  Louis  and  there  accepted  the 
pastorate  of  the  Carondelet  Presbyterian 
church,  but  a  year  later  resigned  on  account  of 
the  ill  effects  of  the  climate  upon  his  wife's 
health.  Then  (August,  1870),  returning  to 
Woodstock,  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the 
first  Presbyterian  church  there,  where  he  has 
since  remained  except  four  years  spent  as  pas- 
tor of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  De 
Pere,  Wis.,  and  two  years  as  pastor  of  the 
Crystal  Lake  Congregational  church.  During 
a  pastorate  covering  a  period  of  twenty-four 
years,  he  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
this  church,  by  a  steady  growth,  develop  from 
a  condition  of  comparative  weakness  to  one  of 
the  most  prosperous  in  Northern  Illinois  out- 
side of  the  city  of  Chicago.  In  the  arduous 
labors  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of 
these  results,  he  has  always  had  the  aid  of  his 
efficient  and  devoted  wife.  Rev.  Mr.  Hay's 
career  has  been  one  of  unselfish  devotion  tc 
the  higher  interests  of  humanity,  and  he  is 
noted  for  the  spirit  of  benevolence  which  has 
ever  characterized  his  life,  and  which  has 
been  illustrated  by  his  readiness  to  contribute 
to  the  aid  of  those  in  distress.  Of  high  culture 
and  broad  literary  attainments,  he  has  ac- 
cumulated a  handsome  library,  and  has  been  a 
frequent  contributor  to  the  religious  press,  and 


Jiaa*.  JJLv^u*.  *£.  tl 


"-^bitj. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


799 


is  the  author  of  a  number  of  pamphlets  upon 
subjects  of  interest  to  a  large  class  of  readers, 
including  among  the  latter  a  pamphlet  en- 
titled "Christianity  versus  Ingersoll."  He  has 
also  been  actively  interested  in  the  cause  of 
general  education  and  the  public  schools.  He 
has  put  the  mind  of  a  scholar  and  the  heart 
and  strong  personality  of  the  devoted  pastor 
into  his  lifework;  and,  with  mental  and 
physical  powers  unimpaired,  it  is  hoped  that 
he  may  long  be  spared  to  impart  to  others 
those  kindly  and  benevolent  attentions  which 
have  been  so  characteristic  of  his  career,  and 
to  enjoy  the  confidence  and  esteem  which  are 
the  reward  of  the  consistent  and  conscientious 
Christian  teacher. 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  Hay  are  the  parents  of  the 
following  named  children:  Dr.  Philip  Condit 
Hay,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  Northwestern  University,  and,  at 
present,  a  successful  practitioner  in  medicine 
in  the  city  of  Chicago;  Miss  Anna  L.  Hay, 
formerly  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Michigan 
and  Illinois,  is  now  married  to  Mr.  Edward 
Cort  Thurnau  and  a  resident  of  Chicago;  Mary 
Oakley  Hay,  was  educated  at  Knox  College, 
Galesburg,  111.,  and  became  the  private  secre- 
tary of  Dr.  Finley,  then  President  of  that  in- 
stitution. She  was  afterwards,  for  a  time, 
a  teacher  in  Chicago  and  is  now  teaching  in 
Virginia.  She  is  a  lady  of  marked  literary 
ability   and   attainments. 


THE    HANLY    BROTHERS. 

Captain  Samuel  Hanly  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Hector,  Schuyler  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  owned  a  large  tract  of  land.  He 
served  as  a  captain  in  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  for  his  service  being  entitled  to  a 
bounty  of  500  acres  of  land,  selected  Lot  39, 
Township  21,  where,  in  the  year  1802,  the  town 
of  Hector  was  platted.  Capt.  Samuel  Hanly's 
brother,  Israel,  was  also  a  pioneer  of  Hector, 
and  he  and  the  father  were  both  patriot 
soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  latter 
being  killed  in  battle.  Samuel  Hanly  was  the 
father  of  twelve  children,  to  each  of  whom  he 
left  a  legacy  of  $1,500.  His  eldest  son,  Ebene- 
zer,  who  was  grandfather  of  the  Hanly  broth- 
ers of  McHenry  County,  became  a  farmer  and 
married  Hannah  Reynolds,  daughter  of  Rev. 
James   Reynolds,   a  wealthy  Baptist  minister. 


They  moved  to  Ohio  where  Mr.  Hanly  shortly 
afterwards  died,  leaving  but  one  child,  an  in- 
fant son,  Alexander  Hamilton  Hanly,  born 
Aug.  23,  1816.  Ebenezer's  widow  married  as 
her  second  husband  Henry  Saler,  but  the  son, 
Alexander  H.,  was  reared  in  the  home  of  his 
grandfather,  Capt.   Samuel  Hanly. 

Alexander  H.  Hanly  was  born  at  Ilion 
N.  Y.,  and  settled  near  McHenry,  111.,  in  March, 
1837,  where  he  became  a  substantial  farmer, 
miller  and  business  man.  His  old  homestead 
is  occupied  by  his  sons,  George  H.  and  B.  S. 
Hanly,  who  manage  the  farm  and  mill.  Alex- 
ander H.  came  to  Illinois  in  his  twenty-first 
year,  arriving  in  February,  1837,  and  a  month 
later  came  to  McHenry  County,  where  he  and 
another  young  man  from  his  native  county 
bought  a  claim.  This  claim  was  "jumped"  in 
their  absence  and  fifty  pioneers  gathered  and 
tore  down  the  cabin  of  the  man  who  had  taken 
possession  of  it.  Notwithstanding  they  were 
thus  protected  by  their  neighbors,  they 
abandoned  the  claim  and  Mr.  Hanly  bought  a 
half-interest  in  the  farm  now  owned  by  his 
sons,  paying  $300  for  a  squatter's  right.  For 
several  years  he  broke  land  in  McHenry  Coun- 
ty and  Southern  Wisconsin,  sometimes  using 
as  many  as  seven  yoke  of  oxen  where  the  sod 
was  very  tough  and  filled  with  roots. 

After  his  marriage,  which  occurred  in  1841, 
Mr.  Hanly  located  on  the  present  Hanly 
homestead,  which  he  improved  and  added  to 
until  it  consisted  of  765  acres,  mostly  under 
cultivation.  His  sons,  who  were  industrious, 
hard-working  young  men,  assisted  him 
materially,  and  the  summer  of  1885  saw  the 
erection  on  the  place  of  a  fine  two-story  brick 
house  which  cost  ten  thousand  dollars.  An 
active,  enterprising  business  man,  Mr.  Hanly 
from  time  to  time  engaged  in  important  enter- 
prises. In  1869  he  built  a  flouring  mill,  which 
he  operated  during  his  life,  and  which  is  still 
doing  a  good  business.  Assisted  by  his  sons, 
he  became  the  most  extensive  grower  of  fine 
stock  in  McHenry  County,  and  bred  and 
marketed  large  numbers  of  horses,  cattle  and 
sheep,  besides  operating  a  large  dairy.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  and  was  Master  of  the 
Grange  at  McHenry,  and  was  purchasing  agent 
for  all  bodies  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry  in 
McHenry  County,  and  in  that  capacity  handled 
large  sums  of  money.  He  was  for  many  years 
a  School  Director  at  McHenry  and  took  a  deep 


800 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


interest  in     public     education.     Politically     he 
was  an  unswerving  Republican. 

Susan  Sherman,  who  on  Oct.  3,  1841,  became 
Mrs.  Alexander  H.  Hanly,  was  born  in  Fulton 
County,  N  Y.,  Dec.  5,  1819,  a  daughter  of  Ben- 
son and  Wealthy  (Gates)  Sherman.  Benson 
Sherman,  who  was  a  native  of  New  York,  was 
among  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County  as 
early  as  1838.  He  settled  on  the  Samuel  Sher- 
man farm,  two  miles  west  of  McHenry,  re- 
deemed it  from  the  wilderness  and  built  upon 
it  a  large  cabin  with  a  big  fire-place  and  a 
stick  chimney.  He  became  the  owner  of  three 
or  four  hundred  acres  of  land  and  was  a 
prominent  and  respected  citizen.  Wealthy 
Gates  became  his  wife  when  she  was  sixteen 
years  old  and  they  both  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty  years.  They  had  children  named 
Melissa,  Susan,  Elizabeth,  Jeremiah,  Samuel 
and  Jane.  Susan,  who  became  Mrs.  Hanly, 
had  the  advantage  of  an  academic  education 
and  she  taught  school  in  her  father's  cabin  in 
McHenry  County  before  there  was  ,any  school 
house  in  the  neighborhood,  and  during  life 
took  in  interest  in  literary  and  educational 
matters.  lA.  woman  of  high  moral  and  chris- 
tian character,  she  was  ,a  friend  of  all  good  in- 
fluences; a  devoted  wife  and  mother,  she  had 
the  love  of  husband  and  children  to  the  fullest 
extent;  charitable  beyond  most  women,  she 
rron  the  blessings  of  the  poor;  and  her  hos- 
pitality was  such  that  her  house  was  a  favorite 
resort  of  all  who  knew  her,  and  no  stranger 
was  ever  turned  from  its  door.  Mr.  Hanly 
was  a  man  of  broad  mind  and  independent 
spirit,  an  Odd  Fellow  and  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Universalist  church  at  McHenry.  in 
which  Mrs.  Hanly  was  a  member  and  also  help- 
fully interested.  Mr.  Hanly  died  Jan.  12,  1891, 
Mrs.  Hanly,  April  10,  1900.  Their  children 
were:  Emma,  born  July  23,  1842,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Samuel  Benson,  born  Aug.  29,  1843; 
George  H.,  born  May  9,  1846;  John  Edmund, 
born  Jan.  16,  1849;  Daniel  Francis,  born  Nov. 
22,  1863 — all  born  on  the  old  family  homestead 
in  McHenry  County. 

The  Hanly  brothers  attended  the  district 
school  near  their  home  and  later  took  a  thorough 
business  course  in  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Busi- 
ness College,  Chicago,  giving  special  attention 
to  mathematics  and  commercial  law,  and  from 
which  they  graduated  in  1868  and  1869.  After 
graduation  in    1868,    Samuel    B.     Hanly    took 


charge  of  the  flouring  mill,  whch  he  operated 
for  about  fifteen  years,  carrying  on  an  ex- 
tensive business  in  the  manufacture  of  a  fine 
grade  of  flour.  He  also  assisted  in  conducting 
a  large  brick-yard,  where  the  brick  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  family  residence  was  manu- 
factured. In  1883  he  removed  to  Chicago  and 
there  assumed  control  of  the  wholesale  milk- 
trade  of  the  Hanly  Brothers,  displaying  excep- 
tional business  ability  in  the  management  of 
their  dairy  interests  for  nearly  twenty  years. 
Their  Chicago  business  has  recently  been 
transferred  to  other  parties. 

George  H.  Hanly  was  early  made  useful  as 
an  assistant  to  his  father  and  did  his  full  share 
toward  the  erection  of  the  residence  and  flour- 
ing mill.  He  took  much  interest  in  sheep  and 
bought  seven  hundred  head  at  a  single  pur- 
chase in  Wisconsin  and,  at  one  time,  the  Han- 
lys  had  fifteen  hundred  sheep,  mostly  merinos, 
on  their  farm.  He  assisted  also  to  establish 
the  Hanly  dairy  and,  in  1883,  the  Hanly  Broth- 
ers established  a  wholesale  milk  trade  in  Chi- 
cago, to  which  point  they  shipped  milk  from 
one  hundred  cows  on  their  farm  and  much 
milk  bought  from  farmers  en  the  Fox  River 
Railroad.  The  Hanly  Brothers  own  a  fine 
farm  of  760  acres,  including  the  old  Hanly 
homestead,  handle  many  horses  and  cattle, 
operate  the  flour  mill,  besides  giving  atten- 
tion to  other  interests. 

George  H.  Hanly  is  a  man  of  much  men- 
tal independence  who  frames  his  own  opinions 
from  practical  experiences  in  life.  One  of 
his  predominant  qualities  is  his  fidelity  to  his 
friends.  He  was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  is 
now  an  advocate  of  the  principles  advocated 
by  William  Jennings  Bryan.  He  was  received 
as  an  Entered  Apprentice,  passed  the  Fellow 
Craft  Degree  and  was  raised  to  the  Sublime 
Degree  of  Master  Mason  in  McHenry  Lodge, 
No.  158,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which  he  is  Worship- 
ful Master,  and  took  the  degrees  of  Chivalric 
Masonry  in  the  Woodstock  Commandery  of 
Knights  Templar,  and  was  constituted,  dubbed 
and  created  a  Knight  Templar.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Maccabees  and  is  Com- 
mander of  his  body  of  the  order  at  McHenry. 
His  interest  in  public  education  impelled  him 
to  .accept  election  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  of  McHenry,  which  his  fellow-citi- 
zens have  twice  thrust  upon  him,  but  he  is 
too  busy  to  take  an  active  interest  in  politics. 


/a?  J\  %g^f 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


801 


John  Edmund,  third  son  of  Alexander  H. 
Hanly,  was  born  on  the  family  homestead  in 
McHenry  County,  Jan.  16,  1849,  received  his 
education  in  the  McHenry  County  public 
schools  and  in  Todd  Seminary  at  Woodstock, 
and  during  his  youth  was  chiefly  employed  in 
his  father's  mill.  He  married  at  Woodstock 
Ella  H.  Shirts,  who  was  born  in  Lyons,  Wayne 
County,  N.  Y.,  daughter  of  John  E.  Shirts,  wno 
was  a  skillful  carpenter  and  became  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Lake  County,  111.,  making  the 
journey  from  New  York  to  Illinois  on  foot. 
After  being  connected  with  the  milling  busi- 
ness in  McHenry  County,  Mr.  Hanly  moved  to 
Chicago,  where  he  entered  into  the  milk  busi- 
ness, but  in  1902  went  to  Elgin  where  he  is 
engaged  in  the  express  business.  John  E. 
Hanly  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  two  sons — 
Dr.  Harry  Hamilton  and  George  Alexander 
Hanly.  Politically  Mr.  Hanly  is  a  Republican, 
in  religious  belief  a  Universalist,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  of  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  Dr.  Harry  Hamilton  Hanly  married 
Beatrice  Perry  of  McHenry. 

David  Francis  Hanly,  fourth  son  of  this  fam- 
ily, was  born  on  the  family  homestead  Nov.  22, 
1863;  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  county,  and  in  the  Business  College  at 
Dixon,  111.,  after  which  his  early  life  was  de- 
voted to  work  on  the  farm  and  m  his  father's 
mill.  March  11,  1890,  he  was  married  at  Ross- 
burgh,  N.  Y.,  to  Florence  A.  Bennett,  who  was 
born  in  Granger  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct  13,  1867, 
the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Carrie  (Snider) 
Bennett.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
War,  serving  for  three  years  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fourth  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  for  twenty-five  years  was  a  merchant  at 
Rossburgh,  but  is  now  retired.  David  Francis 
Hanly  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Universal- 
ist church;  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and 
fraternally  a  member  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  He  has  established  a  repu- 
tation as  a  successful  business  man  and,  be- 
sides other  property  interests,  is  the  owner  of 
the  pleasant  home  where  he  now  resides. 


NOBLE    HILL. 

Noble  Hill,  Educator,  Principal  of  Todd 
Seminary,  Woodstock,  111.,  was  born  at 
Economy,  Colchester  County,  Nova  Scotia, 
June  1,  1859,  the  son  of  Charles  Edward  and 


Isabel  Hill,  and  is  descended  from  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestors,  who  came  to  Nova  Scotia  at 
an  early  day.  Charles  Edward  Hill  was  a 
ship-builder  and  constructed  many  ships  and 
trading  vessels.  He  had  general  charge  of  the 
business  and,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
time,  supplied  the  men  employed  in  the  yard 
with  the  necessaries  of  life,  including  all  kinds 
of  merchandise.  His  children  are:  James, 
now  a  gold-miner  at  Gape  Nome,  Alaska; 
Noble,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Annie,  now 
the  wife  of  George  W.  Jeans,  of  San  Francisco, 
and  .Richard  A.,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal.  About 
1884  Mr.  Hill  and  wife  went  to  California, 
where  some  of  his  children  had  previously  lo- 
cated, dying  there  in  1889.  Prof.  Noble  Hill 
received  a  good  rudimentary  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  country, 
which,  later,  was  supplemented  by  a  thor- 
ough course  in  Berea  College,  Ky.  In  his 
youth,  as  happened  to  many  of  the  boys  living 
adjacent  to  the  sea-coast,  he  was  seized  with 
a  passion  for  the  sea,  and  when  only  about 
fifteen  years  of  age,  shipped  before  the  maot 
on  a  large  vessel  to  cross  the  Atlantic  to  Bris- 
tol, Eng.,  and  thence  to  St.  Johns,  N.  B. 
After  this  voyage  he  saw  service  as  a  sailor  on 
coasting  vessels,  visiting  many  cities  on  the 
Atlantic  coast,  including  Portland,  Me.,  Bos- 
ton, and  other  places,  in  this  way  acquiring 
the  discipline  not  laid  down  in  the  books,  but 
none  the  less  necessary  to  the  making  of  the 
true  sailor.  The  well-trained  sailor,  from  the 
moment  he  signs  the  articles  which  give  him 
the  right  to  tread  the  ship's  deck,  is  taught  to 
render  respect  and  obedience  to  his  superior 
officers,  and  the  young  sailor  quickly  learns  to 
touch  his  cap  and  say,  "Aye,  aye,  sir,"  in  re- 
sponse to  any  command  from  the  second  mate. 
The  life  of  the  sailor-boy  is  a  hard  one,  but  he 
learns  to  do  many  useful  things ;  to  live  upon 
the  simplest  and,  at  times,  the  most  meager 
diet,  and  bear  a  hand  at  anything  that  may  be 
needed.  It  requires  several  voyages,  however, 
to  transform  the  green  hand  even  into  an 
ordinary  sailor,  and  years  for  him  to  become 
the  trained  seaman  qualified  to  "hand,  reef  or 
steer,"  as  the  phrase  goes.  Young  Hill  be- 
came a  skillful  sailor,  but  found  that  the  life 
afforded  few  attractions  for  an  ambitious  boy, 
and  little  opportunity  for  improving  his  mind 
after  his  monotonous  duties  had  been  faith- 
fully performed.       Impressed   with  these  con- 


802 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


victions  and  desiring  to  engage  in  some  em- 
ployment which  would  give  him  the  opportunity 
to  advance  more  rapidly,  he  sought  duty  on 
land,  and,  for  a  time,  found  employment  on  a 
farm  between  the  old  historic  towns  of  Con- 
cord and  Lexington,  Mass.  Here  he  carefully 
saved  his  wages,  and  finally  entered  Berea  Col- 
lege in  the  mountainous  district  of  East  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  completed  his  course  in  1887. 
An  interim  of  two  years  from  the  beginning 
of  1885  to  the  beginning  of  1887,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  spend  in  Colorado  on  account  of  fail- 
ing health.  At  the  close  of  his  college  course 
he  spent  six  months  in  California  and  then 
came  to  Woodstock,  where  in  1888,  he  became 
Assistant  Principal  of  the  Todd  Seminary  for 
boys,  at  that  time  still  in  charge  of  Rev.  R.  K. 
Todd,  by  whom  it  had  been  founded  over  fifty 
years  ago.  Professor  Hill  soon  gave  evidence 
of  his  knowledge  as  a  scholar  and  his  skill  a.s 
a  teacher,  and  a  year  later  became  one  of  the 
principal  instructors  in  Hampton  Institute, 
Va.,  being  assigned  to  the  Indian  Department 
under  cotrol  of  the  United  States  Government. 
Here  he  was  the  only  white  teacher  occupying 
quarters  in  the  section  set  apart  for  Indian 
pupils  and  known  as  the  "Indian  Wigwam," 
thereby  acquiring  the  title  of  the  "Wigwam 
Father."  After  teaching  there  one  year  with 
excellent  success,  at  the  end  of  the  school  year 
he  accompanied  some  of  his  Indian  pupils  to 
their  homes,  visiting  several  of  the  tribes  and 
familiarizing  himself  with  their  modes  of  life, 
manners  and  customs — an  experience  which 
he  thoroughly  enjoyed.  In  1889  he  returned 
to  Woodstock  to  resume  his  connection  with 
the  Todd  Seminary,  where  he  remained  until 
1892.  Prof.  Todd  having  then  decided  to  re- 
tire, Prof.  Hill  purchased  the  institution,  whicn 
he  has  since  conducted  with  marked  success. 
Since  coming  into  possession  of  the  institution 
he  has  introduced  some  important  improve- 
ments, equipping  the  buildings  with  steam 
heat  and  electric  lights,  besides  adding  a  large 
and  well-conducted  gymnasium.  The  number 
of  pupils  admitted  to  the  school  is  restricted 
to  forty,  who  are  carefully  selected,  boys  of 
unruly  character  or  vicious  habits  being  ex- 
cluded. As  a  consequence,  the  school  has  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  high-toned, 
both  as  to  morals  and  scholarship,  in  the  coun- 
try. Prof  Hill  employs  five  teachers,  be- 
sides  a  matron   and  such  other  assistants   as 


may  be  needed.  Pupils  are  admitted  at  six  ti 
seven  years  of  age,  and  grow  up  in  the  institu- 
tion under  the  same  careful  moral  and  mental 
training  which  they  would  receive  in  a  well 
conducted  home,  until  fitted  for  college  or 
prepared  to  enter  professional  or  business  life. 
The  morals  of  the  pupils  are  carefully  looked 
after,  and  the  result  is  shown  in  their  gentle- 
manly deportment  and  general  good  conduct. 
The  school  is  a  place  of  comfort  and  recrea- 
tion, as  well  as  of  study  and  discipline,  its 
ample  and  well-shaded  grounds  making  it  an 
ideal  place  for  out-door  sports,  while  the 
spacious  parlors  and  well-filled  library  con- 
tribute to  the  social  and  intellectual  develop- 
ment of  the  pupils  in  a  most  satisfactory  man- 
mer.  The  institution  is  non-sectarian,  though 
closely  affiliated  with  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  of  Woodstock,  under  the  pastorship  of 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Cox  Hay,  the  pupils  coming 
from  a  wide  extent  of  country,  including 
States  as  far  distant  as  Colorado  and  Cali- 
fornia. Professor  Rogers,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Hill,  pastor  of  the  Apostolic  church  at  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the 
first  President  of  Berea  College.  He  is  a  gen- 
tleman of  wide  learning  and  experience,  and 
married  Elizabeth  Lewis,  who  belonged  to  a 
family  of  the  Society' of  Friends  in  Philadel- 
phia. 


PETER   J.    HERDKLOTZ. 

The  more  recent  settlers  of  the  United 
States  represent  many  different  nationalities, 
but  in  earlier  times  the  emigration  to  this  part 
of  the  country  was  made  by  the  English, 
French,  and  somewhat  later  by  the  Germans. 
The  French  emigration,  from  Canada,  was  not 
large  enough  to  permanently  affect  the  blood 
of  the  people,  and  therefore  the  English  and 
the  Germans  are  the  two  great  races  from 
which  the  pioneers  of  Illinois  largely  sprang, 
especially  in  the  northern  portion  of  the 
State.  It  is  uncertain  as  yet  who  was  the  first 
German  settler  of  McHenry  County,  but  in- 
vestigations now  in  progress  indicate  that  It 
was  Samuel  Gillian,  a  pioneer  German  who 
settled  in  Algonquin  Township,  Nov.  18,  1834. 

The  first  pioneer  settler  on  Queen  Anne  Prai- 
rie was  Peter  J.  Herdklotz,  now  a  retired 
farmer  of  Woodstock.  He  was  born  in  Alsace, 
Canton  of  Sultz,  Village  of  Drachenbronn,  Feb. 


<P>  fr  H~*Mt£6rk 


L  6ASppC6 


i 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


S03 


27,  1820,  son  of  Michael  and  Sarah  (Smith) 
Herdklotz.  The  Alsatian  founder  of  the  family 
came  from  Switzerland  at  an  early  period. 
The  Herdklotz  family  had  been  farmers  for 
generations,  and  for  many  years  had  owned' 
and  lived  on  the  same  farm.  In  the  days  of 
Michael,  the  grandfather  of  Peter  J.,  the  farm 
was  of  considerable  size,  but  in  the  days  of 
Michael  (2),  the  father,  it  had  been  reduced 
by  divisions  until  it  numbered  but  twenty 
acres,  although  it  was  very  productive  and  fur- 
nished abundant  supplies  for  the  family. 
Michael,  the  grandfather  of  Peter  J.,  served  in 
the  old  French  army  and  participated  in  many 
battles,  and  received  a  prize  for  meritorious 
conduct. 

Michael  Herdklotz,  the  father  of  Peter  J.,  was 
born  in  January,  1791.  He  remained  on  the 
homestead  where  his  forefathers  had  lived  for 
generations,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  Michael,  Jr.,  Peter  J.,  Christina,  Bai- 
bara,  George  and  Henry.  In  May,  1839,  he 
and  Mrs.  Herdklotz,  with  their  four  younger 
children,  came  to  America,  the  two  older  sons, 
Michael  and  Peter  J.,  having  come  over  two 
years  before.  The  family  landed  in  New  York 
and  went  thence  to  Chicago,  where  they  ar- 
rived Aug.  5,  and  immediately  came  to  Green- 
wood, McHenry  County,  where  Michael,  Sr., 
soon  afterwards  bought  200  acres  of  unim- 
proved land  of  the  United  States  Government, 
which  had  previously  been  selected  by  nis 
sons,  Michael  and  Peter  J.  This  land  came 
into  market,  Sept.  1,  1839,  and  was  sold  at 
$1.25  per  acre.  Mr.  Herdklotz  built  a  com- 
fortable log  house,  and  at  first  used  a  fire- 
place, but  several  years  later  he  purchased  a 
cook-stove  in  Chicago  with  which  the  following 
interesting  incident  is  connected:  Alter  ar- 
riving at  home  with  his  purchase,  Mr.  Herd- 
klotz found  that  he  lacked  two  joints  of  stove- 
piping  of  having  enough  to  set  up  his  stove. 
Shortly  afterwards  he  sent  to  Chicago  by 
Jacob  Eckert,  an  early  Alsatian  emigrant,  for 
the  desired  quantity  of  piping,  giving  him 
$1.50  for  its  purchase.  In  Chicago  Mr.  Eckert 
met  with  an  agent  for  a  Buffalo  German  news- 
paper, and  being  unable  to  resist  the  induce- 
ments, subscribed  for  the  paper  and  paid  out 
the  $1.50,  for  which  he  obtained  a  sample  copj' 
of  the  paper  and  one  year's  subscription.  Re- 
turning to  the  Herdklotz  home,  after  his  long 
trip,  he  had  a  sample  copy  of  the  newspaper 


but  no  stove-pipe,  which  was  a  bitter  disap- 
pointment to  the  family,  who  had  to  await  an- 
other opportunity  of  sending  to  Chicago  before 
their  cook-stove  could  be  made  to  serve  the 
purpose  for  which  is  was  designed.  Michael 
Herdklotz  was  about  fort,y-eight  years  old  when 
he  settled  on  Queen  Anne  Prairie,  and,  with 
the  help  of  his  industrious  and  hard-working 
sons,  cleared  up  and  improved  the  farm, 
eighty  acres  of  it  being  originally  timber  and 
the  remainder  prairie  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Herdklotz  were  both  members  of  the  German 
Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Herdklotz  died  July 
5,  1854,  being  killed  by  lightning. 

Peter  J.  Herdklotz  was  reared  on  the  farm 
and  received  a  common-school  education  in 
Alsace,  where  he  attended  school  seven  years. 
He  came  to  America  with  his  older  brother, 
Michael,  in  1837,  two  years  in  advance  of  his 
father  and  the  family.  The  brothers  sailed 
from  Havre,  France,  in  a  sailing  vessel,  the 
"Charles  Carroll,"  and  made  the  voyage  to 
New'  York  in  thirty  days,  arriving  May  2d. 
The  brothers  had  divided  their  money  on  arriv- 
ing in  New  York,  and  Michael  went  to  Rome, 
N.  Y.,  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  secured 
farm-work  at  $6  per  month  and  his  board. 
Peter  J.  secured  work  with  a  milkman  at  $3 
per  month  and  board.  He  carefully  saved  his 
money  with  true  German  economy  and,  at  the 
end  of  the  year,  had  saved  his  full  earnings, 
$36.  The  brothers  then  came  to  Chicago, 
where  they  arrived  July  11,  1838.  The  closing 
of  the  Black  Hawk  War  at  this  time  had 
thrown  a  large  amount  of  lands  in  Illinois, 
Wisconsin  and  Iowa  open  to  settlement,  which 
was  attracting  many  emigrants.  Chicago,  then 
a  small  frontier  village,  had  no  buildings  on 
the  north  side,  and  old  Fort  Dearborn  was 
occupied  by  United  States  troops.  Prairie 
schooners,  which  were  large  wagons,  many  of 
them  drawn  by  eight  yoke  of  oxen,  were  fre- 
quently mired  down  to  the  axles  in  the  streets 
of  the  now  famous  western  metropolis.  The 
brothers  together  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen  ami 
a  wagon  for  $60  and  started  for  McHenry 
County.  They  were  four  and  one-half  days 
making  the  trip  from  Chicago  to  Queen  Anne 
Prairie.  They  camped  out  at  night  and  on  the 
way  found  a  few  pioneer  settlers  from  Virginia 
who  were  hospitable  and  ready  to  render  them 
any  assistance  in  their  power.  It  was  char- 
acteristic of  the  pioneer  Americans  to  assist 


804 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  early  German  emigrant  settlers  in  every 
possible  way.  No  one  was  turned  away  from 
the  door  of  the  American  pioneer.  He  was 
always  ready  to  share  his  humble  home  with 
any  one,  stranger  or  friend,  and  his  cheery 
"set  up,  stranger,  and  help  yourself,"  has 
brought  cheer  to  many  a  hungry  and  wayworn 
traveler,  whether  he  was  an  American  or  for- 
eigner, it  mattered  not. 

The  brothers  took  up  land  on  the  edge  of 
Queen  Anne  Prairie,  Greenwood  Township,  and 
set  to  work  immediately  to  prepare  a  home 
for  the  family,  who  were  yet  in  distant  Al- 
sace. They  were  the  first  Germans  to  settle 
in  that  locality,  but  soon  found  friends  among 
the  settlers  from  Virginia.  They  worked  for 
the  neighbors  for  a  while,  and  finally  hired  two 
yoke  of  oxen  and  broke  twenty-five  acres  of 
prairie  sod  and  sowed  seven  acres  of  whea*. 
They  also  planted  and  raised  a  quantity  of  corn 
and  potatoes;  so  that,  when  the  family  ar- 
rived, they  had  something  to  live  upon,  and 
after  this  there  was  no  lack  of  provisions. 
Wages  were  only  fifty  cents  per  day,  but  Peter 
J.  and  his  brother  worked  faithfully  and  felt 
encouraged,  as  they  were  getting  along  well 
and  making  a  home  in  a  free  country.  They 
worked  faithfully,  and  previous  to  the  father's 
death  in  1854,  the  Herdklotz  family  owned 
400  acres  of  land. 

On  January  29,  1848,  Peter  J.  Herdklotz 
married,  in  Greenwood  township,  Catherine 
Sondericker,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Charlotte 
(Senger)  Sondericker.  For  two  years  after 
their  marriage  they  lived  with  his  father's 
family.  Mr.  Herdklotz  built  a  log  house  on 
a  part  of  the  farm,  and  when  the  estate  was 
divided,  received  as  his  share  1S3  acres,  to 
which  he  made  additions  until  he  owned  200 
acres.  Later  he  sold  part  of  the  farm  and  now 
owns  180,  which  is  one  of  the  best  farms  in 
Greenwood  township.  Mr.  Herdklotz  has 
worked  very  hard  and  endured  all  the  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life.  He  has  prospered  by  his 
own  efforts  and  become  a  well-to-do  citizen. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herdklotz  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children:  Catherine,  Margaret, 
Christina,  Eliza,  Peter  H.,  Sarah  C.  (who  died 
when  about  thirty  years  of  age,  a  married 
woman,  leaving  two  children),  and  Emma 
Sophia.  Mr.  Herdklotz  is  a  member  of 
the  German  Presbyterian  church,  where  he 
was    and    elder  for  many  years.       Mrs.  Herd- 


klotz was  also  a  member  of  the  same  church. 
They  assisted  in  establishing  the  church 
in  Greenwood  Township,  and  Mr.  Herd- 
klotz' mother  gave  one-half  acre  of  land  from 
the  old  homestead  for  a  church  lot.  Mr. 
Herdklotz  voted  for  William  Henry  Harrison 
and  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  kept  within  the 
ranks  of  the  Republican  party  until  Cleve- 
land's first  election,  when  he  voted  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket.  He  served  the  public  as  Road 
Commissioner  for  fifteen  years.  Mrs.  Herd- 
klotz died  May  24,  1893,  and  Mr.  Herdklotz  now 
resides  with  his  children  in  Woodstock,  where 
he  has  recently  recovered  from  a  severe  spell 
of  sickness.  He  also  had  cataracts  form  over 
both  eyes,  rendering  him  blind,  but  fortunately 
he  has  recently  had  them  removed,  so  that 
his  sight  has  been  fully  restored.  Mr.  Herd- 
klotz is  a  fine  example  of  the  German  pioneer, 
straight-forward,  honest,  persevering,  and  in 
all  respects  a  man  of  sterling  worth.  From 
the  early  German  settlers  have  descended 
many  of  our  best  people,  whose  descendants 
are  now  rapidly  blending  with  the  American 
people  and  adding  to  their  blood  the  strength 
of  an  original  and  sterling  race. 


LEWIS    F.    HOWARD. 

Lewis  F.  Howard,  farmer  of  Greenwood, 
McHenry  County,  and  early  settler  of  Queen 
Ann  Prairie,  was  born  Feb.  14,  1821,  at  Wal- 
pole,  Cheshire  county,  N.  H.,  the  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Betsy  Ann  (Fay)  Howard.  William 
Howard  was  of  Puritan-English  stock,  whose 
ancestors  came  to  Massachusetts  about  th? 
time  of  the  founding  of  that  colony.  He  was 
born  in  Massachusetts,  the  son  of  Pitt  Howard, 
who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  He 
was  twice  married,  the  children  by  the  flrsc 
marriage  being  Rebecca,  Fannie,  Betsy,  John, 
William,  and  one  ether  whose  name  is  not  re- 
membered. Pitt  Howard  was  a  carpenter  Dy 
trade,  and  a  manufacturer  of  wooden  ware, 
and  also  farmed  in  a  small  way.  During  the 
Revolutionary  War  he  served  under  General 
Washington  and  General  Israel  Putnam.  He 
lived  to  be  eighty  years  old,  dying  at  his  home 
in  Massachusetts.  His  son  William  was  mar- 
ried at  Walpole,  N.  H.,  to  Betsy  Ann  Fay.  wbo 
was  born  at  Walpole,  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Fannie  (Graves)  Fay. 

Joseph  Fay  was  a  son  of  an  officer  of  the 
Revolution,  whom  he  accompanied  to  the  field, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


805 


first  as  a  waiter,  and  whom  he  saw  shot  from 
his  horse  in  battle.  Later,  he  enlisted  when 
only  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  bore  a 
musket  in  the  cause  of  his  country  under 
Gen.  Anthony  Wayne.  After  the  war  he  be- 
came a  captain  in  the  State  militia,  and  dur- 
ing his  life  was  known  as  Captain  Fay.  He 
was  a  prominent  citizen  and  served,  for  a  time, 
as  Selectman  of  his  town. 

William  Howard  was  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812,  but  being  disqualified  for  carrying 
arms  by  a  deformed  finger,  served  as  a  team- 
ster. He  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burg.  After  marriage  he  settled  at  Walpole, 
N.  H.,  which,  except  for  a  few  years  spent  at 
Putney,  Vt.,  continued  to  be  his  home  until 
1856,  when  he  came  to  Greenwood,  McHenry 
County,  111.  Here  he  remained  until  the  death 
of  his  wife,  which  occurred  in  1860.  He  then 
spent  some  time  with  his  son,  Lewis  F.,  when 
he  went  to  Keene,  N.  H,  where,  10  years  later, 
he  died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Hill,  who  was  a  physician,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  The  children  of  William  Howard  and 
wife  were:  Harriet,  Lewis  F.,  Sarah,  Rebecca 
and  William.  The  father  was  an  industrious 
and  thrifty  citizen,  but  suffered  some  serious 
losses  from  endorsing  paper  for  other  people. 
Originally  a  Democrat,  he  became  a  Republi- 
can on  the  introduction  of  the  slavery  issue 
into  politics.  He  lived  in  the  village  of  Green- 
wood a  number  of  years,  where  he  owned  a 
pleasant  home. 

Lewis  F.  Howard,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  received  while  young,  a  limited 
common-school  education  in  the  meantime 
being  brought  up  to  the  life  of  a  farmer.  On 
April  10,  1845,  he  was  married  at  his  native 
place  of  Walpole,  N.  H.,  to  Alzina  A.  Ash, 
who  was  born  at  Walpole,  June  22,  1827,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Lucinda  (Fuller)  Ash. 
John  Ash,  the  father,  was  of  Scotch  descent, 
and  belonged  to  an  old  family  of  Putney,  Vt., 
where  he  was  born  in  1799.  During  the  colon- 
ial period  the  family  had  lived  in  Massachus- 
sets.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  and  was 
married  at  Athens,  Vt.,  to  Lucinda  Fuller,  who 
was  born  there  in  1800.  The  founder  of  the 
family  came  over  to  Plymouth  in  the  May- 
flower in  1620.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Ash  was 
a  justice  of  the  peace  at  Athens,  Vt.,  for  forty 
years,  and  lived  to  be  ninety-five  years  old. 
He  was   a  resident  of  Athens  at  the  time  of 


Indian  troubles  in  that  region.  He  married 
for  his  second  wife  a  widow  lady  named  Pitts, 
and  they  had  the  following  named  children: 
Damaris,  Daniel  and  Henry.  John  Ash  settled 
at  Putney,  Vt.,  but  in  his  later  years  remove  1 
to  Walpole,  N.  H ,  where  he  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  dying  at  the  age  of  about 
fifty  years.  His  children  were:  Lucinda, 
Laura,  Mary,  Alzina  A.  (Mrs.  Lewis  F.  How- 
ard), Damaris,  Emily  and  Henry.  After  his 
death,  his  widow  removed  to  Fort  Wayne.  Ind., 
where  she  died  aged  about  seventy-five  years. 

After  his  marriage  to  Alzina  Ash,  Lewis  F. 
Howard  settled  near  Walpole,  N.  H,  on  a 
farm  in  the  woods,  remaining  five  years,  when 
he  moved  to  Putney,  Vt.  In  1855  he  came  to 
McHenry  county,  111.,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
in  Greenwood  Township,  consisting  of  137 
acres,  which  he  improved  and  now  occupies. 
The  children  born  to  himself  and  wife  were: 
Sarah,  Lucinda,  Henry,  Ada  and  Allen,  all  of 
whom  received  good  educations.  The  daughters 
Sarah  and  Lucinda  were  educated  at  Todd 
Seminary,  Woodstock,  and.  each  engaged  in 
teaching.  Sarah  married  Henry  Freeman, 
who  served  three  years  in  the  Civil  War,  and 
they  reside  in  Greenwood  Township,  where 
they  are  well-to-do  farmers.  They  have  five 
children.  Lucinda  married  Charles  Ercan- 
brick,  of  Alden  Township,  and  they  are  now 
residents  of  California.  They  have  two  child- 
ren. Henry  married  Harriet  Pierce;  they  re- 
side at  Spokane,  Wash.,  where  they  have  two 
children.  Ada  married  Myron  Gocfflard,  a  farm- 
er and  stock  dealer,  and  resides  in  Greenwood 
Township,  having  a  family  of  two  children. 
Allen  married  Mary  Dygert;  they  have  one 
child  and  reside  at  Moscow,  Idaho,  where  he 
is  a  grain  dealer. 

Mr.  Howard  (Lewis  F.)  was  originally  a 
Democrat,  but  on  the  formation  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  identified  himself  with  that  party. 
Both  he  and  Mrs.  Howard  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  at  Greenwood.  Mr. 
Howard  is  a  man  of  remarkably  abstemious 
habits,  never  having  been  accustomed  to  in- 
dulge in  the  use  of  liquors  or  tobacco  in  any 
form.  Indeed,  it  is  said  that  a  glass  of  beer 
or  of  spirituous  liquor  has  never  passed  his 
lips.  High-minded  and  scrupulously  honest 
in  character,  he  enjoys,  in  a  high  degree,  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  the  community  in 
which  he  has  resided   for  nearly  half  a   cen- 


806 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tury.  By  industry  and  economy  he  has  added 
to  his  real  estate,  and  has  been  eminently  suc- 
cessful  in  his   career   as    a  farmer. 


NATHAN    B.    HELM. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  this  sketch  is  rightly  entitled  to  rank 
as  one  of  the  most  notable  residents  of  McHenry 
county,  not  only  by  virtue  of  his  residence 
here  of  over  half  a  century,  but  on  account  of 
his  long  and  prominent  identification  with  its 
business  and  manufacturing  interests.  Spring- 
ing from  mixed  German  and  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry, there  is  a  well-founded  tradition  that 
there  is  also  a  vein  of  French-Huguenot  blood 
in  the  family,  as  we  have  the  authority  of  the 
records  of  the  old  Holland-Dutch  church  of 
Kingston,  N.  Y.,  to  the  effect  that  the  French- 
Huguenots  intermarried  with  the  early  Hol- 
land-Dutch families  of  that  locality.  The  rec- 
ords of  this  church  are  of  great  historic  value, 
in  view  of  the  fact  that,  during  the  colonial 
period,  this  was  the  only  church  between  New 
York  City  and  (Albany,  in  which  a  record  of 
marriages,  births  and  baptisms  was  kept; 
and  for  a  considerable  extent  of  country  the 
early  settlers  made  it  the  despository  of  rec- 
ords relating  to  events  of  this  character.  A 
few  points  compiled  from  these  quaint  records 
with  a  flavor  of  the  ancient  days,  when  Rip 
Van  Winkle  rolled  ten-pins  with  the  shades 
of  Hendrik  Hudson's  sailors  in  the  Catskill 
Mountains,  are  worthy  of  reproduction  here. 

The  first  entry  regarding  the  Helm  family 
in  these  records,  is  of  the  date  of  June  4,  1721, 
recording  the  baptism  of  Katrine,  daughter  of 
Zyman  and  Anna  (Scheever)  Helm,  followed 
on  Nov.  1,  172,4,  by  a  record  of  the  birth  of  a 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  to  Symen  Helm  and  Anna- 
tien  Schever,  his  wife:  Witnesses,  Machil 
Helm  and  Elizabeth  Sheyer.  It  is  assumed 
that  the  parents  of  these  two  children  were 
the  same,  although  the  names  were  spelled 
differently,  as  the  editor  of  the  records  sug- 
gests that  the  old  Holland-Dutch  Dominies 
spelled  names  phonetically  and  often  arbi- 
trarily. The  first  marriage  in  the  Helm  family 
on  record  is  that  of  Peiter  Helm,  a  young  man, 
and  Elizabeth  Schinkel,  a  young  woman,  on 
Nov.  5,  1725,  both  born  in  Germany  and  resi- 
dents of  Kingston,  N.  Y.  From  that  time  on 
there  are  a  number  of  similar  records  in 
this  old  church  record. 


Peter  Helm,  the  grandfather  of  Nathan  B., 
was  a  native  of  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  the  next 
south  of  Kingston,  and  is  believed  to  have  been 
of  the  same  stock  as  those  mentioned  in  the 
Kingston  church  lecords.  He  was  a  farmei 
in  his  native  county,  and  married  a  Miss  Fe- 
rine, who  was  of  French-Huguenot  ancestry. 
Both  were  members  of  the  Dutch  Presbyterian 
church,  of  which  he  was  an  elder.  Their 
children  were:  James,  Peter  S.,  Perine,  Abra- 
ham, James,  Katharine,  Sophia  and  Sally. 
Peter  died  at  the  home  of  his  son,  James,  in 
Tompkins  County,  N'.  Y.,  aged  about  seventy- 
years..  His  wife  died  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five.  There  were  other  lines  of  the  Helm 
family,  at  an  early  day,  with  which  the  King- 
ston branch  had  no  connection.  One  of  these 
was  of  Swedish  origin,  the  head  of  which, 
Capt.  Israel  Helm,  belonged  to  the  old  Swede 
Colony  which  settled  on  the  Delaware  River, 
■"/here  he  lived  in  1659,  before  the  landing  of 
William  Penn.  Ho  was  a  prominent  trader 
among  the  Indians,  an  Indian  interpreter,  and 
a  Justice  of  the  Upland  court.  There  was  also 
a  Virginia  family  of  this  name,  from  which 
sprang  the  Kentucky  branch.  Of  the  latter 
branch  were  John  Larue  Helm,  who  was  a 
prominent  politician  of  Kentucky  and  elected 
Governor  in  1867,  and  Ben  Hardin  Helm,  a  Con- 
federate General  during  the  Civil  War.  These 
were  descendants  of  Major  Benjamin  and  Capt 
Leonard  Helm,  of  Fauquier  county,  Va.,  who 
was  a  noted  Indian  fighter. 

The  branch  of  the  family  with  which  we  have 
to  deal  was  founded  deep  in  the  old  Holland- 
Dutch  Colony  in  New  York,  and  its  members 
were  prominent  in  the  history  of  that  State, 
furnishing  many  patriot  soldiers  during  the 
War  of  the  Revolution.  One  of  these,  Brewster 
Helm,  was  a  corporal  in  Capt.  Scott  Marvin's 
Company,  in  1776,  in  which  Obadiah  Helm  was 
a  private,  while  Abraham  Helm  was  a  private 
in  Captain  Duprie's  Company.  Charles  W. 
Helm  was  a  private  in  the  Second  Regiment 
Line  Artillery,  while  others  of  the  name  from 
New  York  were  Daniel,  Jane,  Peter  and  Peter, 
Sr. — the  last  two  being  privates  of  the  English 
Regiment. 

James  Helm,  the  oldest  son  of  Peter  Helm, 
and  father  of.  the  principal  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  a  native  of  Orange  County,  N.  Y., 
born  Feb.  26,  1796,  became  a  farmer  and  served 
as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.     He  married. 


/^^C^ 


**  ^c^JL  n+A^. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


807 


March  5,  1823,  Catherine  Van  Auken,  who  was 
born  in  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  25,  1799, 
the  daughter  of  Jacob  Van  Auken,  who  was 
of  Holland-Dutch  stock.  James  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Cayuga  County,  N'.  Y.,  but,  a  year  later, 
moved  to  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
cleared  up  ,a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  re- 
mained about  twenty  years.  In  the  spring  of 
1846  he  moved  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  by  way 
of  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo  and  thence  by  the 
lakes  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  where  he  arrived  with 
his  family  May  10,  1846.  Arriving  in  McHenry 
County,  he  settled  in  Alden  Township  on  a  40- 
acre  tract  of  timber  land,  on  which  a  small 
clearing  had  been  made.  Assisted  by  his  sons 
he  finished  clearing  up  his  land,  improved  aud 
added  to  it  until  he  owned  a  farm  of  115  acres, 
where  he  died  aged  about  seventy-five  years. 
His  wife  died  on  the  same  farm,  aged  eighty- 
four.  This  homestead  is  still  in  possession  of 
the  Helm  family.  Mr.  Helm  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Alden 
Township,  of  which  he  was  an  elder  for  many 
years.  His  wife  was  a  member  of  the  sams 
church.  They  were  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Eliza  J.,  Nathan  B.,  James  H., 
Louisa,  Sarah  A.,  Nelson,  Benjamin  and 
Amanda.  The  son  Nelson  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany C,  Ninety-fifth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry  during  the  Civil  War,  but  died 
a  year  later  at  Lake  Providence,  La.  Another 
son,  Benjamin,  died  in  infancy. 

Nathan  B.  Helm,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  FeD. 
9,  1825,  and  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion while  attending  the  district  school  during 
the  winter  months  and  working  on  the  farm 
in  the  summer  until  he  was  fifteen  years  old. 
He  then  engaged  in  farm  work  at  nine  dollars 
per  month  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old. 
He  then  came  west  with  his  father's  family-- 
in  fact,  was  largely  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  their  removal,  as  he  had  already  decided 
to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  West.  He  remained 
with  his  father,  wliom  he  assisted  to  clear  up 
and  pay  fer  his  farm,  until  he  was  in  his 
twenty-fifth  year,  when,  on  Oct.  10,  1849,  he 
was  married  in  Winnebago  County,  Wis.,  to 
Marila  Hinman,  who  was  born  in  Berkshire 
County,  Mass.,  1832,  the  daughter  of  Seymour 
and  Diademia  (King)  Hinman.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Helm  settled  on  an  80-acre  tract 
of  unimproved   land  in  Alden  Township   with 


the  typical  log  house  on  it,  for  which  he  paid 
$325.  He  improved  his  land  and,  aided  by  his 
industrious  wife,,  added  to  it  until  he  had  a 
farm  of  133  acres,  upon  which  he  erected  a 
good  frame  house  and  barn,  making  a  comfort- 
able home.  In  February,  1872,  Mr.  Helm  re- 
moved to  Harvard,  where,  in  company  with 
his  son-in-law  Charles  E.  Hunt,  he  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business.  In  this  he  continued 
until  1895,  when  he  embarked  in  the  agricul- 
tural implement  trade,  which  he  subsequently 
exchanged  for  the  manufacture  of  hardware 
specialties.  The  present  title  of  the  firm  is 
Hunt,  Helm,  Ferris  &  Co..  and  they  have  es- 
tablished a  large  and  lucrative  business,  em- 
ploying seventy-five  to  one  hundred  men.  Mr. 
Helm  is  a  self-made  man,  and  owes  his  suc- 
cess chiefly  to  his  own  efforts,  aided  by  his 
devoted  and  faithful  wife.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church  in 
Alden  Township,  with  which  they  united  at 
an  early  age,  and  in  which  he  was  the  first 
class-leader,  aTid  Sunday  School  Superinten- 
dent for  ten  years.  He  assisted  to  build  the 
first  church  edifice  here,  but  before  this  period 
there  was  a  Methodist  class,  of  which  Benja- 
min Easton  was  the  leader. 

Originally  a  Free-Soiler  or  Abolitionist,  Mr. 
Helm  co-operated  in  the  oganizaton  of  the  Re- 
publian  party  and  was  a  zealous  supporter  of 
the  Union  cause  during  the  Civil  War.  He 
is  an  uncompromising  advocate  of  the  cause  of 
temperance,  and  of  late  years  has  co-operated 
with  the  Prohibition  party,  voting  for  the  first 
candidate  of  that  party  for  President.  As 
evidence  of  his  consistency  of  character,  it 
is  said  that  he  has  never  tasted  spirituous 
liquor  of  any  sort  or  used  tobacco  in  any  form. 
He  is  public-spirited  and  assisted  in  the  erec- 
tion of  the  first  school  house  in  his  district 
in  Alden  Township;  has  served  as  School  Di- 
rector, was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  his  town- 
ship for  eight  years,  and  has  been  Mayor  of 
Harvard  for  two  years.  He  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  building  committee  which  had 
charge  of  the  erection  of  the  Methodist  churcn 
at  Harvard,  and  was  one  of  the  most  liberal 
contributors  to  its  cost,  amounting  in  the  ag- 
gregate to  $18,000. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Helm  have  one  daughter,  Lu- 
celia  I.,  who  was  married  Oct.  11,  1871,  to 
Charles  E.  Hunt,  present  head  of  the  firm  of 
Hunt,  Helm  &  Ferris,  manufacturers  of  hard- 


S08 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ware  specialties,  Harvard,  111.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hunt  have  two  children,  Lora  B.  and  Elzo  H. 
The  former  married  Blake  B.  Bell,  a  resident 
of  Harvard,  and  they  have  one  child,  Gladys 
M.      Elzo    B.    married    Hollie    Bee. 

James  Harvey  Helm,  a  brother  of  Nathan  B., 
crossed  the  plains  to  California  with  an  ox- 
team  in  1850,  and  engaged  in  gold  mining  for 
several  years.  He  then  embarked  in  the  bank- 
ing business,  but  died  in  the  city  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, a  few  years  since,  aged  about  seventy- 
three  years,  leaving  a  family. 

The  Hinman  family,  to  which  Mrs.  Nathan 
B.  Helm  belongs,  is  of  New  England  Puritan 
stock,  descended  from  Edward  Hinman,  who 
settled  in  Stratford,  Conn.,  in  1650.  There  is 
a  tradition  that  Sugart  Hinman,  who  is  des- 
cribed as  over  six  feet  high  and  a  man  of 
powerful  frame,  was  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the 
body  guard  of  King  Charles  I.,  and  escaped  to 
America  during  the  Cromwell  revolution. 
There  were  thirteen  of  the  name  of  Hinman 
from  the  town  of  Woodbury,  Conn.,  who  held 
commissions  in  the  army  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  rendered  efficient  service  for  their 
country.  Sergeant  Edward  Hinman,  who  was 
the  first  owner  of  the  old  tide-water  mill  be- 
tween Stratford  and  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  offered 
bis  services  to  Governor  Stuyvesant,  of  New 
York,  to  fight  the  Indians.  He  was  the  father 
of  eight  children,  from  whom  all  the  Hinmans 
of  old  American  stock  are  descended.'  The 
family  was  prominent  in  colonial  times,  and 
its  members  served  in  all  the  colonial  wars, 
as  well  as  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution  and 
those  of  a  later  period.  Capt.  Elisha  Hinman 
was  commander  of  the  patriot  ship  Alfred, 
which  sailed  out  of  New  London  harbor 
against  the  British.  He  was  also  Lieutenant  in 
the  first  naval  expedition  fitted  out  at  New 
London,  Conn.,  by  authority  of  Congress,  in 
January,  1776,  in  that  expedition  having  com- 
mand of  a  sloop  which  brought  back  to  New 
London  many  pieces  of  ordnance  and  a  large 
amount  of  naval  stores  captured  from  the  Brit- 
ish. He  afterwards  had  command  of  the  Cabot, 
a  continental  brig,  and  succeeded  John  Paul 
Jones  in  command  of  the  sloop  Alfred;  was 
captured  and  taken  to  England,  whence,  es- 
caping to  France,  he  returned  home  and  en- 
gaged in  private  enterprises.  He  had  a  repu- 
tation as  one  of  the  most  successful  naval 
officers  of  the  Revolution. 

Enoch  and  Sarah  (Crane)  Hinman,  the  grand- 


parents of  Mrs.  Helm,  lived  in  Berkshire 
county;  Mass.,  where  Seymour  Hinman,  her 
father,  was  born  Jan.  18,  1797.  He  became  an 
active  business  man,  owning  a  marble  quarry 
at  West  Stockbridge.  Mass.,  which  he  operated 
fur  a  number  of  years.  He  married  Nov-.  30, 
1819,  Diademia  King,  who  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut, Sept.  28,  1801,  the  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Almira  (Wood)  King,  members  of 
old  colonial  families.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seymour 
had  the  following  named  children,  all  boi  i 
in  Stockbridge,  Mass.:  Mary  Ann,  born  Sept. 
9,  1820;  Lorenzo,  born  Jan.  4,  1823;  Selden, 
born  April  18,  1827;  Marilla  (Mrs.  N.  B.  Helmi, 
born  Jan.  3,  1832:  Lanson,  born  April  3,  183-'; 
Albert,  born  June  3,  1840.  About  1842  Seymou:- 
Hinman  moved  to  Utica,  N.  Y.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  business,  but  later  moved 
to  Victor,  Ontario,  remaining  only  a  short 
time,  when,  in  1846,  he  came  west,  settling  in 
Linn  Township,  Walworth  County,  Wis.  Here 
he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  built  a  log 
cabin,  but  soon  after  sold  out  and  removing  to 
Winnebago  County,  Wis.,  bought  350  acres  of 
government  land,  which  he  improved  into  a 
fine  farm,  upon  which  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days,  dying  there  Nov,  22,  1864.  In 
his  later  years  he  was  a  stanch  Republican 
and  a  zealous  friend  of  the  Union  during  the 
Civil  War. 


JOHN  C.  HALLISY. 
John  C.  Hallisy  is  a  prominent  citizen  and 
practical  farmer  of  Hartland  Township,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  son  of  a  pioneer  of  the 
same  name,  whose  sketch  is  given  farther  on 
in  this  article.  John  C,  Jr.  was  born  on  the 
Hallisy  homestead,  in  Hartland  Township, 
March  8,  1848,  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, and  was  trained  as  a  farmer.  He  was 
married  May  22,  1879,  to  Bridget  Wallace,  born 
in  McHenry  County,  March  6,  1859,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Hogan)  Wallace. 
Thomas  Hogan  was  a  native  of  County  Kil- 
kenny, Ireland,  who  came  to  America  in  early 
manhood  and  married  Margaret  Hogan,  tbe 
daughter  of  Frank  and  Mary  Hogan.  also  a 
native  of  Ireland,  who  had  come  to  America 
with  friends.  Mr.  Wallace  settled  on  a  farm 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Thfir  children  were:  Kate,  Mary,  Bridget. 
Margaret,  Annie  and  James.  The  latter  died 
while  a  young  man. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


809 


Mr.  Hallisy  settled  on  what  is  known  as  the 
old  Hallisy  homestead — a  fine  farm  of  3  L2 
acres,  which  had  been  improved  by  his  father 
— where  he  erected  a  good  frame  house  and 
other  farm  buildings.  He  is  a  Democrat  in 
politics,  has  held  the  office  of  Road  Commis- 
sioner and  School  Director,  and  is  prominent 
in  local  affairs  and  a  factor  in  public  improve- 
ments. In  religious  belief  the  family  are 
Roman  Catholics  and  have  been  among  the 
stanch  supporters  of  the  Hartland  church, 
the  oldest  organization  of  that  denomination 
west  of  Chicago. 

The  children  of  John  C.  and  Bridget  Hallisy 
are:  John  F.,  Thomas  J.,  Mary  Ellen,  Marga- 
ret At.,  Florence  D.,  Edward  R.,  and  two  others 
who  died  young.  The  surviving  children  are 
receiving  an  excellent  education,  and  the  en- 
tire family  rank  among  the  best  citizens  of 
McHenry  County,  A  fourth  son,  George  Vin 
cent,  was  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Hallisy 
March  29,  1903. 

John  Hallisy,  Sr.,  was  born  about  1806,  in 
County  Cork,  Ireland,  the  son  of  John  and 
Hannah  (Corcoran)  Hallisy,  and  was  brought 
up  to  the  life  of  a  farmer  in  his  native  country. 
He  had  three  brothers:  Timothy,  Cornelius, 
and  Daniel.  About  1833  he  came  to  America, 
first  settling  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  where,  in  1838,  he 
married  Mary  Welch,  who  was  born  at  Water- 
grass  Hill,  County  Cork,  Irleand,  Nov.  1,  1801, 
the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Bowen) 
Welch.  In  1841  they  removed  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  where  they  settled  on  timber-land 
which  Mr.  Hallisy  purchased  from  the  Govern- 
ment, built  a  log-cabin  and  improved  a  farm, 
finally  becoming  the  owner  of  400'  acres.  Mr. 
Hallisy  is  described  by  his  contemporaries  as 
a  man  of  much  force  of  character.  He  was 
one  of  the  founders  and  a  liberal  supporter  of 
the  old  Catholic  church  at  Hartland,  assisting 
to  build  both  the  original  church  edifice  and 
the  fine  structure  which  has  succeeded  it.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hallisy  were  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Hannah,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  Annie  and 
John  C,  whose  name  heads  this  article.  Han- 
nah married  William  Deneen;  Elizabeth, 
Nicholas  Grady;  Mary,  Timothy  Deneen,  and 
Annie,  Roderick  Cooney,  and  belong  to  the  re- 
spected families  of  McHenry  County.  Mr. 
Hallisy,  the  father,  died  Oct.  6,  1874,  and  his 
wife,  Mary  (Welch)  Hallisy,  August  20,  1899, 
in  her     ninety-eighth     year — herJife     having 


covered  nearly  the  whole  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  The  following  graceful  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  this  remarkable  woman,  published 
soon  after  her  death,  appeared  in  the  columns 
of  "The  New  World,"  of  Chicago: 

"MRS.  JOHN  HALLISY.— A  connecting  link 
between  two  centuries — born  when  the  present 
century  was  not  a  year  old  and  dying  when  it 
was  just  within  a  year  of  its  close — the  late 
Mrs.  Mary  Hallisy,  a  pioneer  of  McHenry 
County,  was  a  remarkable  woman,  whose  long 
life  teemed  with  experiences  such  as  fall  to  the 
lot  of  very  few.  A  splendid  type  of  the  Irish 
nation  of  the  old  school — a  type,  by  the  way, 
which  is  well  nigh  extinct — a  devoted  wife,  a 
loving  mother,  a  devoted  friend;  true  to  her 
God,  her  country  and  her  kind,  she  was  an 
honor  to  the  race  whose  virtues  she  inherited 
in  full  measure,  exemplifying,  as  she  did,  by 
precept  and  example,  the  grand,  ennobling 
qualities  of  heart  and  head  which,  in  the 
centuries  gone  by,  made  the  Irish  women  pre- 
eminent above  all  others. 

"Mrs.  Hallisy  was  born  in  1801  at  Water- 
grasshill,  in  County  Cork,  Ireland,  a  place 
made  famous  in  literature  by  the  Rev.  Francis 
Mahoney  (Father  Prout),  the  immortal  author 
of  'The  Bells  of  Shandon.'  The  scenes  of  her 
childhood  are  among  the  most  beautiful  and 
historic  in  Ireland.  She  spent  her  girlhood 
where  Spenser  wrote  his  'Faerie  Queen,'  grow- 
ing familiar  with  and  loving  rare  and  match- 
less snatches  of  landscape  that  have  furnished 
inspiration  for  a  long  line  of  poets.  Among 
her  immediate  friends  in  her  young  days  were 
John  Francis  McGuire  and  Denny  Land,  poet 
and  patriot.  The  scenes  of  her  childhood,  as 
well  as  her  early  education,  moulded  her  char- 
acter. In  her  girlhood  the  language  of  the 
English  invader  had  not  yet  driven  out  the 
grand  old  Celtic  tongue.  Irishmen  still  spoke 
in  the  accents  that  were  heard  at  Tara,  and 
still  further  back  around  the  Druidical  altars 
in  the  almost  legendary  days  of  their  country's 
glory.  Mrs.  Hallisy  spoke  and  read  the  Celtic 
language  fluently.  She  was  a  veritable  store- 
house of  Irish  folk-lore,  and  was  familiar  with 
the  most  stirring  and  dramatic  events  in  Irish 
story,  and  loved  to  speak  of  them.  Mrs. 
Hallisy  was  also  a  great  lover  of  an- 
cient Irish  music.  She  remembered  many 
fragments  of  ministrelsy  that  have  never 
been  published,  and  often  entertained  her 
friends  with  old  bardic  melodies.  Her 
memory  was  remarkable.  From  her  par- 
ents she  had  learned  of  the  terrible  persecu- 
tions in  Ireland  during  1798  and  was  most  vivid 
in  describing  the  English  atrocities  during  that 
period.  She  told  many  stories  about  the  Union 
and  the  patriots  of  that  day — Grattan,  Floyd, 
Charlemont  and  the  leaders  of  the  United 
Irishmen  who  succeeded  the  Parliamentarians. 
Her  memory  included  the  stirring  times  of 
Napoleon,  when  Ireland's  hopes  were  high  in 
expectation  of  deliverance  by  France;   ranged 


810 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


over  the  O'Connell,  Father  Matthew  and  '48 
movements,  and  included — and  these  were  not 
the  least  interesting  of  her  reminiscences — the 
sacrifices  and  struggles  of  the  early  pioneers 
on  the  prairies  of  Illinois.  With  all  her  ex- 
periences and  interesting  memories,  however, 
her  life  was  as  calm  and  placid  as  'the  pleasant 
waters  of  the  'River  Lee,'  near  which  she 
played  in  childhood.  Every  succeeding  day 
was  like  that  which  went  before.  She  per- 
formed her  duties  to  her  religion,  her  family 
and  her  friends,  and  her  length  of  days,  if  they 
could  be  explained  at  all,  might  be  attributed 
to  the  fact  that  she  never  permitted  an  obliga- 
tion to  remain  unfulfilled.  She  was  generous  to 
the  church  and  the  poor,  and  was  always 
liberal  to  every  Irish  movement  that  appealed 
to  her  purse.  Indeed,  her  patriotic  devotion  to 
the  land  of  her  birth  was  one  of  the  distin- 
guishing characteristics.  Exile  only  intensified 
it.  As  the  chosen  people  of  old  wept  by  the 
waters  of  Babylon,  she,  too,  mourned  the  fate 
of  her  kindred  by  the  Lee  and  Blackwater.  In 
the  dark  days  of  famine  in  the  old  land,  she 
gave  without  stint  to  the  relief  of  the  suffer- 
ers." 


THEODORE    HAMER. 

The  career  of  him  whose  name  heads  this 
biography  illustrates  most  forcibly  the  possi- 
bilities that  are  open  in  this  country  to  earnest, 
persevering  young  men,  who  have  the  courage 
of  their  convictions,  and  the  determination  to 
be  the  architects  of  their  own  fortunes.  It 
proves  that  neither  wealth,  social  position  nor 
influential  friends,  are  indispensable  to  the  at- 
tainment of  success.  Coming  to  America  a 
poor  German  boy,  unable  to  speak  the  English 
language,  Theodore  Hamer  was  obliged  to  be- 
gin at  the  lowest  round  of  farm  labor  and  en- 
dure the  hard  grind  of  toil  in  order  to  gain,  as 
best  he  could,  an  education  to  fit  himself  for  a 
better  position  in  life.  F'rank  and  honest,  with 
a  friendly  disposition,  always  performing  his 
work  in  a  cheerful  manner,  he  won  many  firm 
friends  while  employed  among  strangers.  A 
native  of  Germany,  he  was  born  Feb.  9,  1869,  in 
the  village  of  Elmshorn,  in  Schleswig-Holstein, 
near  Hamburg,  the  son  of  Claus  H.  and  Anna 
(Giese)  Hamer. 

Claus  H.  Hamer  was  a  shoemaker  and  later 
engaged  in  the  dairy  business.  He  came  to 
America  in  1885  and  now  resides  at  ParR 
Ridge,  Cook  County,  111.  Mrs.  Hamer  died  in 
Germany  and  he  married  a  second  time  in  that 
country  to  Kathrina  Schluetter,  who  died  at 
Park  Ridge,  111.,  May  22,  1902.  The  children  by 
the  first  marriage  were  Theodore  and  a  daugh- 


ter Mary,  who  married  Charles  Woodhams.  Of 
the  second  marriage  there  are  Henry  F.,  Annie 
and  Helene. 

Theodore  Hamer  received  a  good  common- 
school  education  in  the  fatherland  and  came 
to  America  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  sailing 
from  Hamburg,  in  May,  1883,  and  after  a  short 
voyage,  arrived  in  New  York.  He  came  direct- 
ly to  Chicago,  and  immediately  engaged  to 
work  for  a  German  truck  gardener  in  Jefferson 
Township,  Cook  County,  remaining  with  him 
for  six  months  and  attending  school  at  Park 
Ridge  during  the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1885 
his  father  came  to  America,  and  they  together 
rented  land  for  one  year.  During  this  time  Mr. 
Hamer  had  attended  school  at  Park  Ridge  two 
winters.  The  farming  operations  with  his 
father  proved  to  be  unprofitable  and  young 
Hamer  determined  to  work  independently  for 
himself,  and  in  July,  1886,  .walked  from  Park 
Ridge  to  Ridgefield  in  search  of  work.  When 
walking  through  Dorr  Township,  he  met  with 
Judge  M.  L.  Joslyn  and  applied  to  him  for 
work.  The  Judge  took  him  to  the  farm  of  his 
son,  David  R.  Joslyn,  who  received  him  very 
kindly  and  entertained  him  in  a  hospitable 
manner.  It  was  in  the  month  of  July  and  he 
readily  obtained  work  with  Mr.  Joslyn,  remain- 
ing with  him  six  months,  after  which  he  en- 
gaged with  George  Shearer,  a  prominent 
farmer  of  Dorr  Township,  and  worked  for  him 
and  his  family  until  1889,  Mr.  Shearer  having 
died  in  March,  1888.  By  strict  economy  young 
Hamer  saved  some  money  and,  navlng  a  keen 
desire  to  better  his  education,  attended  the 
Northern  Indiana  Normal  School  at  Valparaiso, 
Ind.,  for  three  terms,  receiving  his  diploma  in 
November,  1889.  The  next  spring  his  health 
being  somewhat  impaired  from  severe  applica- 
tion to  study,  he  resumed  farm  work  in  Dorr 
Township,  with  Deacon  Button,  remaining  with 
him  four  months.  He  next  found  employment 
with  Colonel  Avery,  then  Clerk  of  McHenry 
County,  who  soon  saw  Mr.  Hamer's  abilities 
and,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mrs.  Avery,  tendered 
him  a  position  in  the  County  Clerk's  office.  By 
diligence,  ability  and  close  application  to  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Hamer  soon  proved  an  able  assistant 
and  was  shortly  afterwards  made  Deputy  Coun- 
ty Clerk,  a  position  he  has  since  filled  in  an 
efficient  and  satisfactory  manner.  He  contin- 
ued to  live  in  Colonel  Avery's  family  until  June 
22,  1892.  when  he  married  at  Ridgefield,  111., 


*  *=^44^%^^-— 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


811 


Emma  Shearer,  born  in  Dorr  Township,  April 
20,  1869,  daughter  of  George  and  Mary  (Hun- 
ter)- Shearer. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamer  settled  in  Woodstock, 
where  he  bought  a  pleasant  residence  on 
Tryon  Street.  In  political  opinion  Mr.  Hamer 
is  a  stanch  Republican.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
Mason,  a  member  of  the  Woodstock  Com- 
mandery,  K.  T.,  and  also  a  member  of  the  I.  O. 
O.  F,  having  passed  all  the  chairs  including 
Noble  Grand,  and  has  been  Deputy  of  his 
Lodge  several  years  and  a  representative  to 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Woodmen  and  Foresters.  Mrs. 
Hamer  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamer  have  been  the 
parents  of  three  children  named  in  the  order  of 
their  birth  as  follows:  Mary,  born  March  17, 
1893,  died  October,  1898;  Raymond  S.,  born 
June  8,  1894,  and  Clarence  E.,  born  Aug.  13, 
1899.  Mr.  Hamer  has  proved  himself  a  man  of" 
sterling  worth.  His  education  has  been  largely 
self-acquired  and  he  is  a  self-made  man  in  the 
fullest  sense  of  the  term.  He  has  passed  some 
of  his  best  years  in  the  service-  of  McHenry 
County,  and  has  been  faithful  to  all  duties.  In 
his  career  there  is  much  worthy  of  emulation. 
What  he  has  accomplished  has  been  by  steady 
application  in  the  line  of  a  persistent  purpose. 
He  has  surmounted  many  obstacles,  and  today, 
while  still  in  the  prime  of  vigorous  manhood, 
holds  a  place  among  the  representative  men  of 
his  county. 


CHARLES    L.    HALDEMAN. 

Charles  L.  Haldeman,  retired  farmer  and  re- 
spected citizen  of  Richmond  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Fayette 
County,  Penn.,  March  27,  1844,  the  son  of  John 
and  Catherine  (Lichty)  Haldeman.  The  Halde- 
man family  are  of  German  descent,  their  an- 
cestors having  settled  in  Pennsylvania  in 
colonial  times,  and  the  grandfather  of  Charles 
L.  was  a  farmer  in  Fayette  County.  His  son 
John,  who  became  the  father  of  Charles  L.,  was 
born  in  1808,  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion and  most  of  his  life  was  passed  in  Fayette 
County.  He  grew  up  to  be  a  farmer,  to  which 
he  later  added  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith,  pur- 
suing his  dual  occupation  in  his  native  county 
near  the  Virginia  (now  West  Virginia)  State 
line,  where  he  owned  a  farm.  Here  Mr.  Halde- 
man married  Catherine  Lichty,  and  they  reared 


a  family  of  fifteen  sturdy  Dutch  children — -nine 
boys  and  six  girls,  viz.:  Alexander,  Dennis, 
John,  Elijah,  Joseph,  Charles,  Jeremiah,  Mar- 
shall and  Melton — the  sons — and  the  daugh- 
ters, Julia,  Nancy,  Sarah,  Mary,  Belle  and 
Catherine.  Of  the  sons,  three  served  as  soldiers 
of  the  Union  during  the  Civil  War:  John,  who 
enlisted  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  for  three  years,  then  re-enlisted,  was 
taken  prisoner  in  November,  1864,  and  confined 
at  Cahaba,  Ala.,  until  exchanged  in  March, 
1865;  Joseph,  enlisted  in  the  Fifty-second  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  in  the  serv- 
ice after  having  served  fifteen  months;  and 
Jeremiah,  served  in  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois 
from  1863  to  the  close  of  the  war — each  of 
them  seeing  much  hard  service  and  participat- 
ing in  many  important  battles.  In  1855,  Mr. 
Haldeman  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  first 
locating  in  Spring  Grove,  where  he  worked  at 
his  trade  as  a  blacksmith  and,  in  the  mean- 
time about  1857,  bought  a  small  farm  in  Rich- 
mond Township,  upon  which  he  located  with 
his  family  and  engaged  in  farming.  This  he 
sold  and  then  bought  eighty  acres,  which  he 
improved,  and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
Mr.  Haldeman  was  a  hard  worker,  and  realized 
good  returns  from  his  labor.  In  public  affairs 
he  manifested  a  keen  interest,  and  in  politics 
affiliated  with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  a 
consistent  Christian,  and  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Charles  L.  Haldeman,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  born  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Fayette  County,  Penn.,  March  27,  1844,  was 
about  ten  years  of  age  when  his  parents  moved 
to  McHenry  County.  Here  he  received  a  com- 
mon-school education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  neighborhood,  and  early  began  work  on  the 
farm,  assisting  his  father  until  he  had  passed 
his  thirtieth  year.  On  'Sept.  10,  1874,  he  was 
married  at  Lake  Geneva,  111.,  to  Jane  Walker, 
who  was  born  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  6, 
1848.  Miss  Walker  had  received  a  good  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  her  locality  and  in 
the  graded  school  at  Forest  Port,  N.  Y.,  and,  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  began  teaching  in  a  private 
school.  She  later  taught  in  the  district  schools 
of  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and  then,  coming  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  in  October,  1869,  where 
her  sister  Mrs.  Sanborn  resided,  she  engaged 
in  teaching  for  two  years  in  Richmond  Town- 


812 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ship,  and  afterwards  for  the  same  period  in 
Hebron  Township.  Soon  after  his  marriage 
Mr.  Haldeman  purchased  a  70-acre  farm,  in 
Richmond  Township,  which  he  improved. 
Later,  having  sold  this  he  bought  160  acres  two 
miles  north  of  his  present  location.  In  1883 
he  purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies, 
originally  consisting  of  eighty  acres,  to  which 
he  has  since  made  additions,  until  he  is  now 
the  owner  of  115  acres  of  well-improved  land 
upon  which  he  has  erected  substantial  farm 
buildings.  Recently  he  has  retired  from  active 
farm  work,  and  is  now  (1903)  erecting  for  him- 
self a  handsome  residence  in  Solon,  which  he 
will  soon  occupy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haldeman 
have  two  children:  Floy  E.  and  Nellie.  The 
former  graduated  from  the  Richmond  High 
School  in  1896,  and  has  been  engaged  in  teach- 
ing for  the  past  five  years,  now  being  employed 
in  the  Keystone  School,  McHenry  County; 
Nellie  B.,  also  a  graduate  of  the  same  school 
in  1896,  is  married  to  Reuben  R.  Turner. 

Mr.  Haldeman  takes  a  lively  interest  in  farm- 
ing, keeping  himself  well  posted  upon  progres- 
sive movements  in  his  line.  In  all  his  enter- 
prises he  has  the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of 
his  wife.  They  are  well  known  throughout  the 
county,  and  have  many  warm  friends.  As  a 
Republican  he  is  influential  in  local  politics. 
He  is  a  man  of  solid  worth  and  irreproachable 
character. 

The  Walker  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Haldeman 
is  a  member,  is  of  good  old  American  stock, 
the  men  being  of  a  military  bent.  Her  grand- 
father, Horace  Walker,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
War  of  1812,  and  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary 
soldier.  He  followed  the  shoemaker's  trade  in 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.  He  was  twice  married, 
first  to  Olive  Smilage,  the  daughter  of  ,a  soldier 
who  deserted  from  the  British  army  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution — being  the  only  one  of  a 
party  of  ten  deserters  who  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing his  escape.  After  her  death  Mr.  Walker 
married  in  Massachusetts,  Mrs.  Phoebe  Smith, 
widow  of  William  Smith.  By  his  first  mar- 
riage he  had  four  children:  Austin,  Susan, 
Mary  and  Henry.  By  the  second  union  there 
was  but  one  child,  James,  who  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Civil  War.  The  second  Mrs.  Walker,  how- 
ever, had  one  child  by  her  former  marriage, 
Persis  D.  Smith,  who  is  mentioned  below.  Re- 
turning to  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  after  his  sec- 
ond marriage  Mr.  Walker  there  spent  the  rest 


of  his  life,  dying  there  aged  about  seventy 
years. 

Henry  Walker,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Charles  L. 
Haldeman  and  Mrs.  Sanborn,  was  born  in 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  in  September, 
1826,  and  received  only  a  limited  educa- 
tion. In  his  boyhood  he  worked  at 
teaming  and  farming.  At  the  early  age  of 
seventeen  he  married  Persis  D.  Smith,  his  step- 
mother's daughter,  who  was  at  that  time  but 
fifteen  years  of  age.  After  marriage  Henry 
Walker  settled  in  his  native  county  of  Oneida, 
but  in  middle  life  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness at  Forest  Port,  which  was  interrupted  by 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War.  As  a  loyal 
Northerner,  in  1862,  he  enlisted  for  three  years 
in  the  Ninety-sixth  New  York  Volunteer  In- 
fantry and,  for  a  time,  was  stationed  at  Folly 
Island  off  South  Carolina.  After  serving  his 
country  valiantly  for  two  years,  through  an  ac- 
cident caused  by  a  careless  comrade,  a  ball 
passed  through  his  right  arm  and  side,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  died  in  a  hospital  soon 
afterward,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven.  He  was 
a  thorough  Christian  gentleman,  and  a  man  of 
abstemious  habits.  Asked  by  his  captain  one 
day  on  a  march  to  carry  some  whisky  for  the 
men  he  replied:  "No,  sir,  I  never  carried  the 
stuff  for  myself,  and  I  will  not  do  it  for  others." 

Mrs.  Henry  Walker  was  born  in  Connecticut 
in  1828,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Phoebe 
(Perrin)  Smith.  The  latter  has  just  been  men- 
tioned as  the  second  wife  of  Horace  Walker, 
the  father  of  Henry  Walker.  Mrs.  Henry  Wal- 
ker's father  (William  Smith),  who  belonged  to 
a  well-to-do  New  England  family,  was  born  in 
that  section  and  died  there.  Losing  her  hus- 
band in  middle  life,  Mrs.  Walker  supported  and 
educated  her  children  upon  a  small  pension 
and  what  she  could  earn  by  needle-work.  She 
was  a  woman  of  strong  character  and  an  active 
member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Walker  were  born  ten  children.  Of  these 
Albert  enlisted  at  eighteen  years  of  age  in  the 
Fourteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  in 
answer  to  the  first  call  for  volunteers  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Civil  War  in  April,  1861,  and  at 
the  termination  of  his  service  of  three  months, 
re-enlisted  and  died  in  the  service  from  typhoid 
fever.  He  is  buried  at  Arlington  Heights. 
The  other  children  were:  Laura,  Sarah,  Annie, 
Olive,  Phoebe,  Henry  (died  in  infancy),  Nellie, 
Jane     (now    Mrs.     Charles  L.  Haldeman)   and 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


811 


Mary-  Olive  and  Phoebe  began  teaching  at  an 
early  age.  Mrs.  Henry  Walker,  their  mother, 
died  at  Boonville,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  aged 
about  sixty-five  years. 


MARK     HICKOX. 

Mark  Hickox  (deceased),  formerly  of  Wood- 
stock, McHenry  County,  belonged  to  a  class  of 
pioneers  now  rapidly  passing  away.  They  were 
the  hardy,  energetic  men  who  developed  the 
county  from  a  state  of  nature  and  made  possi- 
ble its  pleasant  and  prosperous  homes  of  to- 
day. To  them  their  descendants  and  success- 
ors owe  more  than  a  debt  of  gratitude,  as  they 
spent  their  lives  in  the  endeavor  to  improve 
the  soil  and  develop  its  resources  in  order  that 
those  who  came  after  them  may  enjoy  better 
homes  and  better  conditions  of  life.  The  mem- 
ories of  these  pioneers  should  ever  be  kept 
green,  and  the  records  of  their  lives  and  their 
portraits,  presenting  evidence  of  their  sturdy 
characters  which  enabled  them  to  accomplish 
so  much,  should  be  preserved  as  a  precious 
heirloom  for  their  descendants  and  future  gen- 
erations— that  others  may  know  more  of  the 
men  and  women  whose  strenuous  labors  have 
brought  to  McHenry  County  so  much  of  the 
prosperity  of  to-day. 

Mr.  Hickox  was  born  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  Dec.  .25,  1819,  the  fourth  of  seven  chil- 
dren of  Isaac  and  Serena  (Dwelly)  Hickox. 
Isaac  Hickox,  the  father  of  this  family,  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts  and  his  wife  of  Rhode 
Island.  They  were  married  in  1806,  when  they 
settled  in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  and  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Dwelly,  Cornelia,  Celia,  Mark,  Elsie,  Alfred  and 
Lois.  In  1836  Mr.  Hickox  removed  to  Liberty- 
ville,  then  a  part  of  McHenry  County  but  now 
in  Lake.  Nine  years  later  (1845)  he  located 
on  a  farm  near  the  village  of  McHenry,  in  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  improved  his  farm,  which  orig- 
inally consisted  of  160  acres,  and  he  became 
one  of  the  most  extensive  stock-raisers  of  that 
period.  He  was  widely  known  and  universally 
respected  for  his  business  enterprise  and  in- 
tegrity of  character.  His  wife  died  in  1859, 
and  he  in  1860,  about  eighteen  months  later. 

Mark  Hickox,  the  son  of  Isaac  Hickox  and 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  about  seventeen 
years  of  ,age  when  his  parents  removed  to  Illi- 
nois.   He  received  an  ordinary  common-school 


education,  and  on  reaching  manhood  engaged 
in  business  for  himself  as  a  farmer,  to  which 
he  finally  added  that  of  a  stock-raiser  and 
dealer.  On  March  17,  1848,  he  was  married  at 
her  father's  home  to  Betsy  A.  Abbott,  and  af- 
terwards settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of 
new  land  in  Greenwood  Township.  This  was 
in  the  "oak  openings,"  and  by  industry  and 
enterprise  he  transformed  it  into  a  good  farm, 
by  additions  increasing  his  holding  to  320 
acres.  In  1849,  soon  after  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  the 
Pacific  Coast,  returning  a  year  or  so  later  in 
company  with  Dr.  Brown  of  McHenry  County. 
During  the  year  1851  he  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  the  cattle  trade,  to  which  he  finally 
added  a  large  dairy  business,  in  this  branch 
taking  rank  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
and  progressive  farmers  of  Greenwood  Town- 
ship. In  his  various  enterprises  Mr.  Hickox 
was  always  greatly  aided  by  his  faithful  and 
industrious  wife.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hickox  were 
members  of  the  Universalist  Church  and  gen- 
erous supporters  of  the  church  of  that  denomi- 
nation at  Woodstock.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican and  a  zealous  supporter  of  the  Union 
cause  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  con- 
tributing freely  of  his  means  to  promote  enlist- 
ments and  to  support  the  widows  and  orphan 
children  of  deceased  soldiers. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hickox  were  the  parents  of  one 
daughter,  Exa  D.,  who  was  married  Feb.  15, 
1883,  to  Eddy  W.  Allen,  of  Hartland  Town- 
ship, who  was  born  at  Plato  Center,  Kane 
County,  111.,  April  23,  1859,  the  son  of  William 
and  Mary  (Marble)  Allen.  Mr.  Allen,  the  fa- 
ther, was  a  farmer  of  Plato  Center,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Vermont  and  of  the  same  stock  as 
Ethan  Allen  of  Revolutionary  fame.  Eddy  W. 
Allen  received  the  usual  common-school  edu 
cation  of  his  period  and  locality,  and  after  mar 
riage  settled  on  his  father's  farm  of  240  acres 
In  1890  he  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  milk  business  with  success  for 
some  time,  but  in  1896  returned  to  McHenry 
County,  locating  in  Woodstock,  where  he  now 
resides  with  his  family.  He  and  his  wife  are 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Bella,  born  Aug.  3,  1885;  Clara  B.,  born  Nov 
14,  1890 — both  born  in  Hartland  Township.  Mr. 
Allen  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  served  as 
Township  Clerk  of  Hartland  Township  for  sev- 
eral years;    is  also  a  member  of  the  Masonic 


814 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


fraternity  and  much  respected  in  his  commu- 
nity. 

Mrs.  Mark  Hickox  (nee  Betsy  A.  Abbott,  now 
deceased)  was  born  in  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio, 
March  24,  1826,  the  daughter  of  Bbenezer  and 
Nice  (Pomeroy)  Abbott.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  and  her 
grandparents  of  Massachusetts.  In  1823  Eb- 
enezer  Abbott  settled  in  Mayfield  Township, 
Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio,  and,  in  1845,  removed 
to  Illinois,  settling  on  a  new  farm  in  Green- 
wood Township,  McHenry  County.  This  land 
he  improved,  and  died  here  at  the  age  of 
about  seventy  years.  He  was  a  Methodist  in 
religious  belief,  was  an  active  church  worker 
and  officiated  as  class-leader.  In  politics  he 
was  an  old  line  Whig.  Mrs.  Abbott  lived  to 
he  about  seventy-three  years  old.  The  chil- 
dren of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abbott  were:  Triphenia, 
Juliet,  Sophronia,  George,  Harriet,  Homer, 
Betsy  A.  and  Nancy.  The  Abbott  family  were 
of  sterling  New  England  blood  and  many  dis- 
tinguished men  have  originated  from  this 
stock. 

When  eighteen  years  of  age  Mrs.  Hickox 
came  to  Illinois  in  company  with  her  older  sis- 
ter, Sophronia,  and  the  husband  of  the  latter, 
Norman  Jacobs.  This  was  in  1844,  the  year 
before  the  arrival  of  her  parents.  She  was 
twenty-one  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  mar- 
riage to  Mr.  Hickox,  and  bore  her  full  share  of 
life  upon  the  farm,  proving  herself  a  faithful 
helpmate  to  her  husband  and  an  affectionate 
and  devoted  mother  to  their  children.  She 
retained  her  mental  faculties  and  physical  en- 
ergy up  to  the  latter  years  of  her  life,  but 
died  Jan.  10,  1902,  aged  almost  seventy-six 
years,  deeply  mourned  by  the  surviving  mem- 
bers of  her  family  and  all  who  knew  her. 


THE     HURD     FAMILY. 

The  records  of  the  Newberry  Library,  ir» 
Chicago,  show  the  following  facts  in  regard  to 
this  family: 

The  name  is  spelled  variously  in  ancient 
times:  Thus — Hord;  Heard;  Hurde,  Hoard; 
Hurd,  and  was  often  written  Herd.  A  branch 
of  the  family  was  of  royal  descent. 

John  Herd,  as  the  name  was  then  spelled, 
was  the  first  of  the  name  in  America.  His 
grandson,  Benjamin,  was  in  Kittery  (Me.)  be- 


fore 1643.  Samuel  was  the  oldest  son  of  John. 
His  widow  was  scalped  by  Indians  in  an  at- 
tack on  Dover,  N.  H.  One  of  the  Hurds  was 
in  charge  of  the  garrison  at  Dover  at  the  time 
of  the  attack  in  which  Major  Walden  was 
killed. 

Phineas  Hurd,  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the 
American  Revolution,  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  British  in  1777,  and  was  never  released. 
Asahel  Hurd,  of  Connecticut,  was  an  Ensign; 
Isaac  Hurd,  of  Massachusetts,  was  a  Surgeon, 
and  John  Hurd,  Jr.,  of  Massachusetts,  was  an 
Ensign. 

Jacob  Hurd  served  in  Captain  Richard 
Bean's  company  in  the  King  Philip's  War,  and 
Benjamin  Hurd  served  in  Captain  Pool's  com- 
pany in  the  same  war. 

Nathan  Hurd  was  the  first  engraver  on  cop- 
per in  America  and  engraved  the  seal  of  Har- 
vard College. 

Five  of  the  Hords  were  graduates  of  Har- 
vard College  before  1811. 

The  family  is  noted  for  its  longevity.      Re- 
becca Hurd  died  at  Hillsboro,  N.  H.,  aged  nine- 
ty-two years. 

Reuben  Hurd   (deceased),  of  Woodstock,  111., 
during  his  life  an  honored  citizen  and  esteemed 
pioneer  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Che- 
nango County,  N.  Y.,  April  17,  1819,  the  son  of 
Rev.  Reuben  and  Sarah   (Hill)  Hurd — the  for- 
mer born  in  Bennington,  Vt.,  Feb.  14,  1782,  and 
the  latter  in  Geneseo,  N.  Y.,  in  1783.     Reuben 
Hurd  was  a  son  of   Simeon   and    Ruth   Hurd, 
the  former  born  July  22,  1725;    the  latter  Nov. 
15,  1733.      They  were  married  in  1750,  and  the 
wife  died  Sept.  29,  1777.     In  1781  he  was  mar- 
ried to  a  second  wife,  named   Roxana.      The 
children  of  the  first  wife  were  born  as  follows: 
Richard,  May  11,  1751;    Rebecca,  Dec.  30,  1752; 
Elizabeth,    April    10,    1755;     Stephen,    Jan.    23, 
1757;     Simeon,  March  27,   1759;     Ruth,   March 
6,  1761;  Elizabeth,  March  6,  1763;  Dorcas,  May 
27,  1765;    Susannah,  June  28,  1767;    Jonathan, 
Dec.    25,    1770;      Zachariah,    March    12,    1772; 
Rebecca  (2),  Sept.  16,  1775.      The  children  of 
the   second  wife  were   Reuben,   born   FeD.    14, 
1782,  and  Roxana,  born  in  1784.     Simeon  Hurd, 
the  father,  was  a  wealthy  farmer  and  of  Eng- 
lish descent.     The  son  Reuben  left  home  when 
a  young  man,  educated  himself  and  became  a 
teacher,   afterwards   studied  theology   and   en- 
tered the  ministry  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
October  4,  1808,  he  was  married  at  Geneseo,  N. 


<Mv    ofe^  JH  jFLlLk 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


815 


Y.,  to  Sarah  Hill,  and  removed  to  Western  New- 
York,  where  he  preached  to  many  different 
charges  as  a  home  missionary,  chiefly  in  Alle- 
gany and  adjoining  counties.  His  wife  having 
died  in  1820,  on  Dec.  19,  1821,  he  was  married 
at  Groton,  N.  Y.,  to  Jane  Simons.  The  chil- 
dren of  the  first  marriage  were:  Jerod  C.  and 
Elisha  H.  (twins),  born  June  11,  1809;  Sarah 
Ann,  born  June  12,  1812;  Roxana,  born  May 
1,1814;  Edgar  H.,  born  May  25,  1816;  Reuben, 
born  April  17,  1819.  The  children  by  the  sec- 
ond marriage  were:  Jane,  born  Nov.  16,  1822; 
Benjamin  and  James  (twins),  born  July  12, 
1824;  Orpha,  born  Oct.  31,  1825;  Elizabeth, 
born  Nov.  6,  1827;  Isabel,  born  May  17,  1830; 
Mary,  born  May  13,  1833;  Benjamin  (2),  born 
June  24,  i835;  Samuel  H.,  born  Nov.  17,  1838; 
Amelia,  born  May  2,  1843.  Rev.  Reuben  Hurd 
died  July  22,  1750,  after  a  life  of  great  hardship 
in  the  missionary  field. 

Reuben  Hurd,  Jr.,  (date  of  birth  given  above) 
received  a  common-school  education,  and  being 
the  youngest  of  the  first  group  of  children,  re- 
mained at  home  and  cared  for  the  family, 
while  his  father  traveled  in  his  missionary 
work.  In  1844  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  to 
take  charge  of  some  land  which  had  been 
bought  by  his  brother  Edgar,  the  latter  having 
been  compelled  to  return  home  on  account  of 
sickness.  After  raising  one  crop  the  land  was 
sold.  In  September,  1845,  with  a  capital  of 
$12,  he  was  married  to  Abigail  Thompson,  born 
Sept.  8,  1815,  at  Stafford,  Vt,  the  daughter  of 
Apollos  and  Lucinda  (Dexter)  Thompson.  She 
also  had  a  like  capital  with  that  of  her  hus- 
band, and  these  they  put  together  and  bought 
a  yoke  of  oxen  and  went  in  debt  for  eighty 
acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Greenwood  Town 
ship.  Here  he  built  a  log  cabin  and  began 
opening  a  farm,  but  three  years  later  sold  out 
and  bought  160  acres  near  Ringwood,  where  he 
lived  four  years,  when  he  bought  the  farm 
now  known  as  the  Hurd  homestead,  three 
miles  east  of.  Woodstock.  This  consisted  of 
130  acres,  to  which  he  made  additions,  until  he 
owned  200  acres,  on  which  he  made  fine  im- 
provements and  became  a  prosperous  farmer. 
In  1848  he  united  with  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  which,  a  few  years  later,  he  became  a  ruling 
elder,  serving  in  that  capacity  thirty  years. 
Being  the  son  of  a  minister,  he  was  regarded 
as  "a  child  of  the  covenant,"  trajned  from  bis 
earliest  years  in  the  faith  which  he  adopted 


and  to  which  he  adhered  for  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  died  Sept.  11,  1882,  and  his 
wife,  July  24,  1901.  They  had  four  children: 
Mary  Jeanette,  born  Aug.  1,  1846;  Roxana  A, 
born  Aug.  22,  1848;  Isabella,  born  March  31, 
1850,  and  Lucia,  born  Aug.  1,  1852. 

In  political  faith  Mr.  Hurd  was  an  original 
Republican,  casting  his  vote  for  Fremont  and 
Lincoln  for  the  Presidency  in  1856  and  1860. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  de- 
voutly religious,  and  left  an  impression  upon 
all  who  knew  him  of"  his  deep  sincerity. 

Mary  Jeanette  Hurd  was  born  in  McHenry 
County,  received  an  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  began  teaching  in  1866,  receiving 
her  first  certificate  from  A.  J.  Kingman.  Later 
she  took  a  course  in  the  State  Normal  School 
at  Normal,  111.  Making  this  her  life  work,  she 
spent  some  twenty  years  teaching  in  Dorr, 
Greenwood,  Nunda  and  McHenry  Townships, 
her  pupils  being  scattered  throughout  the  en- 
tire county.  Conscientious  and  high-minded 
in  character,  besides  winning  a  reputation  as 
one  of  McHenry  County's  most  capable  teach- 
ers, she  has  spent  her  life  largely  for  the  bene- 
fit of  others.  Since  fifteen  years  of  age  she 
has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  which  she  joined  at  Woodstock. 

Roxana  A.  Hurd  married  John  S.  Hart,  Feb. 
20,  1880,  and  died  March  9,  1892,  her  husband 
dying  July  18,  1894.  They  left  an  adopted 
daughter,  named  Isabella,  who  has  since  been 
cared  for  by  Mrs.  Hart's  sister,  Mary  J.  Hurd. 

Isabella  Hurd,  another  daughter  of  Reuben 
Hurd,  was  married  March  1,  1876,  to  Charles 
B.  Shearer,  born  in  McHenry  County,  the  son 
of  George  and  Mary  (Hunter)  Shearer.  George 
Shearer  (the  father  of  Charles  B.)  was  born 
Aug.  6,  1821,  at  West  Milton,  Saratoga  County, 
N..Y.,and  was  the  son  of  George  Shearer — the 
last-named  George  being  the  son  of  the  Ameri- 
can founder  of  the  family  who  came  to  this 
country  before  the  Revolutionary  War.  George 
(the  grandfather  of  Charles  B.)  was  a  farmer 
and  lived  on  the  farm  cleared  by  his  father. 
His  children  were:  Joseph,  George,  one 
daughter  who  married  a  man  named  Cook,  Ag- 
nes and  Charles.  ;  He  was  a  Scotch  Presby- 
terian, and  the  first,  church  in  the  locality 
where  he  lived  was  built  on  his  land. 

Lucia  Hurd  married,  Sept.  9,  1874,  George 
Gilbert,  who  died  March  30,  1892.  Later  she 
married  Josiah  G.  Hurd   who  came  to  Wood- 


816 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


stock  and  bought  out  the  dry-goods  store  of  M. 
D.  Hoy  &  Sons. 

George  Shearer  (2),  the  father  of  Charles  B., 
was  reared  a  farmer  and  worked  for  an  uncle 
in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  some  years,  hut 
about  1843  or  1845  came  to  McHenry  County 
by  way  of  the  lakes  and  Chicago,  encountering 
a  severe  storm  during  the  voyage.  He  bought 
120  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Nunda  Town- 
ship, but  did  not  settle  on  it  for  some  years, 
devoting  his  time  to  farm  work  for  others  and 
in  McMillan's  saw-mill.  November  18,  1851,  he 
was  married  at  Ridgefleld  to  Mary  M.  Hunter,  a 
native  of  New  York.  They  settlel  in  a  log-house 
on  the  farm,  where  they  lived  fourteen  years. 
Then  having  sold  out  he  moved  to  a  farm  two 
miles  south  of  Woodstock,  remaining  ten  years, 
when  he  located  on  a  farm  near  Ridgefleld 
known  as  the  Hunter  farm,  where  he  died. 
His  children  were:  Nettie,  Charles  B.,  Joseph 
Henry,  Emma  and  Lelah.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Shearer  were  Presbyterians,  and  in  politics 
Mr.  Shearer  was  a  Republican. 

Charles  B.  Shearer  was  born  Feb.  12,  1854, 
received  a  common-school  education  and  was 
brought  up  a  farmer.  After  marriage  he  settled 
on  what  was  known  as  the  old  Hunter  farm, 
near  Ridgefleld,  where  they  lived  two  years;, 
then  spent  four  years  on  the  Hurd  farm,  three 
miles  south  of  Woodstock,  when  they  returned 
to  the  Hunter  farm,  but  two  years  later  bought 
100  acres  in  Seneca  Township,  which  he  im- 
proved, adding  thereto  until  he  now  owns  a 
farm  of  120  acres.  In  1893  he  removed  to 
Woodstock,  where  he  built  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence. Their  children  were:  Lucia,  Clifford 
(died  in  infancy),  Mary  L.  and  Emma  lA.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shearer  are  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  Mr.  Shearer  is  a  Republican, 
and  fraternally  a  Knight  of  the  Globe,  in  which 
he  has  held  the  offices  of  Vice-President  and 
Judge.  The  daughters,  Lucia  and  Mary,  are 
graduates  of  the  Woodstock  High  School,  and 
Lucia  attended  the  State  Normal  School  and 
is  now  a  successful  teacher  at  Richmond. 


CALVIN    J.    HENDRICKS. 

Among  the  lawyers  of  McHenry  County  who 
have  won  popularity,  the  subject  of  this  ar- 
ticle occupies  a  conspicuous  place.  Modest 
and  unassuming,  respectful  of  the  feelings  and 
opinions    of  others,   honorable  in   the   highest 


and  best  sense,  possessing  those  delicate  in- 
stincts which  characterize  the  true  gentleman, 
his  is  a  worthy  example  of  the  high-minded 
gentleman  and  successful  lawyer. 

Calvin  J.  Hendricks  is  a  native  of  Illinois, 
born  in  Spring  Grove,  McHenry  County,  Oct. 
27,  1872,  the  son  of  John  and  Johannah  (Lar- 
kin)  Hendricks,  natives  of  Germany  and  Ire- 
land, respectively.  He  attended  the  district 
school,  and  later  the  Woodstock  High  School, 
being  engaged  at  farm  labor  during  the  inter- 
vening summer  months.  In  1890,  when  but 
seventeen  years  of  age,  he  obtained  a  teacher's 
certificate.  In  1891  Mr.  Hendricks  attended 
the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School  and  Busi- 
ness College,  at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  where  he 
made  excellent  progress,  and  on  the  comple- 
tion of  his  work,  received  a  strong  testimonial 
from  Prof.  H.  B.  Brown,  President  of  that  well- 
known  institution.  Mr.  Hendricks  then  ob- 
tained employment  as  a  teacher  at  Grass  Lake, 
Lake  County,  111.,  where  he  taught  during  the 
spring  and  fall  terms  of  1892  and  the  winter 
term  of  1893.  He  then  entered  the  law  office 
of  David  T.  Smiley,  in  Woodstock,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  May  21,  1895.  He  remained 
with  Mr.  Smiley  until  April  1,  1899,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1897  was  elected  Treasurer  of  the 
city  of  Woodstock,  an  office  he  held  one  year 
and  then  resigned  on  account  of  moving  to 
Harvard.  Mr.  Hendricks  was  married  in  Har- 
vard, Nov.  3,  1897,  to  Miss  Pauline  Marie  Udel), 
an  estimable  lady  of  fine  accomplishments, 
born  in  Alden  Township,  August  17,  1877, 
daughter  of  Asad  and  Kate  (Dominy)  Udell. 
After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hendricks  settled 
in  Harvard,  where  he  opened  a  law  office  April 
10,  1899,  soon  obtaining  a  good  practice.  He  is 
now  (1903)  Attorney  for  the  Harvard  Mutual 
Building  Loan  and  Savings  Association.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Hendricks  is  a  Mason,  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  has  always  taken  an  active  part 
in  political  campaigns,  where  he  has  done  very 
effective  work  as  a  public  speaker,  and  his  ad- 
dresses before  several  fraternal  societies  are 
a  credit  to  any  young  orator.  In  1899,  after  a 
severely  contested  campaign,  Mr.  Hendricks 
was  elected  City  Attorney  by  a  large  majority, 
and  filled  this  important  office  in  a  manner 
highly  satisfactory  to  his  constituents.  He 
was  re-elected  in  1901,  and  is  holding  office  at 


^<2^/>f^(^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


817 


the  present  time  (1903),  having  been  again  re- 
elected. He  is  a  member  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Hendricks  is  a  man  of  courteous  man- 
ners and  an  entertaining  and  agreeable  com- 
panion. His  knowledge  of  general  literature, 
his  observation  of  men  and  events,  and  his  con- 
stant endeavor  to  keep  himself  in  touch  with 
the  trend  of  current  thought,  combined  with 
his  gentlemanly  bearing,  have  won  for  him  uni- 
versal respect,  and  make  him  especially  popu- 
lar in  his  wide  circle  of  friends. 


JOHN     HENDRICKS. 

John  Hendricks,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of 
Richmond  Township  and  now  a  resident  of 
Woodstock,  is  a  highly  respected  and  substan- 
tial citizen  of  McHenry  County,  who  has  reared 
an  excellent  family.  He  was  born  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Oberstatfeld,  Germany,  Rhenish  Prus- 
sia, Province  of  Kreis  Daun,  Nov.  13,  1833,  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Barbara  (Claus)  Heindrich, 
as  the  name  was  written  in  Germany,  but,  like 
many  other  German  names,  the  orthography 
has  been  changed  in  America. 

Joseph  Heindrich  was  a  German  merchant 
and  died  in  his  native  country  in  middle  life. 
He  was  the  father  of  but  one  child — John,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch — that  grew  to  maturity. 
After  Joseph  Heindrich's  death,  Mrs.  Hein- 
drich married  again,  to  Mathias  Renn,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  one  child,  a  daughter 
named  Elizabeth,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Chi- 
cago. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Renn  were  Catholics  in 
religion  and  both  died  in  the  "Fatherland." 

John  Hendricks  received  a  common-school 
education  in  his  native  country  and  was  reared 
on  the  farm.  When  twenty-five  years  old  he 
came  to  America,  sailing  in  the  early  days  of 
September,  1857,  from  Antwerp,  Belgium,  in  an 
American  vessel,  the  "Roger  A.  Hern,"  and, 
after  a  voyage  of  about  two  months,  arrived  in 
New  York,  Nov.  2.  He  "came  direct  to  Kenosha, 
Wis.,  where  he  was  engaged  at  farm  labor  un- 
til 1859,  when  he  went  to  McHenry  County  and 
followed  the  same  occupation  in  McHenry 
Township.  On  September  28,  1861,  he  mar- 
ried, in  the  village  of  McHenry,  Johannah  Lar- 
kin,  born  in  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Patrick  and  Catherine  (Wall)  Larkin. 
Her  father,  Patrick  Larkin,  was  a  farmer  in 
Ireland  and  came  to  America  about  1850.      He 


purchased  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land  in 
Lake  County,  111.,  where  he  passed  the  remain- 
der of  his  days,  and  died  when  about  eighty 
years  old;  his  wife  dying  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
three  years.  Their  children  were:  Catherine, 
Ellen,  Mary,  Bridget,  Johanna  and  James. 
The  family  were  all  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Hendricks 
lived  for  a  time  on  rented  land  and  then  moved 
to  Lake  County,  111.,  where  they  resided  for 
one  year,  and  then  located  in  Richmond  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  near  Spring  Grove. 
Here  Mr.  Hendricks  purchased  a  small  tract  of 
land  and  also  engaged  in  the  fire-insurance 
and  sewing-machine  business,  at  the  same  time 
giving  attention  to  his  farm  property,  which  he 
improved  with  good  buildings  and  made  a  com- 
fortable and  pleasant  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hendricks  are  the  parents  of  Elizabeth  K.,  now 
Mrs.  D.  T.  Smiley;  Sibyl  M.,  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  of  McHenry  County;  Calvin  J., 
a  prominent  attorney  in  Harvard,  111.,  and 
Frank  J.,  who  is  at  present  engaged  as  a  clerk 
and  resides  at  home.  Mr.  Hendricks  moved 
to  Woodstock  in  1897,  where  he  purchased  a 
pleasant  residence  and  is  still  engaged  in  the 
fire-insurance  business.  He  was  Postmaster 
at  Spring  Grove  during  President  Cleveland's 
administration  and  has  also  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  School  Board  for  fifteen  years,  dis- 
charging the  duties  of  each  office  in  a  manner 
creditable  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  community.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 
Mr.  Hendricks  has  always  been  a  friend  of  edu- 
cation and  has  given  his  children  excellent  ed' 
ucational  advantages,  all  of  them  having  filled 
positions  as  teachers  in  the  public  schools  of 
McHenry  County. 


ELIHU     HUBBARD. 

The  home  of  the  American  ancestors  of  this 
pioneer  in  Lake  County  and  present  citizen  ot 
Nunda,  McHenry  County,  111.,  was  at  Amherst, 
Mass.  Spencer  Hubbard,  his  grandfather, 
married,  lived  and  died  there,  after  having 
given  many  years  to  farming.  His  children 
were  born  at  the  dates  here  given:  Submit, 
Nov.  30.  1779;  Polly,  July  17,  1781;  Pattie, 
March  15,  1783;  Spencer,  March  31,  1785;  Eli- 
hu,  July  13,  1787;  Daniel,  August  29,  1791; 
Elisha,  Sept.  8,  1793.    Lucy  and  Lucinda,  twins, 


818 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


were  born  date  unknown.  Daniel  Hubbard,  son 
of  Spencer  Hubbard  and  father  of  Elihu  Hub- 
bard, was  reared  a  farmer  at  Amherst,  Mass., 
but  learned  the  cooper's  trade  and  went  to 
Bennington  County,  Vt.  January  14,  1813,  he 
married,  at  Stamford,  Vt.,  Sophronia  Bangs, 
born  at  Montague,  Mass.,  June  17,  1797,  daugh- 
ter of  Mark  and  Lydia  (Whitney)  Bangs.  Mark 
Bangs  was  descended  from  ancestors  who  came 
over  in  the  good  ship  Ann,  not  long  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Mayflower.  According  to  tradi- 
tion, three  brothers  Bangs  came  over  aboard 
the  Ann,  and  one  of  them  is  thought  to  have 
been  named  Edward.  They  were  of  a  good 
English  family.  Mark  Bangs  was  born  Sept. 
10,  1771,  and  afterwards  lived  at  Stamford, 
Vt.  He  married  Lydia  "Whitney,  born  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, Feb.  13,  1772,  and  had  children 
born  as  follows:  Sophia,  Jan.  17,  1797;  David, 
Sept.  28,  1801 ;  Ruby  D.,  Sept.  13,  1803;  Justin, 
March  10,  1806;  Bethia,  April  30,  1808;  MarK, 
Feb.  3,  1812;  Lydia  A.,  March  20,  1814;  Ann, 
July  10,  1818.  In  1839  Mark  Bangs  came  from 
Stamford,  Vt.,  to  Lake  County,  111.,  overland 
and  by  lake,  and  settled  on  160  acres  of  land 
at  the  site  of  Wauconda,  which  he  later  bought 
from  the  Government  at  $1.25  an  acre.  He 
built  a  log  house  on  the  bank  of  Wauconda 
Lake,  and  there  he  died  Nov.  5,  1844,  and  his 
wife  April  13,  1846.  They  were  members  of 
the  Baptist  church,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon, 
and  he  also  filled  the  office  of  Sunday-school 
Superintendent.  He  was  twice  a  pioneer,  first 
in  Vermont,  where  he  settled  in  the  woods, 
and  again  in  Illinois.  Daniel  Hubbard,  father 
of  Elihu  Hubbard,  began  life  at  Stamford,  Vt., 
as  a  cooper  and  farmer,  and  later  made  nails 
from  bar-iron  by  hand  until  he  moved  to  Madi- 
son County,  N.  Y.,  and  took  up  a  farm  in  the 
woods,  forty  acres  of  which  was  cleared  almost 
entirely  by  his  son  Elihu,  who  early  in  1836 
came  to  Lake  County,  111.,  and  there  built  a  log 
cabin  to  which  his  father  brought  the  family 
in  the  fall,  arriving  at  Bloomingdale,  Cook 
County,  Oct.  28,  and  at  the  log  house  in  Lake 
County  five  days  later.  He  sent  his  goods  by 
way  of  the  lakes  and  brought  his  family  in  a 
two-horse  wagon,  by  way  of  the  Miami  Swamp 
Country  in  Ohio,  and  was  a  month  on  the  way. 
He  pre-empted  160  acres  of  land,  which  cost 
him  $1.25  an  acre,  and,  with  his  son's  help,  de- 
veloped it  into  a  good  farm,  which  is  owned  by 
his  heirs.    He  was  a  man  of  high  moral  prin- 


ciple and  a  zealous  advocate  of  temperance, 
and  has  passed  into  history  as  the  first  man  in 
his  vicinity  in  New  York  State  to  have  a 
house-raising  without  whisky.  His  neighbors 
were  informed  that  the  usual  refreshment 
would  be  omitted,  but  they  all  came  to  the  rais- 
ing, which  was  a  success,  and  there  were  many 
such  raisings  afterward,  and  a  temperance 
sentiment  sprang  up  in  the  neighborhood  so 
strong  that  it  is  said  some  men  up-rooted  their 
orchards  lest  their  apple-trees  might  indirectly 
produce  hard  cider.  Originally  an  abolitionist, 
Mr.  Hubbard  naturally  became  a  Republican. 
He  was,  as  was  his  wife,  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  and  he  and  his  grandfather  Bangs 
assisted  to  organize  the  first  Baptist  society  at 
Wauconda.  He  died  Nov.  1,  1864.  His  chil 
dren  were  born  as  follows:  Elihu,  Friday 
Feb.  11,  1814;  Polly,  Wednesday,  August  ? 
1816;  Elijah.  Saturday,  Oct.  10  1818;  Nathan 
Thursday,  Sept.  14,  1820;  Edward  F.,  Sunday 
Jan.  9,  1831;  Edgar  B.,  Sunday,  Jan.  ,2„,  1833 
Elihu  Hubbard  passed  his  boyhood  at  Stam- 
ford, Vt.,  two  years  of  the  time  being  on  his 
father's  farm,  and  attended  the  common 
schools  there  until  he  was  ten  years  eld,  when 
in  1824  his  father  removed  ta  Madison  County. 
N.  Y.  He  worked  faithfully  for  his  father  and, 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  having  been  "given  his 
time,"  went  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the 
lakes,  to  Michigan,  and  then  walked  from  De- 
troit to  Kalamazoo  County,  where  he  found 
work  with  farmers  on  Big  Prairie  Round  and 
assisted  to  harvest  a  "volunteer"  crop  of  wheat 
which  measured  up  twenty  bushels  to  the  acre. 
Having  contracted  the  ague,  he  returned  that 
fall  to  New  York  State,  and  during  the  succeed- 
ing winter  he  and  a  friend  chopped  200  cords 
of  wood  for  market.  Late  in  May,  1836,  In 
company  with  his  uncle,  Justus  Bangs,  he  went 
to  Toledo,  Ohio,  thence  afoot  over  the  State  of 
Michigan,  and  crossed  the  lake  from  St.  Joseph 
to  Chicago,  where  he  met  his  uncle  David 
Bangs  and  went  with  him  to  his  place  at 
Bloomingdale,  Cook  County,  111.,  and  from  there 
to  Wauconda,  Lake  County,  111.,  where  he  ar- 
rived June  10.  He  made  a  claim  to  500  acres 
of  land  for  relatives  in  Wauconda  Township, 
afterward  locating  a  claim  of  240  acres  in  Ela 
Township  for  himself.  He  erected  a  log  cabin 
on  his  claim,  with  the  help  of  neighboring  set- 
tlers putting  up  the  building  in  two  days,  and 
during   the   remainder   of   the   same   week  he 


M  cH  EN  R Y 

-.  vt  i  i    .. 

helped  to  build  four  other  log  houses.  His 
cabin  was  constructed  of  round  logs,  had  a 
stick-chimney  plastered  with  mud,  and  was 
roofed  with  white  oak  "shakes"  secured  by 
roof-poles.  By  industry  and  close  attention  to 
business  details,  he  prospered  and  eventually 
came  to  own  335  acres,  on  which  he  erected 
substantial  modern  buildings.  He  was  two 
years  Supervisor  of  Ela  Township  and  filled 
the  office  of  Trustee  of  the  Township  School 
Fund  for  many  years.  He  did  good  service 
also  as  a  member  of  the  School  Board.  He 
helped  to  build  the  Methodist  cnurch  in  his 
neighborhood  and  was  long  one  of  its  class- 
leaders.  Having  sold  his  farm  in  Ela  Town- 
ship in  1881,  he  engaged  in  mercantile  traae 
at  Aurora,  111.,  (1881-2),  until  he  removed  to 
Nunda.  He  owns  considerable  property  at 
Nunda,  Crystal  Lake  and  (Aurora,  and  has 
given  his  children  and  others  $30,000  to  start 
them  in  life.  He  is  a  Republican  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church  of  Nunda. 

May  30,  1843,  Mr.  Hubbard  married  Lydia 
Sutherland,  a  native  of  Rutland,  Vt.,  born  Dec. 
26,  1842,  and  died  at  Wauconda,  111.,  April  15, 
1866.  Her  father,  who  was  a  pioneer  in  Lake 
County,  died  soon  after  his  settlement  there, 
leaving  children  named:  Aldrich,  Marinda, 
Mary,  Cordelia,  Mason,  Sidney,  Lydia,  Temper- 
ance and  Innocent.  Mr.  Hubbard's  present 
wife  was  Mila  P.  (Hatch)  Berry,  born  Dec.  28, 
1835,  whom  he  married  at  Libertyville,  111., 
Oct.  15,  1867.  Mrs.  Hubbard  is  a  native  of 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  and  a  daughter  of 
Nathan  and  Chloe  (Eaton)  Hatch.  Nathan 
Hatch,  her  grandfather,  of  Puritan  stock, 
fought  for  American  independence  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary War.  His  son,  Nathan  Hatch,  Mrs. 
Hubbard's  father,  was  born  in  Massachustets, 
became  a  carpenter  and  mill-wright  and,  when 
a  young  man,  settled  in  Vermont,  where  he 
married  Chloe  Eaton,  of  good  Yankee  parent- 
age. He  became  a  pioneer  in  Chautauqua 
County,  N.  Y.,  whence  he  came  about  1843  to 
Brookfield,  Wis.,  where  he  began  to  clear  up 
a  farm  which  he  disposed  of  in  1852.  He  then 
bought  another  farm  at  Libertyville,  Lake 
County,  111.,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of 
about  ninety  years.  He  was  prominent  in  the 
Christian  church,  of  which  his  wife  was  also 
a  member,  and  his  family  are  justly  proud  of 
the  fact  that,  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
he  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg.      His 


COUNTY. 


819 


children  were  named  Harriet,  Russell,  Hiram, 
Sylvanus  E.,  Almira  and  Mila  P.,  who  became 
Mrs.  Hubbard.  Mila  P.  Hatch  first  married 
Walter  Hutchinson,  by  whom  she  had  two  sons, 
William  and  Frederick.  After  his  death  she 
married  Judson  A.  Berry,  who  died  about  ten 
months  after  their  marriage.  She  then  mar- 
ried Mr.  Hubbard  and  has  borne  him  two  sons, 
named  Walter  B.  and  Russell  C.  Mr.  Hubbard 
was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  in  this  region 
and  is  one  of  only  a  few  pioneers  who  are  left. 
Since  his  settlement,  nearly  sixty-four  years 
ago,  a  prosperous  and  progressive  country  has 
been  developed  from  wild  prairie  and  woodland, 
and  populous  towns  and  cities  have  sprung  up 
so  magically  that  there  are  almost  as  many  of 
them  as  there  were  settlers'  cabins  when  he 
came. 


WILLIAM     HILL. 

Among  the  leading  citizens  of  Nunda,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  older  merchants  of  McHenry 
County,  111.,  stands  the  name  of  William  Hill, 
born  at  Sherburne,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y., 
April  5,  1830,  the  son  of  William  and  Sally 
(Connor)  Hill.  His  family  was  of  Puritan 
stock  in  the  Colony  of  Connecticut,  his  grand- 
father, Ehenezer  Hill,  being  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and  serving  under  Gene- 
rals Washington  and  Putnam.  He  settled  at 
an  early  day  in  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  opened  up  a  farm  and  became  a  substantial 
citizen.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age  about 
1837,  leaving  several  children,  two  of  whom 
were  named  William  and  Eli. 

The  former  (William)  was  born  in  Windsor, 
Conn.,  in  1804.  He  received  a  common  school 
education,  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker 
and  was  married  in  Chenango  County  to  Sally 
Connor  (or  Connors),  who  was  born  at  Albany 
in  1806.  Garret  Reed,  the  father  of  the  latter, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution  and  a  pioneer 
settler  in  Chenango  County,  where  he  cleared 
up  a  large  farm  and  was  a  prominent  citizen. 
The  son-in-law,  William  Hill,  settled  in  OS- 
ford,  Chenango  County,  but  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Sherburne,  where  he  followed  his 
trade  as  a  shoemaker,  dying  there  in  1866,  aged 
about  sixty-two  years.  His  children  were  Wil- 
liam, Newell  E.,  Smith,  Edward,  Ordelia,  Elsa, 
Caroline,  Eliza  and  Nettie.  In  politics  Mr.  Hill 
was  a  Democrat,  while  in  religious  faith  his 


820 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


wife  was  a  lite-long  Methodist.  The  family 
were  well  known  and  honored  residents  of 
their  county. 

William  Hill  (2),  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  that  region,  and  while  young  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer,  also  learning  his  fa- 
ther's trade  of  shoemaker,  which  he  pursued 
some  fifteen  years.  In  May,  1851,  having 
reached  his  majority,  he  came  to  Illinois,  mak- 
ing the  journey  by  steamboat  and  stage,  by 
way  of  Buffalo  and  Chicago,  and  arriving  at 
Elgin  on  the  20th  of  the  month.  He  went  to 
Crystal  Lake,  in  McHenry  County,  where  he 
established  himself  in  his  trade,  which  he  con- 
tinued twelve  years.  Here  he  was  married. 
May  22,  1852,  to  Ellen  Champlin,  also  a  native 
of  Sherburne,  N.  Y.,  born  April  12,  1833,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Abby  (Porter)  Cham- 
plin. The  Champlin  family  were  also  of  colo- 
nial stock  from  Connecticut,  while  the  Porters 
on  the  maternal  side  were  from  the  same  State. 
William  Champlin,  just  mentioned,  was  a  farm- 
er and  stock-dealer,  who  settled  with  his  family 
in  Algonquin  Township,  McHenry  County,  111., 
in  1850,  and  built  a  distillery  there,  which  he 
managed  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a 
prominent  business  man  in  his  day  and  went 
to  Iowa  in  his  old  age,  where  he  died  at  the 
home  of  his  son,  William  Champlin,  at  the  age 
of  over  ninety  years.  His  other  children  were 
Abby  A.  (who  became  Mrs.  E.  D.  Williams), 
Lucia,  Francis,  Althea  and  Ellen  L. 

In  1870  William  Hill  engaged  in  the  mercan- 
tile business  at  Crystal  Lake,  but  moved  to 
Nunda  in  October,  1895,  and  there  entered 
into  the  market  and  grocery  business  in  com- 
pany with  his  son  Frederick  J.  Mrs.  Hill,  who 
was  a  woman  of  many  virtues  and  a  Univer- 
salist  in  religious  belief,  died  in  December, 
1877,  leaving  three  children:  Clarence  A.,  Nel- 
lie A.  and  Frederick  J. 

August  11,  1878,  Mr.  Hill  was  married  at 
Crystal  Lake  to  Mrs.  Elsie  (or  Elsa)  V.  Border- 
She  was  born  at  Nunda,  April  15,  1843,  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Clarissa  (Stannard) 
Hastings.  Mr.  Hastings  emigrated  from  Ohio 
to  Illinois  at  an  early  day  and  established  him- 
self as  a  substantial  farmer  in  Lake  County. 
In  1841  he  removed  to  Crystal  Lake  Township, 
locating  on  a  farm  one  and  a  half  miles  from 
Nunda,  dying  there  in  1843.  Elsa  V.  was  the 
only  child.      She  was  first  married  to  Gilbert 


Borden,  and  had  two  children — Nettie  and  La- 
ban.  The  result  of  her  second  marriage  witn 
Mr.  Hill  has  been  one  child — Dora  L. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hill  was  originally  a  Demo- 
crat, but  on  the  introduction  of  the  slavery  is- 
sue by  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise, 
he  became  one  of  the  original  Republicans  of 
McHenry  County,  voting  for  John  C.  Fremont 
in  1856  and  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860,  and 
has  continued  to  vote  the  Republican  ticket 
ever  since.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  being 
a  member  of  Nunda  Lodge  No.  169,  in  which  he 
has  held  the  offices  of  Senior  Warden  and 
Treasurer.  He  was  a  patriotic  supporter  of  the 
war  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  and,  in 
1861,  assisted  in  raising  a  company  of  volun- 
teers, of  which  he  was  elected  Second  Lieuten- 
ant, but  was  rejected  on  account  of  the  loss  of 
an  eye.  This  loss  had  occurred  when  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age,  in  consequence  of  a  com- 
rade throwing  a  tobacco  pipe  at  him  in  sport. 
The  estimation  in  which  he  is  held  in  the  com- 
munity is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  several 
years — being  first  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  and 
then  for  a  full  term — besides  serving  as  Con- 
stable four  years  and  Collector  one  term.  He 
was  Postmaster  at  Crystal  Lake  fourteen  years, 
being  first  appointed  by  President  Grant.  He 
has  also  been  prominent  in  educational  mat- 
ters, having  been  a  member  of  the  School 
Board  at  Crystal  Lake  for  nine  years  and  at 
Nunda  for  three  years. 


ISAAC     HARSH. 

The  founders  of  the  Harsh  family  in  America 
were  among  the  early  colonial  settlers  of  New 
Jersey  and  came  from  Scotch  ancestry.  Wil- 
liam Harsh,  the  grandfather  of  Isaac,  was  an 
early  settler  of  New  Jersey  and  his  children 
were  William,  Cornelius,  Andrew  and  Mer- 
riam.  Andrew  Harsh,  the  third  of  his  sons, 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  August  2,  1806,  and 
was  raised  on  a  farm.  He  married  in  Tioga 
County,  Pa.,  Mary  Traphagan,  who  was  born 
Dec.  15,  1812,  of  German  ancestry  and  Penn- 
sylvania stock.  Her  father  was  a  blacksmith 
and  his  children  were:  Alexander,  Charles, 
James,  Catherine,  Harriet,  Jane  and  Hannah. 
Andrew  Harsh  was  a  farmer  and  settled  on  the 
border  of  New  York  State,  near  the  Pennsyl- 
vania line,   where  he  lived  for  three   or  four 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


821 


years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1839  moved  to  Illinois. 
He  came  through  with  two  teams  and  a  wagon 
and  camped  on  the  way.  The  trip  from  Chi- 
cago to  McHenry  County  was  a  difficult  under- 
taking, but  after  it  was  completed,  the  family 
settled  about  two  miles  south  of  where  Isaac 
Harsh  now  lives.  Andrew  Harsh  lived  here 
until  the  spring  of  1840,  when  he  bought  and 
cleared  320  acres  of  land  adjoining  Isaac's 
present  farm,  upon  which  he  built  a  log  house 
with  stick  chimney  and  shake  roof.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Andrew  Harsh  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Their  children  were  Belin- 
da A.,  Isaac,  Sarah  and  Esther.  In  political 
opinion  Mr.  Harsh  was  .an  old  line  Whig  and 
later  became  a  Republican  on  the  organization 
of  that  party.  He  died  Sept.  19,  1854,  at  the 
age  of  forty-eight  years,  while  his  wife  lived  to 
be  eighty-two  years  of  age,  dying  in  1895.  Mr. 
Harsh  was  a  substantial  farmer,  a  leading  citi- 
zen in  his  township  and  county,  and  widely  re- 
spected by  his  fellow-citizens. 

Isaac  Harsh  was  born  at  Waverly,  N.  Y., 
August  15,  1835,  and  was  about  four  years  of 
age  when  his  parents  came  to  McHenry  County. 
He  was  raised  on  the  farm  and  received  a  com- 
mon-school education.  His  father  having  died 
when  the  son  was  eighteen  years  old,  the  latter 
remained  on  the  home  farm,  of  which  he  took 
charge  after  his  father's  death.  On  Feb.  5, 
1862,  he  married  in  McHenry  Township  L.o- 
dusky  Parker,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sybil 
(Howard)  Parker,  born  at  Rutland,  Vt.,  Oct. 
4,  1839.  The  Parkers  and  Howards  were  of 
Puritan  New  England  stock  and  of  English  de- 
scent. Samuel  Parker,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of 
Clarendon,  Vt.,  and  died  on  his  farm  in  Rut- 
land Township  of  that  State.  His  children 
were:  John,  Samuel,  Daniel,  Emory,  Thad- 
deus,  Ellen,  Eliza,  Almira,  Hannah  and  Sallie. 
Samuel  Parker,  Jr.,  was  born  Feb.  14,  1811,  at 
Clarendon,  Vt.,  and  received  a  good  common- 
school  education  and  owned  a  good  farm  in  his 
native  State.  His  children  were:  Samuel, 
Elizabeth,  Walter,  Lodusky,  Sally  and  Ellen. 
Mr.  Parker  was  an  industrious  and  upright 
citizen,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  universally  respected.  He  died  on 
his  farm  Jan.  3,  1892,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
Mrs.  Harsh  received  a  good  education  and 
taught  school  in  Rutland  County,  Vt.,  for  two 
terms,  and  then  came  to  Illinois  to  visit  her 
sister,  Elizabeth,  who  had  married  Charles  Si- 


mons and  moved  with  him  to  McHenry  County 
in  the  fall  of  1860.  In  1862  she  married  Mr. 
Harsh  and  they,  lived  on  a  part  of  the  Harsh 
homestead  until  they  moved  to  their  present 
farm  in  1887.  They  rebuilt  the  residence  and 
improved  the  farm,  which  was  also  part  of  the 
original  Harsh  homestead,  as  the  father  had 
previously  sold  a  part  of  his  estate.  Mr.  Harsh 
now  owns  a  farm  of  320  acres.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican,  has  been  Highway  Commis- 
sioner for  several  terms,  is  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  McHenry  County 
Agricultural  Society  for  a  great  many  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  as  a  citizen  has  always  been  prom- 
inent and  public-spirited.  In  the  development 
of  McHenry  County,  and  especially  that  of  his 
own  township,  he  has  been  closely  identified , 
and  ready  to  assist  in  every  project  for  the 
advancement  of  the  material  interests  of  his 
community.  Flora  May,  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Harsh,  married  Joseph  E.  Cristy,  who 
is  a  merchant  in  Ringwood. 


WILLIAM    DUANE   HALL. 

William  Duane  Hall,  a  leading  lumber  dealer 
and  business  man  of  Harvard,  UK,  is  descended 
from  two  fine  old  colonial  families,  the  Halls 
and  the  Clarks.  The  Hall  family,  in  point  of 
numbers,  ranks  in  Great  Britain  next  to  the 
Smiths,  Browns,  Joneses  and  Robinsons.  The 
late  Albert  Hall,  of  New  York,  had  at  one  time 
in  his  possession  no  less  than  a  hundred  and 
six  different  specimens  of  the  Hall  coat-of- 
arms.  Indexes  of  the  genealogical  depart- 
ment of  the  Newberry  Library,  of  Chicago,  have 
two  large  volumes  referring  to  Hall  families. 
The  name  has  been  handed  down  from  three 
different  sources.  English  families  received  it 
from  the  chief  of  the  principal  appointment  of 
the  manor  house,  who  often  took  the  surname 
Del  Hall,  and  transmitted  it  to  his  eldest  son. 
Norwegians  named  their  families  from  the 
word  Hollr — the  final  letter  of  which  is  silent — 
standing  for  flint  and  hero;  hence  the  Scotch 
word  Hollr.  In  Welsh  the  word  signifies  salt, 
and  has  also  been  used  as  a  surname.  The 
men  of  Halle,  who  poured  into  England  during 
successive  invasions,  helped  to  flood  the 
language  with  this  name.  Nearly  all  Halls 
have  good  blood  in  their  veins.     Old  English 


822 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Hall  families  trace  their  descent  from  royal  an- 
cestors. Among  lineal  ancestors  of  different 
Hall  families  of  the  present  day  are:  The 
Right  Rev.  John  Hall,  Bishop  of  Bath  and 
Wells,  author  of  the  first  original  English 
comedy;  Richard  Mather,  who  with  Rev.  John 
Eliot  and  Thomas  Welde,  compiled  the  first 
book  printed  in  America,  known  as  the  "Bay 
Psalm  Book";  John  Eliot,  who  also  brought  out 
the  first  Indian  version  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
the  first  poetical  critique  of  the  "Common 
Wealth" — the  last  named  book  being  published 
in  1654;  Rev.  Peter  Bolkeley,  author  of  the 
"Gospel  Commands,"  printed  in  England  in 
1648,  and  in  whose  church,  at  Concord,  Mass., 
was  held  the  first  Provincial  Congress;  the 
uncle  of  Rev.  Cotton  Mather,  whose  son,  Rev. 
Israel  Mather,  was  the  first  person  in  Boston 
to  receive  the  Doctor  of  Divinity  degree;  a 
brother  of  Elihu  Hall,  who  was  the  first  Notary 
Public  of  Connecticut,  appointed  by  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury;  one  of  the  eight  Presi- 
dents of  Harvard  College,  and  three  brothers  of 
Presidents  of  the  same  institution;  and  eight  of 
the  barons,  out  of  twenty-five  chosen  by  Eng- 
lish nobles  to  enforce  the  observance  of  the 
Magna  Charta,  wrested  from  King  John  in 
1215.  The  Halls,  predominating  among  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  were  naturally  largely  repre- 
sented among  early  settlers  of  New  England 
and  other  sections  of  our  country.  Eighty- 
three  distinct  Hall  families,  mostly  from  Eng- 
land, settled  in  New  England  prior  to  1650,  and 
many  more  in  Virginia.  There  were  eight  John 
Halls  recorded  in  the  early  New  England 
records,  and  twenty-five  Halls,  as  Continental 
Army  records  show,  who  served  in  the  Revolu- 
tion from  the  Lexington  alarm  to  the  close  of 
the  war.  Other  Halls  prominent  in  colonial 
military  records  are:  Ralph  Hall,  clerk  of  Capt. 
Henchman's  Campaign  against  King  Philip; 
Daniel  Hall,  a  soldier  in  Major  Appleton's 
Company,  in  the  Narragansett  campaign; 
Thomas  Hall,  who  was  in  the  same  war  under 
Capt.  Davenport;  Henry  Hall,  among  the  slam 
and  wounded  in  Capt.  Olvin's  Company;  and 
Richard  Hall,  who  served  under  Thomas  Brat- 
tle. 

Many  New  England  Halls  came  from  County 
Kent,  England,  and  are  probably  mostly  of  the 
same  original  Saxon  blood.  All  Hall  families 
tracing  their  descent  to  Connecticut  branches 
came  from  one  of    the     following    ancestors: 


John  Hall,  the  original  Connecticut  Hall,  born 
in  England,  in  1605,  son  of  Gilbert  Hall,  of 
Rolvendue,  County  Kent,  came  to  America  and 
settled  at  Wallingford,  Conn.,  prior  to  1833,  and 
died  at  Middletown  in  the  same  State,  May  26, 
1673,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  His  brother 
Francis  came  also  and  settled  at  Fairfield, 
Conn.  William  Hall,  probably  a  relative  of 
John  and  Francis,  came  from  Rolvendue,  and 
became  one  of  the  select  company  of  young 
men,  who  founded  the  town  of  Guilford,  Conn. ; 
and  in  that  county  he  died,  March  8,  1669. 

William  D.  Hall  is  of  ihe  Connecticut  stock. 
His  great-grandfather,  Hall,  had  several  chil- 
dren: a  daughter,  who  began  life  as  a  school- 
teacher, and  eventually  became  a  wealthy  citi- 
zen of  New  York.  John  Fayette  drove  across 
the  country  to  one  of  the  Southern  States,  and 
there  settled.  He  had  a  son  who  served  in  the 
Confederate  army,  and  a  son-in-law  who  was 
Major  in  the  same  force.  Elihu  Hall,  grand- 
father of  William  D.  Hall,  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut, Feb.  19,  1776.  When  a  young  man 
he  shouldered  his  ax  and  traveled  across  the 
country  to  Bridgewater,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y., 
and  later  cleared  up  a  splendid  farm  for  him- 
self within  a  half  a  mile  of  the  town.  He  lived 
to  be  seventy  years  old  and  died  on  his  farm. 
He  married  Nancy  Maxon  and  their  children 
were:  Eunice;  Chester,  who  succeeded  to  his 
father's  farm;  Elihu;  Lee,  and  Henry.  Mr. 
Hall  possessed  energy,  marked  ability  and 
thrift.  As  a  farmer  he  was  thoroughly  pros- 
perous. Politically  he  was  an  old-line  Whig. 
Active  in  religious  works,  he  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  Bridge- 
water,  and  served  as  deacon  for  many  years. 

Hon.  Henry  Hall,  father  of  William  D.  Hall, 
possessed  the  kind  of  hardihood  and  ability 
that  win  success  for  a  man  at  every  step  in 
life.  Born  in  Bridgewater,  Oneida  County,  N. 
Y.,  Oct.  26,  1813,  he  received  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  vicinity  a  good  education,  and  on 
his  father's  farm  practical  training  for  his  life- 
work.  The  opening  up  of  the  Middle  West  in- 
duced him,  in  1846,  to  cast  his  lot  with  the 
pioneers  of  that  section,  and,  journeying  by 
way  of  the  canal  through  Buffalo  and  across 
the  great  lakes  to  Chicago,  he  drove  over  to 
Big  Foot  Prairie,  Wis.,  where  he  purchased  of 
a  discouraged  pioneer,  James  Maxwell,  320 
acres  of  excellent  farming  land,  a  portion  of 
which  had  been  broken.       Encouraged  by  his 


McHENRY 

prospects,  he  soon  afterward  returned  to  New 
York  State,  and  there,  in  Brookfield,  Madison 
County,  Sept,  8,  1846,  married  Lucy  Clark,  who 
was  born  in  that  place,  Aug.  28,  1821,  daughter 
of  Abel  and  Lucinda  (York)  Clark.  Mrs.  Hall, 
though  far  advanced  in  years,  is  still  living, 
and  is  well  preserved,  retaining  her  memory 
and  her  mental  faculties  remarkably  well. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hall:  Mary  Elnors,  born  July  8,  1847,  lived 
to  maturity  and  married,  but  is  now  deceased; 
William  D.,  mentioned  below;  Robert  W.,  born 
July  21,  1853;  and  Anna  E.,  born  June  23,  185G 
— both  on  Big  Foot  Prairie  homestead. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage,  in  November, 
1846,  Mr.  Hall  and  his  wife  proceeded  by  way 
of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes  to  Milwaukee. 
Taking  up  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life,  they 
passed  the  winter  in  a  small  house  with  two 
other  families,  in  Walworth  County,  Wis., 
about  three  miles  from  this  prairie  farm,  the 
next  summer  in  a  shanty  somewhat  nearer 
their  land,  and  finally,  late  in  the  fall,  moved 
to  a  rude  house  on  the  farm  itself.  Here  he 
began  work  in  earnest,  and  the  following 
spring  erected  a  very  comfortable  frame  house. 
Skillful  management,  hard  work,  and  de- 
termination wrought  wonderful  changes  in  the 
place  in  a  short  time.  He  cleared  up  large 
tracts,  erected  another  house  in  1859,  and  in 
time  became  very  prosperous,  having  a  valu- 
able estate  to  divide  among  his  children,  In- 
cluding sixteen  acres  of  excellent  land  along 
the  Geneva  Lake  shore.  In  1880  he  moved  to 
Harvard,  111.,  where  he  passed  his  last  days. 
He  died  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter,  Anna 
E.  Church  of  that  place,  July  26,  1885,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-two  years. 

As  a  pioneer  settler  Mr.  Hall  won  for  himself 
a  wide  popularity,  and  though  not  an  office- 
seeker,  represented  his  district  very  acceptably 
in  the  Wisconsin  State  Legislature  for  1869-70. 
In  his  own  County  he  served  as  Road  Commis- 
sioner, Supervisor,  and  member  of  the  Board 
of  Education.  Politically  he  was  at  first  a 
Whig,  and  later  a  Republican,  voting  for  both 
John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  belonged  to  the  Baptist 
church,  he  being  one  of  the  founders  of  that 
church  at  Big  Foot.  Interested  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  education,  he  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Walworth  Academy,  the  others 


COUNTY. 


823 


being  Elder  O.  P.  Hull,  Cyrus  Church,  Benja- 
min Clarke,  Elijah  Easton,  S.  H;  Van  Schaick, 
and  Amos  and  Joseph  Bailey.  The  institution 
was  opened  in  the  winter  of  1859. 

William  Duane  Hall  started  in  life  under 
favorable  circumstances.  Born  on  the  well-regu- 
lated Wisconsin  homestead,  Sept.  3,  1850,  he 
there  received  careful  rearing,  and  in  the  per- 
formance of  farm  duties  plenty  of  healthful  ex- 
ercise. In  the  public  schools  of  his  neighbor- 
hood he  acquired  his  early  education,  later  at- 
tending the  Academies  at  Walworth  and 
Sharon,  and  finally  finishing  at  the  old  Chicago 
University,  after  two  and  a  half  years'  at- 
tendance. Well  equipped,  in  1873,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three,  he  embarked  upon  life  as  a 
lumber-dealer,  in  Harvard,  111.  A  ready  power 
of  pushing  his  enterprise,  skill  in  handling  his 
men,  and  wise  financial  management  soon 
placed  his  business  upon  a  solid  foundation. 
He  has  enlarged  it  from  year  to  year  and  is 
now  carrying  on  an  extensive  and  highly  pros- 
perous trade.  He  has  won  the  entire  confi- 
dence of  the  community,  and  is  considered  one 
of  the  most  successful  business  men  in  Harv- 
ard. 

November  29, 1889,  Mr.  Hall  married  Euretta 
Young,  who  was  born  in  Canada,  near  the  Ver- 
mont State  line,  daughter  of  William  H.  and 
Nancy  (Cochrane)  Young.  By  this  union  there 
has  been  one  child,  William  Henry. 

William  D.  Hall  is  a  man  of  brilliant  attain- 
ments, well-fitted  for  almost  any  position  in 
life.  In  Harvard,  where  he  has  made  his 
career,  he  has  served  in  the  City  Council  for 
two  terms — turning  his  shrewd  business  judg- 
ment and  his  skill  at  financiering  to  thoroughly 
good  account  in  the  interest  of  the  general  pub- 
lic. Efficiency  has  recently  won  him  the 
mayoralty  of  the  city,  a  position  which  he  is 
filling  with  marked  dignity  and  ability. 
Fraternally  he  stands  high,  and  affiliates  with 
Harvard  Blue  Lodge  No.  309,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.; 
Harvard  Chapter,  No.  91,  Cavalry  Commandery, 
No.  25,  Woodstock;  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of 
Harvard,  and  Medinah  Temple  A.  A.  O.  N.  M. 
S.,  of  Chicago,  has  filled  the  subordinate  offices 
of  the  Blue  Lodge,  and  the  principal  ones  of 
the  chapter.  Politically  he  is  an  unwavering 
Republican. 

The  Clark  family,  maternal  ancestors  of 
Mayor  Hall,  are  of  Massachusetts  colonial 
stock.     Jonathan  Clark,     great-grandfather     of 


824 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  Mayor,  originally  of  Massachusetts,  became 
a  pioneer  of  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there 
he  died.  He  married  a  woman  named  Keziah, 
and  their  children  were:  Alvin,  Samuel  and 
Abel  P. 

Abel  P.  Clark,  grandfather  of  Mayor  Hall, 
was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  there  received 
a  common-school  education,  and  also  learned 
the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  followed  for 
some  years.  Coming  to  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  at  an  early  manhood,  he  became  a  pioneer 
of  that  section.  There  he  married  Lucinda 
York,  who  was  born  in  Stonington,  Conn., 
daughter  of  John  and  Ketura  (Brown)  York. 
Abel  P. 'Clark  and  wife  had  four  children:  Wil- 
liam, Mary,  Lucy  and  Alvin — the  daughter, 
Lucy  becoming  the  mother  of  Mayor  Hall. 

The  Yorks  and  Browns  were  of  colonial 
Puritan  stock.  John  York,  maternal  grand- 
father of  the  Mayor,  moved  from  Stonington, 
Conn.,  to  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
cleared  up  a  large  farm  for  himself  and  became 
a  well-to-do  citizen.  He  married  Ketura  Brown 
and  they  had  eight  children:  John,  Thomas, 
Ichabod,  Ketura,  Lucinda,  Nancy,  Sally  and 
Lucy.  The  sons  settled  near  the  family  home- 
stead, which  is  now  in  possession  of  descend- 
ants. Mr.  York  lived  to  a  good  old  age  and 
left  a  valuable  estate  to  his  children.  He  was 
a  highly  respected  citizen  and  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church. 

William  Henry  Young,  father  of  the  Mayor's 
wife,  was  of  Scotch  extraction,  was  born  in  St. 
Thomas  District,  Montreal,  April  19,  1815,  and 
received  a  common-school  education.  He  mar- 
ried in  Canada,  Lany  Rowe,  and  after  her 
death,  Nancy  Cochrane,  who  was  born  in  Coun- 
ty   Down,    Ireland,    Jan.    3,    1823,    daughter   of 

Frank  and  Mary   ( — )    Cochrane,  died 

Aug.  26,  1885,  at  St.  Thomas  Canada.  By  the 
first  marriage  there  were  six  children:  Cor- 
nelia, Lydia,  George,  Eliza,  Margaret  and  Nar- 
cissa.  By  the  second  marriage  there  were  six 
children:  Mary,  Wolfred,  Euretta,  Melvin, 
Melissa,  and  Frank.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
Young  settled  upon  a  farm  in  St.  Thomas,  Pro- 
vince of  Quebec,  Canada,  where  he  carried  on 
a  successful  industry,  becoming  a  highly  pros- 
perous agriculturalist.  Mr.  Young  was  a  man 
of  broad  views,  was  influential  in  local  affairs, 
widely  known  and  highly  respected.  He  was 
a  man  of  strong  religious  convictions,  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist    Episcopal     Churcn. 


He  died  March  9,  1882.     His  wife  died  Aug.  26. 
1885. 


HENRY    HERMAN. 

Among  the  people  from  abroad  who  have 
sought  homes  in  America,  those  from  Alsace 
rank  with  the  practical,  progressive  and  pros- 
perous, and  became  rapidly  Americanized. 
They  were  among  the  early  pioneers  in  Mc- 
Henry  County  and  their  descendants  are  ex- 
emplary citizens  of  a  strong  robust  physique 
and  of  excellent  personal  appearance.  The 
Hermans  were  among  the  representative 
pioneer  families  from  Alsace,  where  Henry 
Herman,  an  enterprising  business  man  of 
Woodstock,  was  born  Aug.  2,  1831,  son  of 
Henry  G.  and  Eva  (Jacobs)  Herman. 

Henry  G.  Herman  was  born  in  Preuszdorf, 
Alsace,  where  the  family  had  lived  for  genera- 
tions. Mr.  Herman  owned  a  good  farm  and 
was  a  well-to-do  citizen.  He  was  in  the  French 
army  seven  years,  serving  in  a  war  against 
Spain  and  three  years  in  Martinique.  He  was 
the  father  of  one  child,  Henry.  Mr.  Herman 
came  to  America  in  1845,  sailing  from  Havre, 
France,  in  the  spring  of  that  year  in  the  sail- 
ing vessel,  "Leonida,"  and  was  twenty-nine 
days  on  the  voyage  to  America,  which  was  an 
unusually  quick  passage  for  that  time.  He 
came  directly  to  McHenry  County,  via  the  Erie 
Canal,  the  great  lakes  and  Chicago.  He  set- 
tled on  Kishwaukee  Prairie,  where  he  bought 
160  acres  of  land  on  which  there  was  a  log  cabin 
and  eighty  acres  had  been  broken.  He  was  a 
man  of  energy  and  perseverance,  and  soon 
made  a  good  farm  upon  which  he  built  sub- 
stantial buildings.  As  he  prospered  he  added 
to  his  acres,  and,  selling  his  first  farm,  he 
bought  another  of  500  acres  near  by.  Here  his 
wife  died  aged  about  fifty-six  years.  In  1868 
Mr.  Herman  came  to  Woodstock  and  after- 
wards lived  with  his  son  Henry,  who  had  set- 
tled there.  His  death  occurred  at  seventy- 
eight  years  of  age.  Like  all  of  our  pioneers 
from  Alsace,  he  gained  his  property  by  hard 
work.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  a  plain  man,  strictly  honest  in  his 
ways  and  dealings. 

Henry  Herman,  the  subject  of  this  article,  at- 
tended school  in  Preuszdorf,  Alsace,  until  he 
was  fourteen  years  of  age.  When  sixteen 
years  old,     he     came     with     his     parents     to 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


825 


America.  There  was  much  hard  work  to  be 
done  on  a  new  farm,  and  young  Henry,  in  his 
early  days,  had  but  little  relaxation  from  toil, 
but  this  early  discipline  proved  to  be  an  excel- 
lent training  school  through  life,  as  he  was 
inured  to  labor  and  learned  the  habits  of  in- 
dustry. When  but  twenty  years  of  age,  he 
married  Margaret  Sondericker,  born  in  Alsace, 
France,  daughter  of  Henry  Sondericker,  a 
pioneer  settler  of  Queen  Ann  Prairie.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Herman  settled  on  the  Herman  homestead 
and  lived  there  until  they  moved  to  Woodstock 
in  August,  1868.  Here  he  entered  into  company 
with  Arnold  and  Zimmer  in  the  brewing  busi- 
ness, the  plant  then  being  located  on  the  same 
site  as  the  present  brewery.  This  partnership 
continued  until  1897,  but  since  that  time  Mr. 
Herman  has  owned  the  larger  part  of  the  prop- 
erty and  business.  The  old  firm  built  a  large 
malt  house  in  1885,  which  was  destroyed  by 
fire  the  following  year,  but  a  new  one  was 
erected  the  same  year  and  at  the  same  time 
the  old  brewery  re-built.  The  firm  did  a  suc- 
cessful business  and  stood  well  in  the  mercan- 
tile world,  shipping  beer  to  Chicago,  Crystal 
Lake,  Dundee,  Nunda,  Harvard  and  many 
other  points  throughout  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. The  new  building  was  burned  May  b, 
1902,  and  the  business  discontinued.  Mr.  Her- 
man now  owns  a  farm  of  176  acres  which  ad- 
joins the  corporation  of  Woodstock  on  the 
west, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herman  were  the  parents  of 
Henry  G.,  Peter,  Dr.  George  K.,  and  Charlotte. 
Dr.  George  K.  was  educated  in  Chicago,  and 
Henry  G.  received  his  education  in  South  Bend, 
Ind.,  and  Chicago.  Mrs.  Herman  died  in  1875. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  a  woman  noted  for  her  industry  and  excel- 
lent qualities.  March  13,  1877,  Mr.  Herman 
married  as  his  second  wife  Lena  Eppel,  born  at 
Kleeburg,  Alsace,  June  24,  1840,  daughter  of 
Jacob  and  Marguerite  (Frey)  Eppel.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Herman  have  one  child,  Irene  E.,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Woodstock  High  School,  Class 
of  1900,  and  is  now  attending  Berea  College, 
Kentucky. 

Jacob  Eppel  was  born  in  Kleeburg,  Alsace, 
where  his  family  had  lived  for  a  long  period 
and  owned  land.  In  1826  he  married  in  Alsace, 
Marguerite,  daughter  of  Henry  Frey,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  Marguerite,  Catherine, 
Lena,   Fred,   Henry   and   Christopher.       Jacob 


Eppel  and  family  came  to  America  in  Novem- 
ber, 1885,  sailing  from  Havre,  France,  in  a 
sailing  vessel,  the  voyage  occupying  twenty- 
eight  days.  His  son,  Jacob  Eppel,  had  come 
to  America  two  years  previously.  Mr.  Eppel 
settled  in  Hartland  Township  on  160  acres  of 
land  which  he  converted  into  a  good  farm.  He 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  German 
Presbyterian  church,  and  were  well-known 
pioneer  citizens  of  sterling  qualities.  Mr.  Ep- 
pel died  when  about  seventy-six  years  of  ago. 
Henry  Herman  is  a  representative  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Education  for  about  twenty-one 
years,  and  has  always  been  in  favor  of  any 
enterprise  that  would  be  a  benefit  to  the  town. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in 
which  he  has  been  an  elder  for  several  years, 
and,  is  also  ,  treasurer.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
Mason,  a  member  of  Lodge  63,  Woodstock. 
Throughout  the  most  of  his  life  he  has  been  a 
strong  supporter  of  Democratic  principles  as 
enunciated  by  Jefferson  and  Jackson,  but  has 
voted  the  Republican  ticket  since  1896.  Mr. 
Herman  is  largely  interested  in  supplying 
Woodstock  with  ice,  his  company  owning  four 
ice-houses.  Mr.  Herman  is  a  plain,  substantial 
man  who  devotes  his  whole  attention  to  his 
business,  although  he  has  now  reached  an  age 
when  many  men  retire.  As  a  business  man  he 
is  upright,  reliable,  and  honorable.  In  all 
places  ,and  under  all  circumstances,  he  is  loyal 
to  truth,  honor  and  right,  justly  regarding  his 
self-respect  and  the  deserved  esteem  of  his  fel- 
low men  as  more  valuable  than  fame  or  posi- 
tion. 


STEPHEN  H.  HORR. 

Stephen  Henry  Horr,  practical  machinist  and 
foreman  of  the  mechanical  department  of  the 
Oliver  Typewriter  Company,  Woodstock,  III., 
is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  at  Hamilton,  Han- 
cock County,  July  4,  1860,  the  son  of  John  and 
Louise  (Parsons)  Horr.  Mr.  Horr's  father, 
John  Horr,  was  a  native  of  Germany  who  came 
to  America  about  1830,  and  settled  at  Warsaw, 
Hancock  County,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in 
gardening  and  truck-farming.  His  wife,  Louise 
Parsons,  was  a  native  of  England,  came  to 
America,  and  was  married  to  Mr.  Horr  at  War- 
saw in  1858.  The  father  ran  a  vineyard  and 
fruit  farm  near  Warsaw  for  some  years,  but  in 


326 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1865  removed  across  the  river  to  Montrose, 
Iowa,  where  he  died  March  22,  1899,  aged 
seventy-seven  years,  and  Mrs.  Horr,  Feb.  12,  of 
the  same  year,  aged  sixty.  Their  children 
were:  Stephen  Henry,  Kate,  wife  of  Edwin 
Butler;  Jennie,  wife  of  Walter  Smith;  Amelia, 
wife  of  Edward  Smith;  Minnie,  wife  of  Joseph 
Spring.  All  these  children  except  Stephen 
were  horn  at  Montrose,  Iowa. 

After  receiving  the  usual  common-school 
education  in  his  boyhood,  Stephen  H.  Horr,  at 
the  age  of  about  fifteen  years,  began  learning 
the  machinist's  trade  in  the  Novelty  Iron 
Works  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  He  re- 
mained with  this  concern  four  years,  after 
which,  for  the  next  two  years,  he  was  in  the 
employ  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
road. He  then  spent  four  years  in  the  service 
of  the  Eagle  Iron  Works  at  Des  Moines,  when 
he  engaged  with  the  Marshall  Brothers  of  the 
same  place,  at  that  time  manufacturers  and 
wholesale  dealers  in  dental  supplies.  This  con- 
cern having  undertaken  the  manufacture  of  the 
Oliver  Typewriter  soon  after  the  perfection  of 
that  invention,  Mr.  Horr  became  interested  in 
this  branch  of  the  work,  and  assisted  Mr. 
Oliver,  the  inventor,  in  the  construction  and 
perfection  of  his  machine.  In  fact,  it  is  said 
that  the  second  machine  constructed  for  Mr. 
Oliver  was  made  with  the  aid  of  Mr.  Horr  iD 
the  establishment  of  Marshall  Brothers  in  1891. 
While  giving  evidence  of  his  skill  as  a  ma- 
chinist, he  brought  to  the  aid  of  Mr.  Oliver, 
who  was  not  a  mechanic,  the  advantages  of  a 
trained  mind  and  faculties  quickened  by  a  long 
and  successful  career  as  a  practical  machinist. 
In  June,  1892,  he  entered  into  the  employment 
of  the  Oliver  Typewriter  Company  at  Epworth, 
Iowa,  and  has  remained  with  the  company  ever 
since,  establishing  for  himself  a  reputation  as 
one  of  its  most  thoroughly  skilled  machinists 
and  an  experienced  foreman.  In  1895  he  came 
to  Woodstock  as  foreman  of  the  mechanical  de- 
partment— the  most  delicate  and  important 
branch  of  this  industry — and  has  made  many 
valuable  suggestions  looking  to  the  perfection 
of  the  machine.  Fraternally,  he  is  connected 
with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd-Fellows  of 
Des  Moines,  Iowa.  Mr.  Horr's  unbroken  con- 
nection with  the  Oliver  Typewriter  Company, 
almost  from  the  inception  of  this  industry, 
proves  the  high  estimate  placed  by  his  employ- 
ers upon  his  services,  both  as  a  skilled  machin- 


ist and  in   an  administrative  capacity   as  the 
head  of  the  mechanical  department. 

Mr.  Horr  was  married,  March  22,  1883,  at 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  to  Mary  E.  Howard,  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Charlotte  L.,  who  was 
horn  Nov.  3,  1884.  She  was  married  Feb.  11, 
1903,  to  Charles  Huntzinger,  who  is  proprietor 
of  the  Main  Street  Restaurant,  Woodstock.  He 
is  a  native  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Stephen  H.  Horr  was 
born  in  Polk  County,  Iowa,  Oct.  13,  1865,  the 
daughter  of  Francis  A.  and  Minerva  (McCor- 
mick)  Howard.  Her  father,  Francis  Howard, 
was  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  followed  the  life 
of  a  farmer,  renting  land  until  his  children 
were  partly  grown.  He  and  his  wife  have  had 
seven  children:  William  H.,  Mary  E.,  Richard. 
Albert,  Sarah  Ellen  (who  died  in  infancy), 
Frankie  and  Harry.  The  family  live  in  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  Mr.  Howard's  father,  Hamilton 
Howard,  died  at  Rising  Sun,  Iowa,  where  he 
was  carrying  on  a  hotel  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  His  wife  before  her  marriage  was 
Sarah  Stewart.  Minerva  McCormick.  who  he- 
came  the  wife  of  Francis  A.  Howard,  was  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Martha  McCormick, 
who  lived  in  Missouri  and  were  Southern  born. 
Robert  McCormick  was  a  farmer  and  he  and 
his  two  sons,  Enoch  and  Tillman,  became 
soldiers  in  the  Union  Army  during  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  were  never  afterwards  heard 
of. 


LEWIS   HATCH. 

Lewis  Hatch,  pioneer,  retired  farmer  and 
extensive  land-owner,  Spring  Grove,  McHenry 
County,  is  of  English  ancestry,  the  founders  of 
the  American  branch  of  the  family  having  set- 
tled at  an  early  period  in  colonial  history  on 
Martha's  Vineyard,  off  the  southern  coast  of 
Massachusetts.  Lewis  Hatch,  the  grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  of  the  same 
name,  was  of  the  Martha's  Vineyard  family, 
and  settled  at  an  early  day  at  Granville,  Wash- 
ington County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared  up  a 
large  farm  from  the  forest  and  become  a 
prominent  citizen.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
children  by  his  first  marriage  whose  names 
are  remembered  being:  Wait,  Davis,  Annie 
and  Phoebe.  His  second  wife  had  three  chil- 
dren: Asa,  Rebecca  and  Delight.  The  maiden 
names  of  his  two  wives  are  not  recalled  in  this 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


82r 


connection.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  died  on  his  farm  in  New 
York.  Wait  Hatch,  the  older  son  belonging  to 
this  family,  was  born  in  Granville,  N.  Y.,  and 
having  received  the  usual  common-school  edu- 
cation of  the  time,  became  a  farmer.  He  mar- 
ried in  his  native  town  Martha  Spencer,  who 
was  born  at  Granville,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of 
Jeremiah  Spencer,  of  an  old  American  family 
of  that  name.  Wait  Hatch  settled  in  the  town 
of  Hebron,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  owned  a  farm,  and  he  and  his  wife  had  the 
following  named  children:  Hannah,  Almina, 
Levi,  Lydia,  Lewis,  Jeremiah,  Eli,  Mary,  Sarah 
A.,  Phoebe  and  John.  Hannah,  the  oldest 
child,  died  while  young.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wait 
Hatch  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  of  which  the  former  was  a  deacon. 
Wait  Hatch  was  an  industrious  and  represen- 
tative citizen,  and  died  on  his  farm  aged  about 
sixty  years. 

Lewis  Hatch,  of  this  family,  was  born  in 
Hebron  Township,  Washington  County,  N.  Y . 
April  20,  1814,  and,  while  an  infant,  was  taken 
in  his  mother's  arms  to  see  the  sloop  of  war 
which  had  been  captured  by  the  Americans 
from  the  British  in  the  battle  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  the  decks  of  which  were  still  covered 
with  the  blood  of  the  killed  and  wounded  in 
that  battle.  The  youthful  Lewis  received  a 
common-school  education  by  attending  the  dis- 
trict school  during  the  winter  months  while 
performing  farm-work  in  the  summer.  In  this 
way  he  acquired  a  sufficient  education  to  en- 
gage in  teaching  a  district  school  during  tne 
winter  of  1836-37.  While  still  a  small  boy  he 
had  learned  to  do  farm  work,  and,  when  eigh- 
teen years  old,  his  father  having  "given  him 
his  time,"  he  began  learning  the  carpenter's 
trade.  Although  always  small  in  stature,  he 
performed  the  labor  assigned  to  him  with  en- 
ergy and  determination,  in  constructing  the 
frame  work  of  a  large  barn  proving  himself  a 
capable  mechanic.  In  the  spring  of  1837,  after 
his  experience  as  a  teacher  during  the  preced- 
ing winter,  he  left  the  State  of  New  York  for 
the  West,  making  the  journey  by  railroad  from 
Albany  to  Schenectady  and  thence  by  the  Erie 
Canal  to  Buffalo.  He  then  walked  along  the 
Lake  Shore  until  he  was  able  to  board  a  steam- 
boat, which  carried  him  to  Detroit,  and  from 
there  made  the  journey  on     foot     across     the 


peninsula,  to  Niles,  Mich.,  where  he  took 
steamer  to  St.  Joseph,  and  thence  by  schooner 
to  Milwaukee,  Wis.  From  Milwaukee  he  went 
on  foot  across  the  country  with  a  party  of  sur- 
veyors to  Janesville,  Wis.,  prospecting  for 
land.  On  this  trip  he  followed  an  old  Indian 
trail  upon  which  there  were  no  white  settle- 
ments. Continuing  his  foot-journey,  he  visited 
Rockford  and  Chicago.  After  remaining  at  the 
latter  place  a  few  days,  he  took  the  Galena 
trail  to  Pleasant  Grove  in  McHenry  County, 
and  after  visiting  Geneva  Lake,  proceeded  to 
Racine  and  Kenosha,  Wis.  He  ended  his  tour 
by  entering  land  at  Wilmot,  Kenosha  County, 
upon  which  he  built  a  log-house,  besides  mak- 
ing other  improvements.  He  also  purchased  five 
lots,  at  the  land  sale  at  Milwaukee,  which  he 
afterwards  traded  for  land  in  Michigan.  In  the 
spring  of  1839  he  came  to  English  Prairie,  in 
Burton  Township,  McHenry  County,  where  he 
entered  160  acres  of  larfd  at  Nippersink  and 
bought  a  saw  mill,  which  he  ran  for  a  number 
of  years.  By  industry  and  good  management 
he  prospered  and,  adding  to  his  land,  became 
an  extensive  farmer.  On  April  20,  1844,  he  was 
married  in  Burton  Township  to  Mandana  Cole, 
the  ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Plumbstead,  a  Presbyterian  minister.  Mrs. 
Hatch  was  born  July  22,  1825,  at  Newchester— 
now  called  Hill— N.  H.,  the  daughter  of  Miles 
and  Sally  (Bixby)  Cole.  (For  history  of  this 
family,  see  sketch  of  Miles  H.  Cole.) 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hatch  settled  in 
a  little  log  house  which  had  been  erected  by 
Jonathan  Kimball,  the  original  claimant  of  the 
land.  This  cabin  was  of  the  most  primitive 
sort  and  here  they  lived  one  year,  until  they 
could  build  a  frame  house.  Later  they  erected 
other  substantial  farm  buildings  which  were 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1854,  but  afterwards  re- 
built in  more  modern  style.  In  1850  Mr.  Hatch 
crossed  the  plains  to  California  with  an  outfit 
of  five  horses  and  accompanied  by  a  man 
named  Adams  and  a  sixteen-year-old  boy  by 
the  name  of  Post.  They  left  Burton  Township 
April  8,  1850,, and  crossing  the  Missouri  River 
at  Council  Bluffs,  arrived  at  Georgetown,  Cal., 
September  1,  following.  The  plains  were  th?n 
in  a  state  of  nature,  grand  in  their  vast  extent 
and  the  richness  of  their  vegetation,  with 
herds  of  buffalo  and  antelope  almost  con- 
tinually in  sight.     Mr.  Hatch  engaged  in  min- 


828 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing  on  the  American  River  with  fairly  satis- 
factory results  until  the  winter  of  1853,  when 
he  came  home,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  four 
years,  returning  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  and  New  York  City.  In  April,  1875, 
he  moved  to  his  present  homestead,  which  ho 
had  purchased  some  years  previous,  and  which 
then  consisted  of  5  0  acres.  To  this  he  has 
since  made  additions,  until  he  now  owns,  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  over  1,300  acres.  His 
buildings  here  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1873, 
but  have  since  been  replaced  by  others  of  a 
more  substantial  character.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hatch  are  the  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Lewis  Fayette  (who  died  aged  two 
years),  Miles  Fayette,  Frederick,  Lewis,  Martha, 
Loretta  and  Franklin  Wait — all  born  in  Burton 
Township.  Originally  an  old-line  Whig,  Mr. 
Hatch  became  a  Republican  on  the  organiza- 
tion of  that  party,  voting  for  John  C.  Fremont 
in  1856  and  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860  and 
1864.  An  honored  citizen  of  his  township,  he 
has  taken  an  active  interest  in  its  affairs,  in- 
cluding good  roads,  public  schools,  etc.,  and 
has  held  the  offices  of  Supervisor  and  School 
Director  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  one  of 
the  largest  land-holders  in  McHenry  County, 
besides  his  home  farm  and  other  lands  in  the 
vicinity,  amounting  to  1,300  acres,  being  the 
owner  of  800  acres  in  Beadle  County,  and  400 
acres  in  Brooking  County,  S.  D.,  and  probably 
over  1,000  acres  in  the  State  of  Washington. 
His  children  are  all  well  educated,  his  sons  be- 
ing graduates  of  the  State  University  at  Cham- 
paign, while  Frank  W.,  after  spending  a  year 
at  Yale  College,  graduated  at  the  Union  Col- 
lege of  Law,  Chicago.  All  the  sons  are  active 
business  men.  The  daughter,  Loretta,  gradu- 
ated from  the  Illinois  State  Normal  School, 
was  a  teacher  for  a  number  of  years,  and  mar- 
ried A.  H.  Hubbard,  of  Elgin,  but  is  now  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Hatch  is  the  last  original  pioneer 
farmer  now  remaining  upon  his  farm  in  Mc- 
Henry County,  and  is  one  of  the  few  still  sur- 
viving who  represent  the  olden  days  when  the 
American  pioneers  were  an  active  force  in  the 
settlement  and  development  of  the  Great  West. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  great  business  ac- 
tivity, and  at  an  age  of  nearly  eighty-nine 
years,  he  retains  his  mental  and  physical  vigor 
in  a  remarkable  degree. 


FRED   L.    HATCH. 

Fred  L.  Hatch,  Spring  Grove,  McHenry 
County,  a  representative  citizen  and  extensive 
breeder  of  fine  stock,  was  born  in  Spring 
Grove,  111.,  Nov.  1,  1848,  the  son  of  Lewis  and 
Mandana  (Cole)  Hatch.  He  received  a  lib- 
eral education,  first  graduating  from  Elgin 
Academy,  and,  in  1873,  from  the  State  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois  at  Champaign,  still  later  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  A.  M.  in  due  course  from 
his  Alma  Mater.  His  father  being  an  exten- 
sive land  owner,  Mr.  Hatch  early  turned  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  to  which  he 
added  that  of  stock-breeding.  He  first  engaged 
in  breeding  pure-blood  Short-horn  Durham  cat- 
tle, of  which  he  has  a  large  herd,  and  he  has 
become  one  of  the  most  widely  known  men  in 
this  line  in  Northern  Illinois.  He  has  added 
to  his  business  in  other  lines  that  of  breeder 
of  Shropshire  sheep  and  Berkshire  swine,  in 
which  he  is  extensively  engaged,  and  has 
also  bred  some  very  fine  horses.  One  of  the  most 
noted  horses  bred  by  him  was  "Lofer,"  which 
had  a  record  of  2:14,  but  has  paced  a  mile  in 
2:08,  being  undoubtedly  the  fastest  horse  ever 
bred  in  McHenry  County. 

Mr.  Hatch  has,  for  the  past  twenty-five  years, 
been  prominently  identified  with  the  McHenry 
County  Fair  Association,  of  which,  for  six 
years,  he  was  President.  He  is  also  Presi- 
dent of  the  Farmers'  Picnic  Institute  and  a 
leading  member  of  the  McHenry  County  Farm- 
ers' Institute,  which  he  has  frequently  been 
called  upon  to  address  on  agricultural  and 
other  topics. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hatch  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, having  cast  his  first  vote  for  General 
Grant  for  President.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  Spring  Grove  Lodge  Order  of  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  in  which  he  has 
held  the  office  of  Venerable  Councillor.  He 
has  also  been  an  extensive  traveler  in  his  na- 
tive country,  and  has  visited  most  of  the 
States  of  the  American  Union,  including  Cali- 
fornia and  Florida,  as  well  as  the  Klondike 
region  of  Alaska  and  the  new  republic  of 
Cuba.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  fine  literary  tastes 
and  culture,  and  withal  an  extensive  reader  of 
the  better  class  of  British  and  American  poets, 
being  especially  interested  in  those  who  touch 
deftly  and  tenderly  upon  themes  dealing  with 
the  laws  and   secrets  of  Nature. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


829 


Mr.  Hatch  was  married  at  Belvidere,  111., 
Jan.  3,  1876,  to  Annie  M.  Reynolds,  the  daughter 
of  Edwin  H.  Reynolds.  Mrs.  Hatch  was  a 
student  of  the  State  University  of  Illinois,  and 
was  a  woman  of  rare  culture  and  a  genial  com- 
panion of  her  husband  in  his  literary  work. 
Her  death  occurred  March  26,  1896,  at  the  age 
of  forty-four  years.  Mr.  Hatch  is  one  of  those 
American  citizens  of  broad  views  of  life  who, 
while  liberally  educated,  prefer  the  duties  and 
enjoyments  of  the  agriculturist  and  stock- 
grower  in  the  country  to  a  professional  life  in 
the  city.  Hence  his  choice  of  a  career  which 
has  been  attended  with  such  marked  success 
and  enjoyment.  A  public-spirited  citizen,  he 
is  interested  in  questions  of  local  improve- 
ment, and  for  ten  years  served  as  Supervisor 
of  his  township,  and  was  also  a  School  Trustee 
for  several  years.  He  is  also  a  Trustee  of  the 
State  University,  and  is  now  President  of  the 
Board.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Spring  Grove  Creamery  Association,  and  is  now 
the  President  of  this  successful  business  enter- 
prise. In  his  younger  days  he  engaged  in 
teaching  for  a  time,  being  employed  in  this 
capacity  at  Champaign,  and  still  later  in  Mc- 
Henry  and  Kane  Counties. 


WILLIAM    HENRY   HARRISON. 

William  Henry  Harrison  is  a  veteran  of  the 
Civil  War,  a  substantial  farmer  and  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Ringwood  Prairie.  This 
branch  of  the  Harrisons  is  of  sterling  English 
stock.  His  grandfather,  Robert  Harrison,  born 
in  Yorkshire,  England,  was  a  stock-dealer  and 
accustomed  to  attend  the  fairs  of  England  with 
fine  stock.  He  married  in  England  and  his 
children  were  Richard,  John,  Thomas,  Robert, 
Charles,   Mary,  Elizabeth  and   Ann. 

Robert  Harrison  and  wife  came  to  America 
in  1844,  their  children  having  settled  in  Illi- 
nois. Robert  was  then  an  old  man  and  died 
at  the  residence  of  his  son  Richard,  in  Green- 
wood Township,  aged  about  sixty-nine  years. 
The  family  were  members  of  the  church  of 
England.  In  later  life  Mr.  Harrison  was  in 
moderate  circumstances,  but  in  England,  when 
engaged  in  the  stock  business,  he  was  well  off. 
His  wife  died  aged  eighty-two  years.  Robert, 
the  son  of  the  above,  was  born  in  Yorkshire, 


England,  received  a  limited  common-school  ed- 
ucation in  his  native  country,  and  married  in 
Kirk  Burton,  Yorkshire,  Feb.  25,  1837,  Ann 
Earnshaw,  born  of  a  wealthy  family  in  HudJers- 
field,  England..  Robert  Harrison  came  to  Chi- 
cago in  1835,  the  voyage  from  liverpool  to 
New  York  in  a  sailing  vessel  occupying  about 
eight  weeks.  The  journey  to  Chicago  was  made 
by  way  of  the  lakes.  He  first  worked  for  a  time 
at  daily  labor,  but  later  engaged  with  the  firm 
of  Gage  &  Haynes  in  a  flouring  mill  on  Van 
Buren  Street,  Chicago,  remaining  with  them 
as  head   engineer  for   eighteen  years. 

In  1855  he  moved  to  McHenry  County  and 
bought  of  his  brother  John,  the  property  where 
Mr.  William  H.  Harrison  now  lives.  John  Har- 
rison was  a  pioneer  and  had  entered  the  land 
in  1839.  John  came  from  England  to  Canada 
in  1833  and  to  Ottawa,  111.,  in  1838.  When 
Robert  bought  the  farm  it  consisted  of  210 
acres  and  had  on  it  the  frame  house  and 
barn  which  his  brother  John  had  built.  Robert, 
after  settling  on  the  farm,  still  further  im- 
proved it,  and  here  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  days.  In  political  opinion  he  was  an  old 
line  Whig  and  early  Republican,  and  voted  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  a  hard-working, 
industrious  man  of  broad  mind  and  liberal 
views,  and  a  good  citizen  well  known  for  his 
integrity  of  character.  In  England  he  was  a 
member  of  the  church  of  England  but  in  later 
life  became  a  Universalist.  Mr.  Harrison  died 
in  1873.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Eliza,  born  in 
Chicago,  June  9,  1838,  died  at  Ringwood,  aged 
about  seventeen  years;  Jane,  born  July  15, 
1840;  William  Henry,  born  Aug.  5,  1842;  Sarah 
Ann,  born  March  4,  1856,  died  when  quite 
young;  George,  born  May  31,  1847,  died  in 
infancy;  Frank,  born  Jan.  17,  1S30.  and  died 
an  infant;  Charles,  born  March  20,  1852,  and 
died  while  still  an  infant. 

William  Henry  Harrison,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Chicago,  and  was  about 
thirteen  years  old  when  his  father  moved  to 
Ringwood  Prairie  in  1855.  A  few  years  pre- 
viously he  had  visited  his  uncle  John,  and  was 
thus  familiar  with  the  log  houses  and  early 
scenes  and  incidents  of  the  pioneers.  The 
country  then  was  full  of  small  game  and  there 
were  but  three  houses  in  the  village  of  Ring- 


830 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


wood.  William  H.  attended  school  in  Chicago 
under  the  regime  of  the  old-time  pedagogue, 
who  believed  in  the  vigorous  application  of  the 
"birch"  for  the  most  trivial  offense.  This  did 
not  suit  young  Harrison's  disposition  and  he 
acquired,  under  these  drastic  measures,  but 
little  education.  After  coming  to  Ringwood  he 
attended  school  during  the  winter  months,  the 
last  winter's  term  being  taught  by  the  veteran 
teacher,  Wm.  Nickle.  He  early  began  to  work 
on  the  farm,  grew  up  among  the  pioneers,  and 
in  September,  1866,  was  married  at  Ringwood, 
to  Susannah  Dean,  born  in  New  York  State. 
March  17,  1844,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Ann 
(Babbett)  Dean,  who  were  of  English  descent 
and  settlers  of  Otsego  County,  N.  Y. 

Richard  Dean  was  from  Kent  County,  Eng- 
land, came  a  single  man  to  New  York  State 
and  married  there.  His  wife  came  from  the 
same  part  of  England.  He  landed  at  Kenosha, 
Wis.,  in  1846,  and  came  on  foot  to  Coral  Town- 
ship, where  he  bought  160  acres  of  government 
land.  Having  brought  his  family  and  house- 
hold goods  west,  he  built  a  log  house  on  his 
land  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that  sec- 
tion. Richard  Dean  and  his  first  wife  were  the 
parents  of  Sarah  A.,  born  Nov.  6,  1833;  Rich- 
ard, born  March  19,  1835;  Thomas,  born  Dec. 
3,  1836;  John  James,  born  July  26,  1838;  Mary 
A.,  born  August  29,  1840,  and  Susan,  born 
March  17,  1844.     ' 

Mrs.  Dean  died  in  1844,  aged  about  forty- 
seven  years,  and  Mr.  Dean  afterwards  married 
Mary  Brooks  and  they  had  children  named 
Henry,  born  Sept.  3,  1845;  Edward  L.,  born 
Nov.  30,  1847;  Rachael  B.,  born  April  27,  1861; 
Maria  E.,  born  August  3,  1852;  Charles  B.,  born 
May  16,  1854;  Emma  F.,  born  May  10,  1858, 
besides  two  others  who  died  in  infancy.  All 
children  of  both  wives  are  yet  living  except 
as  stated  above,  and  Sarah,  the  oldest  child 
of  the  first  family,  who  died  Oct.  21,  1900. 
Mr.  Dean  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  in  political  opinion  was  a  stanch 
Democrat.  He  was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm 
and  was  well  known  for  his  straight-forward 
walk  in  life.  He  moved  to  Sac  County,  Iowa, 
about  1878,  where  he  bought  an  improved  farm 
of  160  acres,  and  there  died. 

The  deaths  in  the  Dean  family  are  as  follows: 
Ann  Dean  (first  wife)   died  Sept.  3,  1844;   Ed- 


ward L.,  died  July  8,  1848,  aged  about  seven 
months;  Mary  D.,  (second  wife)  died  Dec 
6,  1876,  aged  sixty  years,  seven  months  and 
twenty  days.  Richard  Dean  died  May  15,  1880. 
aged  sixty-seven  years,  six  months  and  nine- 
teen days.  Henry  Dean  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison  set- 
tled on  the  present  farm  which  now  consists 
of  210  acres  of  fine  farming  land,  very  pleas- 
antly located  on  Ringwood  Prairie  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  village  of  that  name. 
In  political  opinion  he  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  was  a  supporter  of  Lincoln.  He  is  an 
honored  citizen  of  the  township  and  was  a 
School  Trustee  three  terms. 

Mr.   Harrison  enlisted   at  Ringwood,  May  9, 

1864,  in  the  one-hundred-day  service  under 
Captain  Philip  H.  Carr  as  a  private  of  Com- 
pany A,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-first  Regi- 
ment, Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  His  regi- 
ment, however,  was  held  on  account  of  the 
need  of  their  services  until  Oct.  10,  1864,  sta- 
tioned much  of  the  time  at  Columbus,  Ky. 
The  Hundred-Day  men  received  the  thanks  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  a  printed  testimonial.  On 
February  6,  1865,  Mr.  Harrison  re-enlisted  at 
Ringwood,  for  service  in  Company  I,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Forty-seventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, Captain  John  A.  Pratt,  and  was  appointed 
Corporal.  The  regiment  left  for  the  front,  Feb. 
21,  1865,  and  arrived  at  Dalton,  Ga.,  on  March 
1.  This  was  the  extreme  outpost  of  the  Federal 
army  and  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  scout- 
ing in  Northern  Georgia  until  the  surrender  of 
the  rebel  army.  They  were  in  several  severe 
skirmishes.  Their  marches  were  as  follows: 
On  May  17,  they  marched  from  Dalton,  Ga., 
to  Resaca;  thence  to  Calhoun,  where  they  re- 
mained until  July  7,  when  they  went  by  rail 
to  Albany,  Ga.,  where  they  remained  until 
November  1.  They  then  marched  to  Hawkins- 
ville,  Ga.,  where  they  remained  until  Nov.  28, 

1865,  when  they  were  transferred  to  Savannah, 
remaining  until  Jan.  20,  1866.  They  were  hon- 
orably  discharged   at   Springfield,   111.,    Feb.   8, 

1866,  Mr.  Harrison  was  not  a  prisoner  or  sick 
in  hospital  during  his  term  of  service  and  was 
in  all  the  campaigns,  marches  and  skirmishes 
in  which  his  regiment  took  part. 

The    children   of   William    H.    Harrison    and 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


831 


wife  are:  Charles  W.,  Hubert  A.,  John  B.,  Clay- 
ton C,  Edward  E.,  Ora  D.,  Roy  C,  and  Susan 
Eva,  born  May  27,  died  March  8,  1879. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison  are  both  Universalists 
in  religious  belief.  Mr.  Harrison  is  a  man  of 
high  moral  character,  of  sturdy  habits  and  he 
has  never  used  tobacco.  The  children  all  re- 
ceived good  common-school  educations,  and 
Clayton  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools.  William  H.  Harrison  has  passed 
nearly  all  his  days  on  the  farm.  He  and  his 
faithful  wife  have  worked  with  great  zeal  and 
industry  to  accumulate  their  property  and  to 
bring  up  their  large  family.  He  served  his 
country  patriotically  as  a  soldier  when  needed 
during  the  Civil  War,  and  he  has  always  been 
known  as  a  straight-forward,  upright  citizen. 
The  seven  sons  of  the  Harrison  family  have 
never  used  either  intoxicating  liquor  or  to- 
bacco. 


EDWARD  HANCOCK. 

Edward  Hancock  (deceased),  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War  and  for  many  years  a  respected 
citizen  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  was  born 
at  Scales  Mound,  Joe  Daviess  County,  111., 
Dec.  3,  1840,  the  son  of  Richard  and  Eliza 
(Lichtenberger)  Hancock.  Richard  Hancock 
was  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  and  a 
miner  by  occupation  who  came,  while  still  a 
young  man,  with  his  parents  to  Joe  Daviess 
County  and  worked  in  the  lead  mines  in  the 
vicinity  of  Galena.  Later  in  life  he  became  a 
farmer  and,  in  1858,  bought  land  in  Thompson 
Township,  Joe  Daviess  County,  where  he 
opened  up  a  farm.  After  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  Australia  he  made  a  trip  to  that  country  to 
engage  in  mining  there,  suffering  shipwreck  on 
the  way,  but  finally  returning  to  his  home  in 
Illinois,  where  he  died.  His  children  were: 
Edward,  Julia,  Stephen,  Louisa,  Mary,  George 
and  Cora.  The  parents  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Edward  Hancock  received, 
while  young,  a  limited  education  which  he 
afterwards  extended  in  the  school  of  exper- 
ience. Being  the  oldest  child  of  the  family 
and  about  sixteen  years  of  age  when  his 
father  went  to  Australia,  the  support  of  the" 
family  largely  devolved  upon  him.  He  en- 
gaged in  lead-mining  and  also  managed  the 
farm,   but  the   Civil   War  having  broken  out, 


in  August,  1861,  he  enlisted  at  Galena  as  a 
private  in  Company  F,  Ninety-sixth  Regiment 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  until  June 
10,  1865,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Camp  Harker,  Tenn.  He  was  detailed  on 
duty  as  a  teamster  and  served  as  such  for 
some  time.  He  participated  with  his  regiment 
in  many  of  the  most  important  battles  in  the 
South  east  of  the  Mississippi,  including  those 
of  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Perryville, 
Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Lookout  Mountain, 
Resaca,  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Dallas,  New  Hope 
Church,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
Jonesboro,  Lovejoy  Station,  Atlanta,  Franklin 
and  Nashville,  besides  numerous  skirmishes. 
During  the  Atlanta  campaign  he  was  under 
fire  much  of  the  time,  both  day  and  night,  for 
four  months.  He  was  shot  in  the  heel  at  Ken- 
esaw Mountain,  and  in  consequence  disabled 
for  four  weeks.  An  "ambulance  corps"  having 
been  organized  about  the  beginning  of  the  At- 
lanta campaign,  he  was  detailed  as  one  of  its 
members.  His  company  having  been  drawn 
up  in  line,  the  officer  having  charge  of  the 
organization  of  the  corps  selected  six  of  their 
members  for  this  service,  of  whom  Mr.  Han- 
cock was  one — the  standard  of  qualification  for 
the  service  being  intelligence,  physical 
strength,  personal  courage  and  evidence  of 
a  humane  temperament.  Provided  with  canvas 
stretchers,  the  corps  went  through  a  course 
of  training  and  proved  most  useful  trom  the 
start.  Their  first  experience  was  at  Rocky 
Face  Ridge,  where,  at  great  personal  risk,  they 
carried  many  dead  and  wounded  from  the  field. 
At  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Mr.  Hancock  and  his 
comrade,  George  E.  Smith,  were  wounded  by 
the  same  bullet  from  rebel  sharp-shooters  fired 
at  them  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  war.  Dur- 
ing this  battle  they  carried  sixteen  men  from 
the  field  to  the  hospital,  a  distance  of  one  and 
a' half  miles,  traveling  in  twenty  hours  not 
less  than  fifty  miles.  The  reckless  and  un- 
military  conduct  of  the  rebels  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  when  members  of  the  corps  were  ex- 
posed to  hundreds  of  rebel  bullets  while  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duty,  led  later  to  a 
better  understanding,  yet  they  incurred  great 
risks  at  the  subsequent  battles  of  Lovejoy  Sta- 
tion, Atlanta,  Franklin,  Nashville,  and  else- 
where, though  always  ready  to  discharge  their 
duty  by  carrying  the  wounded  from  the  field. 


832 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


At  Lookout  Mountain  Mr.  Hancock  was  one  of 
the  first  seventeen  men  to  ascend  the  moun- 
tain during  the  battle,  and  was  wounded  in  the 
hand  and  had  his  face  grazed  by  a  bullet.    He 
was  never  in  a  hospital  except  for  a  few  days 
in  a  field  hospital  after  the  affair  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain,    and    was    never    a    prisoner.      The 
Ninety-sixth  Illinois  was  a  fighting  regiment. 
Its  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  during  the  war 
was   116   and  by   disease   125 — a  total   of   241. 
It  saw  service  in  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Georgia. 
Alabama  and   North  Carolina.     After  the  war 
Mr.  Hancock  located  in  Chicago  where,  for  two 
years,   he    was    in   the   grocery   business    with 
Joseph  Nourse;  later,  was  engaged  in  the  cat- 
tle-trade at  the   Stock  Yards,   and  for  a  time 
superintended  track-laying  on  the   Milwaukee 
Avenue   Division   of  the   Chicago   Street   Rail- 
road   Company.      Then    removing   to    Gardner, 
111.,  he  superintended  a  hotel  and  a  brick-yard 
there  and,   in    1871,   was   superintendent   of   a 
brick-yard   at  Thornton.     On  August  25,  1872, 
he  was  married  at  Warren,  111.,  to  Hattie  C. 
Going,  born  at  Scales  Mound,  111.,  the  daughter 
of  Adoniram  Judson  and  Mary  C.  (Clendening) 
Going.        After   marriage    they     remained     at 
Thornton,   111.,   until  1873,  when  he  moved  to 
Big  Foot  Prairie,  McHenry  County,  where  he 
began  improving  320  acres  of  land  for  which 
he  had  exchanged  Chicago  property  some  years 
previous.     This  land  he  improved  erecting  on 
it   substantial   farm   buildings  and   bringing  it 
into   a   high    state   of   cultivation.     In    March, 
1881,   he   removed   to  Harvard,   purchased   de- 
sirable   town    property    and,    in    1893,    erected 
a  pleasant   residence   in   the   modern   style   of 
architecture — later  erecting  another  residence 
on   an   adjoining   lot.     He   was   a   member   of 
Harvard  Post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public,  in   which  he   held  the   office  of   Chap- 
lain;  held  to  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party  on  national  affairs,  but.  on  local  matters 
voted    the    Prohibition    ticket.     Mr.    and    Mrs. 
Hancock    were     members     of    the    Methodist 
church,  with  which  he  united  in  1873,  and  of 
which  he  was  a  liberal  supporter,  serving  many 
years  as  steward  and  trustee.      Their  children 
were:      Zenas    Freeman,    born    Dec.    31,    1871, 
died  at  the  age  of  five  years;  George  Raymond, 
born  April  7,  1879;    Mary  Jessie,  born  Jan.  3, 
1881,  died  in  infancy;  Judson  Edwin,  born  Sept. 
30,   1883;    Harry  Lavern,   born   Nov.   21,    1885, 


died  aged  seven  years.  Mr.  Hancock  was  a 
self-made  man,  from  boyhood  being  dependent 
upon  his  own  resources.  At  his  death  he  was 
the  owner  of  360  acres  of  land  in  McHenry 
County,  besides  valuable  property  in  Harvard. 
He  died  August  4,  1901.  The  son  Raymond  G. 
attended  the  State  University  at  Lincoln,  Neb., 
graduated  from  the  Nebraska  College  of  Ora- 
tory and,  for  a  time,  was  before  the  public  as 
dramatic  reader  and  impersonator.  Having  a 
natural  talent  for  oratory,  he  won  many  flat- 
tering encomiums.  He  married  Miss  Antoin- 
ette Zimmer,  of  Nebraska  City,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  clothing  business  at  Rockford, 
111.,  until  July,  1902,  when  on  account  of  failing 
health,  he  settled  on  a  part  of  his  father's 
homestead  farm.  Judson  Edwin  is  a  graduate 
of  the  agricultural  department  of  the  Wis- 
consin State  University  and  is  engaged  in 
farming  on  the  paternal  homestead. 

Adoniram  Judson  Going,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Edward  Hancock,  was  born  at  Rushford,  Alle- 
gany County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  17,  1819,  the  son  of 
Eliab  and  Sarah  (Freeman)  Going.  Jonathan 
Going,  the  father  of  Eliab,  was  a  Baptist  min- 
ister in  Vermont  and  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. The  son  Eliab,  born  in  Vermont,  re- 
moved to  New  York  at  an  early  day,  settling 
in  Allegany  County;  became  a  Baptist  preacher 
as  his  father  wasi  before  him.  and  preached  in 
various  counties  in  Western  New  York — being 
the  first  preacher  of  his  denomination  in  Alle- 
gany County  as  early  as  1813.  In  1857  he  re- 
moved to  Newport,  Ky.,  but  four  years  later,  the 
war  having  broken  out,  he  came  to  McHenry 
County  and  began  preaching  at  Richmond.  In 
1864  he  went  to  Warren,  111.,  to  live  with  his 
oldest  son,  Adoniram  J.,  and  on  March  5, 
1868,  he  and  his  wife  celebrated  their  fiftieth 
wedding  anniversary.  At  that  time  he  had 
not  lost  a  single  descendant  by  death,  but  a 
few  weeks  later  his  son  Adoniram  J.  died,  fol- 
lowed in  September  by  the  death  of  another 
son,  John,  and  on  Feb.  21,  1869,  by  that  of  his 
wife.  Two  days  later  occurred  the  death  of 
Mr.  Going  himself,  and  he  and  his  wife  were 
buried  in  the  same  grave.  The  children  of 
the  family  were:  Adoniram  J.,  Joshua  Bradley, 
Harriet,  Catherine,  John  and  Jedediah  Freeman. 
Adoniram  J.  Going,  who  was  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Hancock,  attended  an  academy  in  Alle- 
gany County,  N.  Y.,  and  engaged  in  farming. 


McHENRY     COUN  T  Y. 


833 


In  the  winter  of  1841  he  came  west  and  began 
farming  and  teaching,  but  finally  located  at 
Scales  Mound,  where  he  entered  320  acres  of 
land.  In  1863  he  moved  to  Warren,  Jo  Daviess 
County,  becoming  the  owner  of  320  acres  of 
land  there,  and  dying  there  in  1868.  He  was  a 
Free-will  Baptist  and  church  deacon  several 
years.  His  children  were  Zenas  H.,  Harriet 
O,  Jonathan  E.,  Judson  F.  and  Mary  C.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican.  Dr.  Zenas  H. 
Going,  the  eldest  son  of  Adoniram  J.,  is  a  well- 
known  physician  of  Chicago,  while  Judson  F. 
is  a  lawyer  in  the  same  city.  Rev.  Freeman 
Going,  an  uncle  of  Adoniram,  was  a  Baptist 
minister  and  Rev.  Zenas  Freeman  was  Presi- 
dent of  Hamilton  College,  N.  Y.  Dr.  Jonathan 
Going  was  an  early  President  of  Granville  Col- 
lege,  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Adoniram  J.  Going  was  Mary  Ann  Clen- 
dening,  born  July  19,  1827,  in  Franklin  County, 
Ohio,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Caroline 
(Torrence)  Clendening.  Her  father  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  the  son  of  Jonathan 
Clendening  who  came  from  the  vicinity  of  Har- 
risburg,  Pa.,  and  settled  at  an  early  day  near 
Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  opened  up  a  farm. 
His  wife  was  Sarah  Inks,  daughter  of  Jack  Inks, 
and  their  children,  John,  Jonathan,  James,  Wil- 
liam, Eva  (who  died  young)  and  Sarah.  Jona- 
than Clendening  was  a  Presbyterian,  and 
died  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio.  Jonathan  (2), 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Going,  was  born  in  Franklin 
County,  Ohio,  received  a  good  education  and 
was  a  local  preacher  and  teacher.  His  serv- 
ices were  much  in  demand  for  settling  up  es- 
tates. He  married  Caroline  Torrence,  born  in 
Franklin  County,  Ohio,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Mary  (Manley)  Torrence,  both  belonging 
to  Vermont  families.  Jonathan  Clendening 
was  a  stone-engraver  and  afterwards  a  mer- 
chant in  Ohio,  where  he  lived  until  1840,  when 
he  removed  with  his  family  in  a  covered  wagon 
to  Jo  Daviess  County,  111.,  the  journey  occu- 
pying four  weeks.  He  first  settled  near  Ga- 
lena, where  he  remained  five  years,  after  which 
he  moved  to  Scales  Mound,  entered  160  acres 
of  land  there,  but  ten  years  later  moved  to 
Warren,  Jo  Daviess  County,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  children  were: 
Mary,  Thomas,  Angeline,  James,  Manley,  John 
and  Harmon.  Three  of  the  brothers — Thomas, 
Manley   and    Harmon — were   Methodist   minis 


ters  belonging  to  the  Rock  River  Conference 
at  the  same  time.  Manley  enlisted  as  a  pri- 
vate soldier  in  1861,  but  was  immediately  ap- 
pointed Chaplain  of  his  regiment;  later,  be- 
ing honorably  discharged,  re-enlisted  in  the 
Fifteenth  Illinois,  was  commissioned  Second 
Lieutenant,  and  then  promoted  over  the  head 
of  the  First  Lieutenant  to  the  captaincy  of 
the  company.  All  the  sons  were  engaged  in 
some  capacity  in  the  Civil  War  except  Har- 
mon, who  was  too  young. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Going,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward Hancock,  died  at  the  home  of  her  daugh- 
ter, in  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  Feb.  28, 
1903. 


THE     HUNT     FAMILY. 

The  Hunt  family,  who  have  from  pioneer 
days  been  reckoned  among  the  prominent  and 
substantial  farmers  of  McHenry  County,  ac- 
cording to  tradition  are  of  mixed  English  and 
Welsh  descent.  Capt.  Ziba  Hunt,  the  first  mem- 
ber of  the  family  in  America  of  whom  there 
is  any  satisfactory  record,  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut, Jan.  4,  1746,  and  according  to  the  best 
evidence  obtainable,  his  father  came  from  Eng- 
land, first  settling  in  Massachusetts,  but  latei' 
removed  to  Groton,  Conn.,  where  he  lost  his 
life  by  drowning  in  consequence  of  the  upset- 
ting of  a  boat  in  Long  Island  Sound.  His 
widow  afterwards  married  John  Partridge,  of 
Connecticut.  His  son  Ziba  in  early  life  mar- 
ried Joanna  Blount,  the  daughter  of  Ambrose 
and  Jonathan  (Clark)  Blount,  and  in  1770  moved 
with  his  family  to  Lebanon,  Columbia  County, 
N.  Y.  He  was  a  tanner  and  shoemaker  by 
trade,  and  also  served  several  campaigns  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  but  later  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Northampton,  in  Fulton  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  died,  Sept.  10,  18.20,  in  the  seventy- 
fifth  year  of  his  age.  His  wife,  who  was  born 
Sept.  25,  1848,  died  at  Edinburg,  N.  Y.,  March 
12,  1825,  in  her  seventy-seventh  year.  They 
had  a  family  of  eight  sons  and  five  daughters, 
viz.:  Asa,  Tryphena,  William,  Asa  (2),  Lem- 
uel, Sarah,  Elijah,  Walter,  Joanna,  Ziba,  Jr., 
Mehitabel  and  George.  All  except  the  oldest 
lived  to  years  of  maturity,  and  all  reared  large 
families,  except  Ziba,  Jr.,  who  was  married 
twice  but  had  no  children.  Omitting  reference 
to  the  lateral  branches  with  which  this  sketch 
has  nothing  to  do,  the  next  in  descent  of  the 


834 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


line  to  which  the  immediate  subjects  of  this 
sketch  belong,  was  George,  the  youngest  of  this 
family,  who  was  born  at  New  Lebanon,  N.  Y., 
in  1791,  and  married  Elizabeth  Deming,  Oct. 
15,  1809.  In  1836  he  moved  to  Albany.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  during  the  War  of  1812 
served  as  captain  of  a  military  company;  was 
also  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  the  town  of 
Day.,  N.  Y.,  for  fourteen  years,  besides  filling 
other  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He 
was  ,an  active  member  and  a  deacon  in  the 
Baptist  church,  and  having  a  natural  aptitude 
for  music,  was  leader  of  the  church  choir  and 
also  active  in  Sunday-school  work,  establish- 
ing a  number  of  schools  in  his  own  and  adjoin- 
ing districts.  He  died  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Oct. 
7,  1876,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  His  wife's 
sister,  Susanna,  became  the  wife  of  George 
Hunt's  brother  Walter.  Mrs.  George  Hunt  died 
at  Albany,  May  9,  1875,  in  her  eighty-third 
year. 

Charles  Hunt  the  son  of  George  Hunt,  and 
next  in  line  of  descent,  was  born  at  Northamp- 
ton, N.  Y.,  May  26,  1812,  and  after  teaching  sev- 
eral terms,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  at  Day,  N.  Y.  A  year  later 
he  moved  to  Orangeville,  N.  Y.,  where,  Oct. 
10,  1834,  he  married  Minerva  Middfck,  who  was 
born  March  22,  1815.  In  1837  he  moved  to 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  in  the  summer  of  1839  came 
to  Alden,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  Twelve  years  later  (1851), 
having  removed  to  Big  Foot,  on  the  border  of 
Wisconsin,  he  there  resumed  the  mercantile 
business.  His  wife  having  died  here  Feb. 
13,  1854,  on  October  9,  1855,  he  was  married  to 
Sarah  Porter  as  his  second  wife,  and  soon  after 
moved  to  Chemung,  McHenry  County.  About 
eight  years  later  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  Berlin,  Wis.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  trade,  finally  dying  there  June  9, 
1872.  Mr.  Hunt's  second  wife,  Sarah  Porter, 
was  born  Oct.  4,  1819,  and  died  Sept.  10,  1871. 
Nine  children  were  born  of  the  first  marriage, 
viz.:  George  W.,  born  at  Orangeville,  N.  Y., 
July  16,  1835;  James  M.,  born  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
Nov.  21,  1837,  died  Sept.  9,  1839;  Byron  E., 
born  at  Big  Foot,  111.,  Dec.  24,  1839;  Julia  E., 
born  at  Alden,  111.,  Dec.  17,  1842,  died  Jan.  4, 
1848;  John  M.,  born  at  Alden,  July  17,  1844; 
Charles  E.,  born  at  Alden,  April  29,  1846;  Mat- 
tie  M.,  born  at  Alden,  September,  1848;  Mary 
D.,  born  at  Alden,  March  7,  1850,  died  April  3, 


1876;  Oliver  P.,  born  at  Alden,  Nov.  18,  1851, 
died  at  Big  Foot,  March  8,  1854;  Candace  C, 
born  at  Big  Foot,  111.,  Jan.  27,  1854,  died  Sept. 
22,  1854.  There  was  one  son  by  the  second 
marriage,  Franklin  P.,  who  was  born  at  Che- 
mung, 111.,  April  24,  1858. 

George  W.  Hunt,  the  eldest  son  of  Charles 
Hunt,  born  at  Orangeville,  Genesee  County, 
N.  Y.,  July  16,  1835,  at  four  years  of  age  came 
with  his  parents  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  was 
educated  at  Milton  College,  and  was  engaged 
with  his  father  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
Big  Foot,  111.,  On  March  31,  1859,  he  married 
Miss  Louille  M.  Parker,  of  Hebron  Township, 
McHenry  County,  and  soon  after  began  farm- 
ing on  a  part  of  the  Parker  estate.  As  a 
farmer  and  stock-raiser  he  proved  quite  suc- 
cessful and  finally  established  a  business  that 
placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of  the  stock-rais- 
ers and  farmers  of  McHenry  County.  Social, 
generous  and  sympathetic  in  temperament,  he 
was  strictly  just  and  upright  in  all  his  dealings. 
As  a  citizen  he  was  public-spirited  and  was  one 
of  the  active  promoters  of  the  organization  of 
the  McHenry  County  Agricultural  Society  and 
one  of  the  principal  exhibitors  of  fine  stock 
at  its  annual  fairs.  He  also  filled  a  number  of 
public  positions  and,  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  his  town.  His 
death  occurred  Sept.  9,  1882.  Mr.  George  W. 
Hunt's  children  were:  Carlton  C,  born  on 
Oak  Grove  farm,  near  Hebron,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, April  23,  1860;  George  A.,  born  same  place, 
Jan.  4,  1863;  Mary  D.,  born  same  place,  Nov. 
10,  1865,  died  near  Woodstock,  Nov.  21,  1880; 
Byron  E.,  born  on  the  homestead,  Nov.  18, 
1867;  Libbie  E.,  born  same  place,  Oct.  23,  1870, 
married  Frank  M.  Barber  of  Greenwood,  and 
they  have  two  children — George  H.  and  an  in- 
fant unnamed. 

Carlton  C.  Hunt,  the  oldest  member  of  this 
family,  now  one  of  the  managers  of  the  "Oak 
Grove  Farm"  in  Hebron  Township,  McHenry 
County,  received  a  good  common-school  edu- 
cation, attending  the  district  school  during  the 
winter  months  while  assisting  his  father  and 
receiving  his  training  on  the  farm  in  the  sum- 
mer. After  his  father's  death  in  the  fall  of 
1882,  he  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
brother  George  for  the  continuance  of  their 
father's  business  under  the  firm  name  of  "Hunt 
Brothers,"  and  they  are  now  widely  known 
among  the  leading  stock-breeders  of  McHenry 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


83: 


County.  Carlton  C.  Hunt  was  married,  March 
9,  1895,  in  McHenry  County,  to  Blanche  E.  Mer- 
chant, who  was  born  in  Harrison,  Winnebago 
County,  111.,  May  14,  1878,  the.  daughter  of  Alva 
and  Mina  (Cunningham)  Merchant.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hunt  are  the  parents  of  the  following 
named  children:  Leslie  Raymond,  born  June 
9,  1895;  Mina  Grace,  born  June  6,  1897; 
Blanche  B.,  born  May  26,  1899;  Edith  May, 
born  Feb.  14,  1901;  George  W.,  born  Feb.  18, 
1903.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hunt  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  and  in  political  belief  Mr. 
Hunt  is  a  stanch  Republican.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  Woodstock  Lodge,  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons, and  of  Hebron  Lodge,  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows.  Practical  and  energetic 
in  his  habits,  his  success  has  demonstrated 
that  he  has  been  guided  by  intelligent  meth- 
ods and  up-to-date  ideas  in  his  business  career. 
GEORGE  A.  HUNT,  brother  of  the  preceding 
and  member  of  the  firm  of  Hunt  Brothers,  was 
reared  on  the  farm  and  educated  in  the  public 
schools.  As  his  father  and  brother  have  done 
before  him,  he  has  always  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  matters  relating  to  agriculture,  hor- 
ticulture and  stock-raising.  For  three  years 
(1898-1901)  he  served  as  President  of  the  Mc- 
Henry County  Farmers'  Institute.  In  1890  he 
was  elected  a  Director  of  the  State  Farmers' 
Institute  for  the  Eighth  Congressional  Dis- 
trict, and  has  twice  represented  McHenry 
County  with  a  comprehensive  exhibit  of  the 
agricultural,  horticultural  and  dairy  products 
of  the  county,  at  the  Illinois  State  Fair  at 
Springfield,  winning  first  prize  on  both  occa- 
sions. He  was  also  the  originator  of  the  Farm- 
ers' Institute  educational  excursions,  combin- 
ing recreation  with  instruction,  and  these  have 
not  only  proved  popular  but  instructive  as 
well,  being  attended  by  the  most  progressive 
farmers  in  McHenry  County.  The  first  of 
these  excursions  was  made  to  the  University 
of  Wisconsin  at  Madison,  in  1901,  and  the  sec- 
ond to  the  University  of  Illinois  at  Champaign, 
in  1902.  On  these  occasions  the  experimental 
stations,  with  their  different  departments,  were 
explained  to  the  visitors  -by  specialists  in 
charge.  Mr.  Hunt  has  written  a  pamphlet  on 
the  resources  of  McHenry  County,  which  is  of 
value  to  all  seeking  information  on  this  sub- 
ject. At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  McHenry 
County  Agricultural  Board,  held  Dec.  1,  1902, 
he  was  elected  Secretary  of  the  Society,  a  po- 
sition which  he  now  holds. 


GEORGE    H.    HARRISON. 

George  H.  Harrison,  farmer,  Ringwood  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  is  descended  from  Eng- 
lish ancestry  for  many  generations  identified 
with  Yorkshire.  Robert  Harrison,  the  grand- 
father of  George  H.,  was  born  in  the  village  of 
Lorkfleet,  Yorkshire,  in  1788,  in  the  house 
which  had  been  the  home  of  his  father  and  his 
grandfather.  He  was  the  oldest  son  of  the 
family  and,  according  to  tradition,  was  left  in 
comfortable  circumstances  at  his  father's 
death.  About  1807  he  was  married  in  a  church, 
either  at  Blackcroft  or  at  Howden,  Yorkshire, 
to  Jane  Crissey,  who  was  a  native  of  Yorkshire, 
and  they  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  eight 
lived  to  years  of  maturity  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica, where  they  were  prominent  and  substan- 
tial citizens.  Robert  Harrison  engaged  in  the 
stock  business  in  his  native  country  and  was 
accustomed  to  exhibit  fine  stock  at  the  public 
fairs.  In  1844  he  came  with  his  wife  to  Amer- 
ica, where  his  three  sons  had  previously  set- 
tled, and  about  1857  died  at  the  home  of  his  son 
Richard,  in  Greenwood  Township,  McHenry 
County,  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years.  His 
wife  died  at  the  home  of  her  oldest  daughter, 
Mrs.  Mary  Thompson,  aged  about  eighty-two. 
In  their  native  country  they  were  both  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  England. 

Richard  Harrison,  the  oldest  son  of  Robert, 
was  born  April  22,  1808,  in  the  old  home  at 
Yorkshire,  England,  where  at  least  four  gen- 
erations of  the  family  had  lived  before  him. 
He  received  a  limited  education  in  his  native 
country  and  followed  the  life  of  a  farmer.  In 
1830,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  in  com- 
pany with  five  other  young  men  as  shipmates 
— two  of  these  being  brothers,  Nicholas  ana 
James  Hewson,  besides  William  Woodall  and 
two  others — he  came  to  Canada  and  settled  at 
By  town  (now  Prescott)  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
River.  He  was  thus  the  first  of  his  father's 
family  to  cross  the  ocean  to  the  New  World. 
He  remained  at  Bytown  about  twelve  years, 
being  employed  in  farm-work  and,  for  a  time, 
in  the  lumber  business.  In  the  latter  he  was 
greatly  trusted  by  his  employers  on  account  of 
his  honesty  and  good  judgment.  During  a 
part  of  this  time  he  was  entrusted  with  the 
buying  of  wheat  and  had  charge  of  an  outfit 
of  teams  engaged  in  hauling  provisions  and 
other  supplies  for  the  use  of  employes  in  the 
lumber  camps  170  miles  north  of  Prescott,  the 


836 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


greater  part  of  this  distance  being  through  a 
wilderness  of  pine  forests.  The  sleigh-trains 
traveled  from  one  lake  to  another  until  they 
reached  the  camp  located  in  a  forest  of  Nor- 
way pine,  which  was  cut  for  ship-timber  and 
rafted  down  the  Pistawanee  River  to  Prescott, 
where  it  was  manufactured  into  lumber.  Mr. 
Harrison  was  also  employed  for  a  time  in  the 
construction  of  the  Welland  Canal,  and  during 
the  Canadian  rebellion  of  1837  was  drafted  as  a 
soldier  for  the  defense  of  the  Government. 
Richard  and  his  brother  John  were  both  em- 
ployed in  the  construction  of  steamboats  for 
the  British  Government,  whip-sawing  lumber 
used  in  building  the  "Sir  Robert  Peel,"  which 
was  captured  by  the  rebels  and  burned  in  re- 
taliation for  the  destruction  of  the  American 
steamer  "Caroline,"  which  was  set  on  fire  and 
sent  over  the  falls.  Richard  was  in  the  battle 
which  occurred  at  the  mill  where  he  had  been 
employed,  and  in  which  the  Government  forces 
were  at  first  repulsed,  although  they  finally 
succeeded  in  dispersing  the  insurgents. 

In  1842  Richard  Harrison  came  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  bringing  with  him  a  capital  of 
$500,  and  soon  after  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land,  upon  which  he  erected  a  log-cabin  and 
put  up  several  stacks  of  hay  cured  from  the 
natural  prairie  grass.  He  then  sent  for  his 
wife,  Hannah,  to  whom  he  had  been  married  in 
Canada,  and  she  came  to  McHenry  County, 
bringing  with  her  their  two  children,  Robert 
and  Jane.  His  wife  having  died  a  few  years 
afterwards,  in  January,  1851,  he  was  married 
in  Greenwood  Township  to  Catherine  Dodge, 
who  was  born  in  New  York  State,  May  31, 
1819,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Hannah 
(Brown)  Dodge.  Hannah  Brown,  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Harrison,  was  of  Holland-Dutch  stock, 
born  in  New  York  in  1778,  and  died  at  the 
Richard  Harrison  home,  April  4,  1869,  aged 
about  ninety-three  years.  Jonathan  Dodge, 
the  father,  belonged  to  an  old  New  York  State 
family.  The  childhood  of  Catherine  Dodge 
was  spent  in  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y.,  her  home, 
for  a  time,  being  at  White  Lake.  In  1845,  in 
company  with  her  mother,  her  brother,  John 
Dodge,  and  her  half-brother,  L.  B.  Pratt,  late 
of  Greenwood,  she  came  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Kenosha,  Wis., 
and  arriving  at  Richmond,  McHenry  County, 
on  July  3.  After  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Harrison 
they  settled  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Har- 


rison homestead.  Their  children  were- 
George  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  born 
Oct.  3,  1851,  and  Hannah  L.,  who  became  the 
wife  of  E.  G.  Howe.  Richard  Harrison  was  a 
man  of  sturdy  character,  and  he  and  his  wife 
in  their  time  were  among  the  substantial  citi- 
zens of  McHenry  County.  He  was  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  held  various  local  offices, 
including  those  of  Commissioner  of  Highways 
and  School  Director,  filling  the  former  position 
for  nearly  twenty  years.  He  lived  to  the  age 
of  seventy-six  years,  dying  Sept.  5,  1884,  in  the 
village  of  Ringwood,  where  he  had  resided 
after  retiring  from  the  farm.  His  wife,  who 
was  familiarly  known  as  "Aunt  Katie,"  died  at 
the  home  of  her  son,  George  H.,  Dec.  7,  1896. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  one  of  the  most  widely  known  pioneer 
women  of  her  section. 

George  H.  Harrison  received  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  locality,  and  in 
boyhood  began  working  on  the  farm.  On  Jan. 
20,  1880,  he  was  married  in  Mercer  County, 
Mo.,  to  Mary  Ellen  Brush,  who  was  a  native  of 
that  county,  born  March  26,  1862,  the  daughter 
of  Louis  and  Harriet  L.  (Wood)  Brush.  Mrs. 
Brush  was  the  daughter  of  Amos  and  Millie 
(Hill)  Wood.  The  Hill,  Wood  and  Brush  fam- 
ilies all  came  from  New  York  to  McHenry 
County  in  pioneer  days,  but  later  became  resi- 
dents of  Missouri.  Louis  Brush  first  settled 
in  Hebron  Township,  where  he  worked  for 
Robert  Stewart  seven  years;  married  Harriet 
L.  Wood,  the  daughter  of  Amos  and  Millie 
Wood,  after  which  he  spent  some  time  in  Wis- 
consin and  in  Fayette  County,  Iowa,  removing 
thence  to  Mercer  County,  Mo.,  where  he  bought 
200  acres  of  land,  and  where  he  lived  until  his 
death.  His  children  were:  Millie,  Charles 
F.,  Milo  E.,  Miary  E.,  Wilbur  and  Walter. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  H.  Har- 
rison settled  on  land  belonging  to  his  father, 
where  they  lived  one  year,  when  they  removed 
to  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  consisting 
of  240  acres,  which  his  father  had  bought  in 
1879.  He  has  made  extensive  improvements 
here,  building  a  large  barn  in  1899,  with  his 
substantial  frame  residence  making  one  of  the 
most  pleasant  homes  in  McHenry  County.  He 
has  also  added  to  his  land  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  376  acres.  Seven  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison,  namely: 
Lena   H.,   born   Nov.    29,   1881;     Raymond    R., 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


837 


born  July  19,  1885;  Walter  Brush,  born  Feb. 
19,  1887;  Grace  B.,  born  Dec.  19,  1889;  Ed- 
ward G.,  born  Sept.  28,  1894;  Florence  C, 
born  July  3,  1897,  died  May  3,  1899;  Lora  M., 
born  Nov.  19,  1900.  Politically  Mr.  Harrison 
is  a  stanch  Republican  and,  by  his  successful 
carer  as  a  practical  farmer,  has  established  a 
reputation  as  a  capable  business  man  of  high 
integrity. 


CHARLES    HARRISON. 

Charles  Harrison  (deceased),  pioneer  settler 
and  respected  citizen  of  McHenry  County,  was 
born  at  Yorkfleet,  Yorkshire,  England,  June 
16,  1830,  the  son  of  Robert  and  Jane  (Crissey) 
Harrison.  In  the  summer  of  1845,  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  years,  he  came  with  his  father  to 
America,  and  soon  after  reaching  Chicago,  the 
latter  settled  with  his  family  in  Ringwood  Prai- 
rie, McHenry  Township.  Here  the  son  at- 
tended the  district  school,  meanwhile  working 
on  the  farm,  and,  while  still  a  young  man 
bought  land  of  his  brother  John,  upon  which 
he  built  a  house  and  made  other  Improvements, 
becoming  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  200  acres.  July 
1,  1856,  he  married  Mary  E.  Rockwood,  who 
was  born  Jan.  19,  1837,  in  Pittsford,  Rutland 
County,  Vt„  the  daughter  of  John  and  Lucinda 
(Kimball)  Rockwood.  After  marriage  he  and 
his  wife  lived  on  his  farm  for  five  years,  when, 
in  the  spring  of  1861,  he  moved  to  the  village 
of  Ringwood,  where  he  engaged  in  the  business 
of  buying  and  selling  stock.  A  few  months 
later  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War, 
in  Company  H,  Eighth  Regiment,  Illinois  Cav- 
alry, and  was  mustered  in  at  St.  Charles,  Kane 
County,  Sept.  18,  1861,  soon  after  receiving  his 
commission  as  First  Lieutenant  of  his  com- 
pany, dating  from  time  of  organization  and 
muster-in  of  the  regiment.  The  Eighth  took 
part  in  the  Peninsular  campaign  in  the  first  ad- 
vance of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  Gen- 
eral McClellan,  against  Richmond.  Lieuten- 
ant Harrison  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  service  on  May  22,  1862,  when  he  returned 
to  his  home  in  McHenry  County.  He  then  be- 
came Station  Agent  at  Ringwood  for  the  Ga- 
lena &  Chicago  Union  Railroad,  now  a  part  of 
the  Chicago  &  North-Western  system,  to  which 
was  added  the  position  of  agent  for  the  Mer- 
chants' Union  Express  Company,  continuing 
in  this  business  until  his  death,  which  occurred 


April  25,  1891 — a  period  of  over  twenty-five 
years.  Mr.  Harrison  was  a  stanch  Republican 
in  politics,  but  in  no  sense  of  the  term  a  seeker 
for  office.  He  was  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  158, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  by  his  probity  of  character 
and  sterling  habits  enjoyed  in  a  high  degree 
the  respect  of  the  community.  His  children 
were:  Clyde  R.,  born  April  18,  1858;  Lucy 
Helen,  born  Oct.  29,  1859,  died  July  11,  1864; 
Frank  Porter,  born  Sept.  3,  1861;  Phil  Sheri- 
dan, born  May  8,  1863;  Elon  Farnsworth,  born 
Dec.  13,  1870,  and  Scott  Hayes,  born  Nov.  11, 
1874. 

John  Rockwood,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Harrison, 
was  born  at  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  the  son  of  Sam- 
uel Rockwood.  The  family  was  of  New  Eng- 
land and  Puritan  ancestry,  and  the  son,  hav- 
ing received  a  common-school  education,  be- 
came a  wheelwright  by  trade.  He  married  at 
Rutland,  Vt,  Lucinda  Kimball,  who  was  a 
native  of  that  place  and  of  colonial  stock. 
John  Rockwood  worked  at  his  trade  in  Pitts- 
ford  for  some  years,  but  in  1844  removed  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the  journey  by 
way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes  to  Chi- 
cago, and  thence,  by  the  old  Wheeling  road,  to 
MIcHenry.  The  roads  of  those  days  were  ex- 
ceedingly rough,  and  travel  with  vehicles, 
through  sloughs  and  over  corduroy  bridges, 
often  difficult.  After  his  arrival  in  McHenry 
County,  Mr.  Rockwood  settled  one-half  mile 
south  of  Ringwood,  where  he  bought  400  acres 
of  unimproved  land  from  parties  who  had  en- 
tered it  from  the  Government.  Here  he  built 
one  of  the  first  houses  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
ty, and  finally  opened  up  a  large  farm,  becom- 
ing a  well-to-do  citizen.  He  was  an  old-line 
Whig  and  served  as  the  first  Overseer  of  the 
Poor  for  his  township.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Congregational  church  at  Ringwood,  of 
which  he  was  one  of  the  founders,  and  assisted 
to  build  the  church  edifice  of  that  denomina- 
tion there.  He  was  twice  married;  his  first 
wife  having  died  at  Pittsford,  Vt.,  left  chil- 
dren named  as  follows:  Clarissa  C,  Lucretia, 
Bernard  B.,  John  F.  and  Mary  E.,  besides  two 
who  died  in  infancy.  He  married  as  his  sec- 
ond wife  Delia  Cummings,  who  bore  him  chil- 
dren named  Lucy  Helen  and  Emma  F.  Mr. 
Rockwood  was  a  reputable  citizen.  He  died 
Dec.  20',  1874. 

Phil  Sheridan  Harrison,  son  of  Charles  Har- 
rison, whose  sketch  appears  above,  was  born 


838 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


in  Ringwood,  McHenry  County,  and  attended 
the  public  school  there,  after  which  he  took  a 
course  in  the  Commercial  College  at  Aurora, 
111.,  where  he  graduated  in  1883.  He  then 
attended  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School 
at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  in  1892  began  teaching 
in  the  Cole  District  in  Burton  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  remaining  two  years.  His 
subsequent  experience  as  a  teacher  has  em- 
braced two  years  in  the  Bassett  School,  Mc- 
Henry Township,  three  years  at  Solon  Mills, 
and,  at  the  present  time  (1903),  he  is  passing 
his  fifth  year  in  the  Greenwood  Graded  School, 
where  he  has  one  assistant.  Mr.  Harrison  was 
married  at  Woodstock,  July  5,  1898,  to  Matie 
Clark,  who  was  born  Oct.  16,  1877,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Philander  W.  and  Rebecca  J.  (Mathews) 
Clark.  Mr.  Clark  (who  is  now  deceased)  was 
a  farmer  near  Woodstock.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phil 
S.  Harrison  have  two  children:  Lucy  Helen, 
born  Jan.  15,  1900,  and  Henry  Simpson,  born 
August  11,  1902.  Mr.  Harrison  is  a  Republican 
in  politics  and  has  won  a  reputation  as  a  prac- 
tical educator  of  decided  ability  and  high  char- 
acter. 

Clyde  R.  Harrison,  the  oldest  son  of  Charles 
Harrison,  married  Nellie  Durkee,  of  Lake  Ge- 
neva, Wis.,  and  they  have  five  children:  Har- 
ris D.,  Charles  I.,  Rose  E.,  Dhu  Anna  O.  and 
Eleanor  L. 

Frank  Porter,  another  son  of  Charles  Har- 
rison, married  Edith  E.  Walker,  of  Davenport. 
Neb.,  and  they  reside  in  that  State. 

Elon  F.  married  Mae  McDonald,  and  they  re- 
side in  Ringwood,  McHenry  County.  They 
have  three  children:  James  Dewey,  born  April 
5,  1898,  died  March  21,  1899;  Leon  Kirk,  born 
Dec.  7,  1899,  and  a  daughter,  Arlene,  born  July 
26,  1903. 

Scott  Hayes,  the  younger  son,  lives  at  the 
family  home. 


EDSON     G.     HOWE. 


Edson  G.  Howe,  farmer  and  respected  citi- 
zen, Greenwood  Township,  McHenry  County,  is 
descended  from  English  and  colonial  New  Eng- 
land ancestry.  His  father,  Warren  D.  Howe, 
was  born  at  Danville,  Vt.,  August  9,  1826,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and,  dur- 
ing his  life,  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farm- 
er. He  married  at  Danville,  Vt.,  Amanda  Es- 
tabrook,  who  was   born  in  1824.      After   mar- 


riage he  settled  on  a  farm  near  Danville, 
whence  some  years  after  he  removed  to  Low- 
ell, Mass.,  but  remained  there  only  one  year, 
when  he  returned  to  his  native  place.  Here 
he  remained  until  about  1860,  when  m  the  fall 
of  that  year  he  removed  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  and  settled  in  McHenry  village.  A  year 
later  he  moved  onto  a  rented  farm  in  Nunda 
Township,  where  he  spent  seven  years,  then 
spent  one  year  in  Burton  Township,  finally  lo- 
cating in  Greenwood  Township,  where  he  lived 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
April  27,  1899.  Mrs.  Howe  died  Nov.  28,  1893. 
In  political  opinion  Mr.  Howe  was  an  early 
Democrat,  but  later  in  life  co-operated  with  th-j 
Republican  party.  He  was  also,  for  a  time,  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howe  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Elmore  W., 
born  July  25,  1849;  Edson  G.,  born  Jan.  18, 
1851;  Elizabeth  S.,  born  Dec.  12,  1853;  Ora 
H.,  born  Dec.  3,  1858;  Herbert  J.,  born  July 
6,  1860;  Eugene  W.,  born  Jan.  23,  1863;  Clara 
B.,  born  Oct.  17,  1865;  Leslie  F,  born  Jan.  17, 
1868. 

Edson  G.  Howe,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  born  at  his  father's  Vermont  home,  near 
Danville,  in  that  State,  which  was  the  birth- 
place of  the  five  older  children.  When  he 
was  about  ten  years  of  age  his  father  removed 
to  McHenry  County,  as  already  stated,  and 
here  he  grew  up,  receiving  a  common-school 
education,  and  becoming  a  farmer,  as  his  fa- 
ther was  before  him.  For  some  eight  years  he 
was  employed  at  farm  work  by  the  month.  On 
Jan.  15,  1879,  he  was  married  in  Greenwood 
Township,  to  Hannah  L.  Harrison,  who  was- 
born  on  the  Harrison  homestead,  Jan.  19,  1853. 
the  daughter  of  Richard  and  Catherine  (Dodge) 
Harrison.  After  marriage  Mr.  Howe  settled 
on  a  rented  farm  in  Dorr  Township,  remaining 
one  year,  when  he  returned  to  Greenwood 
Township,  and  a  year  later  located  on  the 
Harrison  homestead,  consisting  of  280  acres 
handsomely  situated  in  Greenwood  Township. 
This  farm  he  managed  as  a  tenant  until  the 
death  of  Mr.  Harrison,  when  it  descended  by 
inheritance  to  the  daughter  of  the  latter,  Mrs. 
Howe.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howe  are  the  parents  of 
three  children:  Edson  Leroy,  born  August  5, 
1882;  John  Ora,  born  March  19,  1885,  and  Floy 
Elan,  born  May  16,  1889,  all  of  whom  have  re- 
ceived   good    common-school    educations,    and 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


839 


still  reside  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Howe 
died  Jan.  23,  1894,  aged  forty  years  and  four 
days.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  virtues. 
(For  sketches  of  Mrs.  Howe's  parents,  Richard 
and  Catherine  (Dodge)  Harrison,  see  sketch 
of  their  son,  George  Harrison,  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.) 

In  political  opinions  Mr.  Howe  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
questions  of  local  and  public  importance.  For 
ten  years  past  he  has  been  a  School  Director  in 
his  district.  A  man  of  industrious  habits  and 
high  character,  he  enjoys  an  excellent  reputa- 
tion in  the  community  in  which  he  resides. 


FRED    ELLIOT    HOLMES. 

Fred  Elliot  Holmes,  newspaper  editor  and 
proprietor,  Richmond,  McHenry  County,  is  a 
descendant  of  New  England  Puritan  stock. 
His  father,  Charles  Henry  Holmes,  was  born 
on  the  Island  of  Nantucket,  July  18,  1827,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and,  while 
still  young,  began  working  in  a  cotton-mill, 
an  occupation  which  he  pursued  through  life. 
He  was  twice  married,  by  the  first  union  hav- 
ing one  daughter,  named  Ellen  M.  He  mar- 
ried as  his  second  wife,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  June 
5,  1860,  Emma  Twitchell,  who  was  born  in 
Dublin,  N.  H.,  Jan.  11,  1834,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Hannah  (Greenwood)  Twitchell.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  son  of  Joshua  Twitchell,  who  was 
born  in  Sherborn,  Mass.,  March  4,  1753,  and 
married  Sarah  Cozzens,  born  August  12,  1757 
They  settled  at  Dublin,  N.  H.,  where  Joshua 
Twitchell  died  in  1829.  Their  children  were: 
Abijah,  Sallie,  Joshua,  Ebenezer,  Joseph  and 
Timothy.  Joseph  Twitchell,  of  this  family, 
was  born  in  Dublin,  N.  H.,  Sept.  16,  1786,  be- 
came a  farmer,  and  married,  Dec.  22,  1814, 
Hannah  Greenwood,  born  July  1,  1791,  the 
daughter  of  Joshua  Greenwood.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Rufus  (died  in  infancy),  Horace, 
Julia,  Elliot,  Rufus  (2),  Lewis,  Sarah,  Sidney 
and  Emma.  After  marriage  Charles  H.  Holmes, 
the  father  of  Fred  Elliot,  went  to  Canton, 
Mass.,  where  he  worked  in  a  cotton-mill  for  a 
time,  but  soon  after  removed  to  Milford,  N.  H., 
where  he  became  overseer  of  a  department  in 
a  mill  there.  While  absent  from  home  he  was 
overtaken  by  death,  May  29,  1874,  at  the  age 
of  forty-seven  years.     He  was  a  Democrat  po- 


litically, of  industrious  habits  and  of  straight- 
forward character. 

Charles  H.  Holmes  left  one  son,  Fred  Elliot, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  born  in 
Milford,  N.  H.,  Feb.  18,  1863,  and  graduated 
from  the  Milford  High  School  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years.  He  then  went  to  Plymouth, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  employed  as  bookkeeper 
in  a  large  shoe  factory  belonging  to  a  Boston 
firm.  Here  he  remained  until  1881,  when  he 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  rented  a 
farm  near  Ringwood,  which  he  operated  for 
three  years.  He  then  rented  a  farm  in  the 
east  part  of  Richmond  Township,  upon  which 
he  remained  five  years.  In  1889  he  bought  of 
Frank  Carr  a  half-interest  in  the  "Richmond 
Gazette,"  the  remaining  half-interest,  belong- 
ing to  Mr.  Carr,  being  purchased  a  year  later 
by  Mr.  P.  K.  Wright— the  firm  now  being 
Holmes  &  Wright.  Mr.  Holmes  is  an  able 
writer  and  capable  editor,  and  the  "Gazette" 
under  his  management  is  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessfully managed  newspapers  in  McHenry 
County.  Nov.  2,  1893,  Mr.  Holmes  was  mar- 
ried to  Alvena  Mary  Alfs,  born  in  Richmond, 
McHenry  County,  Jan.  17,  1868,  the  daughter 
of  George  W.  and  Gertrude  (Lehrmann)  Alfs. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holmes  have  two  children:  Ella 
May  and  Emma  G.  Mr.  Holmes  is  held  in  high 
esteem  in  the  community,  has  filled  the  office 
of  Town  Clerk  for  the  past  five  years,  has 
served  as  President  of  the  Village  Board  of 
Trustees  and,  in  1901,  was  a  member  of  the 
McHenry  County  Board  of  Review.  He  also 
served  one  year  as  Vice-President  of  the  Illi- 
nois State  Press  Association.  Fraternally  he 
is  identified  with  the  Masonic  order  and  a 
Past  Master  of  Richmond  Lodge,  is  a  member 
of  the  Eastern  Star  and  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  un- 
doubted integrity,  of  genial  manners  and  of 
much  personal  popularity. 

George  W.  Alfs,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Holmes, 
was  born  Dec.  11,  1839,  at  Westphalia,  Ger- 
many, in  1845,  came  with  his  parents  to  the 
United  States  and  settled  at  Wheatland,  Ke- 
nosha County,  Wis.  November  21,  1865,  he  mar- 
ried at  Rockford,  111.,  Gertrude  Lehrmann,  came 
to  Richmond,  McHenry  County,  in  1867,  and,  in 
May,  1869,  started  in  the  shoe  business  at  the 
location  and  in  the  same  building  which  he  has 
occupied  for  thirty-three  years.  His  father 
died  in  1856,  and  his  mother  in  1891.     In  poli- 


840 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  a  reliable  business 
man.  Mrs.  George  W.  Alfs  was  born  in  West- 
phalia, Germany,  Feb.  4,  1845,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1852  with  her  parents,  who 
settled  at  Kenosha,  Wis.  Her  parents,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bernard  Lehrmann,  are  both  living  at 
New  Munster,  Wis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  W. 
Alfs  have  had  two  children:  Alvena  Mary, 
now  Mrs.  Fred  E.  Holmes,  and  Annie  G.,  who 
is  deceased. 


CHARLES     A.     HERRINGTON. 

The  Herringtons — or  Harringtons,  as  the  name 
was  originally  and  is  still  spelled  by  the  most 
numerous  branch  of  the  family — are  of  regular 
English  descent.  The  christian  name  of  the 
founder  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family 
is  unknown  at  the  present  time,  but  according 
to  tradition,  he  left  Exeter,  England,  with  his 
wife  and  one  son,  named  Job,  some  time  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Charles  I.  on  account  of  the 
religious  persecution  prevailing  at  that  period. 
Sir  James  Harrington,  who  was  an  officer  of 
the  King  and  a  brother  of  the  original  emi- 
grant of  that  name,  assisted  the  latter,  in  com- 
pany with  a  party  of  Puritans,  to  escape  to 
America,  by  aiding  them  to  fit  out  a  vessel  and 
seeing  that  it  got  safely  to  sea.  Their  point  of 
embarkation  is  now  unknown,  but  is  believed 
to  have  been  other  than  a  regular  port,  in  order 
that  the  Puritan  passengers  might  avoid  being 
detained  by  the  royal  authorities.  The  story 
is  that  the  voyage  was  a  stormy  one,  head- 
winds preventing  the  vessel  from  entering  Bos- 
ton harbor  for  some  time,  during  which  the 
original  emigrant  of  this  branch  of  the  Har- 
rington family  lost  his  life  by  drowning  in  the 
harbor. 

The  son  Job,  already  mentioned,  then  be- 
came the  first  male  member  of  the  family  to 
land  on  American  soil  and  the  head  of  the 
family  from  which  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
traces  his  line  of  descent.  Being  but  a  boy 
when  he  landed  at  Boston,  he  was  taken  in 
charge  by  an  uncle,  of  whose  history  nothing 
is  known  except  some  facts  connected  with  the 
treatment  of  his  youthful  relative,  which  had 
an  important  influence  upon  the  future  of  the 
latter.  It  was  when  young  Harrington  was 
about  sixteen  years  old  that  the  excitement 
growing  out  of  the  opposition  of  Roger  Wil- 
liams to  the  system  of  New  England  theocracy 


and  his  final  banishment,  which  resulted  in  the 
establishment  of  the  independent  colony  of 
Rhode  Island,  was  at  its  height.  Being  a 
diligent  reader  of  the  Bible  and  of  an  inde- 
pendent temperament,  he  came  into  full  sym- 
pathy with  the  more  liberal  views  of  Williams 
and  his  associates.  The  uncle,  who  was  a 
stern  Puritan,  finding  his  nephew  one  day  read- 
ing the  Bible  in  the  field  when  he  thought  he 
should  have  been  at  work,  reprimanded  him 
severely,  remarking,  "You  should  not  waste 
your  time  reading  the  Bible;  the  minister  will 
read  it  for  you  and  explain  it  as  well,"  adding, 
"you  cannot  understand  it  yourself."  Then, 
having  forbidden  him  to  read  it  any  more,  he 
added  a  warning  not  to  go  to  hear  those  Bap- 
tist preachers  any  more,  declaring  he  would 
whip  him  if  he  did.  The  youthful  Puritan,  feel- 
ing that  he  had  come  to  America  for  the  privi- 
lege of  worshiping  God  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  his  own  conscience,  thought  it  unjust 
to  be  denied  the  right  which  other  Puritans 
claimed  for  themselves.  So  he  continued  to 
attend  the  meetings  in  spite  of  the  threatened 
punishment,  which  he  finally  received  on  his 
bared  back.  Then,  having  gathered  together 
his  best  personal  effects  in  a  handkerchief, 
he  started  alone,  without  fire-arms  or  provis- 
ions, to  make  the  journey  through  a  savage 
and  trackless  wilderness  to  the  infant  settle- 
ment of  Roger  Williams  at  Providence,  R.  I., 
then  called  the  "Providence  Plantations."  For 
a  part  of  the  way  he  followed  blazed  trails, 
living  on  berries  and  such  other  products  of 
the  forest  as  he  could  find,  until  finally,  foot- 
sore, weary  and  almost  famished,  having  found 
himself  in  a  road,  he  was  overtaken  by  a 
Quaker  named  Wheeden  who,  with  his  family 
in  a  covered  cart  drawn  by  oxen,  was  traveling 
in  the  same  direction  and  with  the  same  pur- 
pose— the  enjoyment  of  religious  freedom.  The 
kind-hearted  Quaker  resigned  his  place  in  the 
cart  to  the  exhausted  boy,  who,  when  suffi- 
ciently recovered,  told  his  story.  The  jour- 
ney to  Providence  was  completed  by  the  little 
party,  where  they  met  a  hearty  welcome  and 
ever  after  made  their  homes.  After  living 
with  the  Wheedens  for  some  years,  the  exiled 
boy  in  due  time  married  the  oldest  daughter 
of  his  benefactor,  whom  he  had  met  for  the 
first  time  in  the  ox-cart  when  rescued  from 
■starvation  and  death  in  the  wilderness.  This 
is  the   romance  of  the   story.      The   practical 


Ol/u^**p4£+%>t_ 


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McHENRY      COUNTY. 


841 


part  is,  that  Job  Harrington  was  twice  mar- 
ried. By  his  first  wife  (Miss  Wheeden)  he 
had  fourteen  children,  and  by  his  second  (who 
was  a  Miss  Anna  Spenser)  five  more — making 
a  total  of  nineteen  children.  Some  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  first  wife  whose  names  are  remem- 
bered were:  Benjamin,  Job,  Ebenezer,  "Wil- 
liam and  John,  and  some  of  those  by  the  sec- 
ond, Anna,  Eilzabeth,  Henry  and  Christopher. 

William  Harrington,  a  descendant  of  this 
family,  born  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  was  married  at  Richmond,  R.  I.;, 
Oct.  10,  1771,  to  Sarah  Baker,  and  they  had 
children  born  as  follows:  William,  March  15, 
1772;  Benjamin,  Oct.  4,  1773;  John  H.,  August 
19,  1775;  Ezekiel,  July  23,  1777;  Stephen,  May 
18,  1779;  Mary,  March  12,  1781;  Ann,  Feb.  27, 
1783.  There  seems  to  have  been  another  son 
belonging  to  this  family,  as  in  the  record  of  a 
real-estate  transaction  the  name  of  Charles 
Harrington  appears  on  the  quit-claim  deed  of 
a  tract  of  land  which  belonged  to  the  estate  of 
his  father,  William  Harrington.  William  Har- 
rington, Sr.,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution 
and  a  militiaman  of  Newport,  his  residence 
being  at  Exeter,  R.  I. 

John  H.  Harrington,  next  in  line  in  this 
branch  of  the  family,  was  born  August  19,  1775, 
and  died  Feb.  28,  1864,  aged  nearly  eighty-nine 
years.  He  was  the  first  to  write  the  family 
name  "Herrington,"  as  it  is  now  written  by 
his  descendants.  In  his  early  youth  he  moved 
from  South  Kingston,  R.  I.,  with  his  older 
brother,  Benjamin,  who  settled  in  the  town  of 
Hoosick,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.  At  eigh- 
teen years  of  age  John  settled  in  Union  Vil- 
lage (now  Greenwich),  N.  Y.,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  as  a  tailor  for  more  than  forty 
years.  Finally  purchasing  a  farm  a  mile  from 
the  village,  he  engaged  in  farming.  He  mar- 
ried Hannah  Bentley,  born  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  May  3,  1783,  and  their  children  were 
Lytle,  born  Nov.  20,  1804,  died  Dec.  13,  1834 
John,  born  Jan.  21,  1807,  died  July  4,  1882 
Eliza,  born  Oct.  3,  1808,  died  Sept.  15,  1858 
Sarah,  born  Dec.  2,  1810,  died  Dec.  31,  1837 
Bentley,  born  August  15,  1813,  died  1882;  Mary, 
born  Oct.  27,  1816,  died  1883;  Ezekiel,  born 
June  27,  1819;  William  Cole,  born  Feb.  26, 
1822,  died  May  4,  1888.  Mrs.  Hannah  (Bent- 
ley) Herrington,  the  mother  of  this  family, 
died  March  24,  1844.  Her  father,  Elisha  Bent- 
ley, died  Feb.  26,  1795,  in  the  sixty-eighth  year 


of  his  age,  and  her  mother — who,  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  Bentley,  became  the  consort  of 
Daniel  Rose — died  Oct.  30,  1828,  in  her  eighti- 
eth year. 

William  C.  Herrington,  the  youngest  son 
of  John  H.  Herrington  and  father  of  Charles 
A.  Herrington  of  McHenry  County,  was  born 
on  the  date  already  mentioned,  at  Greenwich, 
Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  and  received  a 
good  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
academies  of  that  locality,  the  late  President 
Chester  A.  Arthur  being  one  of  his  school- 
mates. On  August  31,  1852,  he  was  married 
to  Mary  H.  Tanner,  who  was  born  in  the  town 
of  Greenwich,  N.  Y.,  July  11,  1830.  After  mar- 
riage he  and  his  wife  lived  for  several  years  on 
the  premises  which  had  been  occupied  by  his 
father's  family,  but  later  removed  to  the  Tan- 
ner homestead,  where,  for  two  years,  he  man- 
aged the  farm  which  had  belonged  to  his  wife's 
father,  Mr.  Tanner.  In  May,  1858,  he  removed 
to  Greenwood,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he 
bought  a  farm  of  100  acres.  For  the  first  win- 
ter after  coming  to  McHenry  County  he 
taught  a  select  school,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  farming,  finally  increasing  the  size  of  his 
farm  to  175  acres  located  west  of  Greenwood. 
In  politics  Mr.  Herrington  was  originally  an 
old  line  Whig,  but  later  became  a  "Republican 
and  was  an  ardent  supporter  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln in  his  opposition  to  the  extension  of  slav- 
ery and  his  war  policy  during  the  Rebellion. 
In  religious  belief  he  and  his  wife  were  Bap- 
tists, and  at  the  time  of  his  death  members  of 
the  Baptist  church  at  Richmond,  McHenry 
County.  He  was  an  extensive  reader  of  good 
literature,  especially  works  of  a  historical  and 
religious  character,  in  which  he  was  well 
versed.  Intelligent  and  possessing  a  reputa- 
tion for  high  moral  character,  he  enjoyed  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  the  community  in 
which  he  resided. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herrington  were  the  parents  ot 
six  children:  Urlaville,  born  May  23,  1853, 
died  in  infancy;  Charles  A.,  born  August  15, 
1855;  Dexter  E.,  born  June  9,  1859;  Sarah  E., 
born  June  6,  1864;  Emily  M.,  born  March  16, 
1870,  and  Mary  T. — the  two  older  born  at 
Easton,  N.  Y.,  and  the  others  at  Greenwood,  111. 
Mr.  Herrington  died  May  4,  1888,  but  Mrs.  Her- 
rington still  survives  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
rare  degree  of  physical  and  mental  energy. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  spent  six 


842 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


years  on  the  home  farm,  but  has  since  resided 
with  her  children.  An  affectionate  wife  and 
useful  helpmate  of  her  late  husband,  she  has 
ever  proved  herself  a  loving  and  devoted 
mother  to  her  children.  Miss  Mary  T.  Her- 
rington,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Mrs.  Her- 
riugton,  has  had  considerable-  experience  as  a 
teacher,  but  at  present  is  a  student  in  the 
Pratt  Institute,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Herrington's  father  was  William  Stew- 
art Tanner,  son  of  John  and  Lydia  (Stewart) 
Tanner,  who  was  born  at  Greenwich,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  27,  1802,  and  died  at  Andover,  Mass., 
April  25,  1875.  He  was  twice  married;  first, 
at  Lake,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  to  Harriet 
Carter  of  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  and  the 
second  time  on  March  27,  1836,  at  the  same 
place  to  Julia  Ann  (Green)  Wilbur,  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Eliza  (Clark)  Green.  Mrs.  Julia 
Ann  Tanner  was  born  at  Providence,  R.  I., 
Feb.  2,  1812,  and  died  at  Jersey  City  Heights, 
Nov.  3,  1880.  Harriet  (Carter)  Tanner,  mother 
of  Mrs.  William  C.  Herrington,  died  August  9, 
1830,  aged  twenty-one  years  and  three  months, 
a  year  after  her  marriage.  The  children  of 
William  Stewart  Tanner  and  his  second  wife 
were:  John  Francis,  born  at  Lake,  Washing- 
ton County,  N.  Y.,  March  27,  1837;  Emily  Mar- 
tin, born  March  23,  1839,  and  William  Green, 
born  Feb.  23,  1842. 

CHARLES  A.  HERRINGTON,  the  son  of  Wil- 
liam Cole  Herrington  and  patron  of  this  work, 
was  born  at  Easton,  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
August  15,  1855,  and  at  three  years  of  age  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  McHenry  County,  111.. 
as  described  in  the  preceding  pages.  After 
coming  to  Illinois  he  was  reared  on  a  farm, 
receiving  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Greenwood.  His  life-work  has  been  that  of 
a  farmer,  in  which  he  has  been  eminently  suc- 
cessful. On  Dec.  31,  1892,  Mr.  Herrington  was 
married  to  Julia  May  Parker,  the  only  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  F.  Parker.  Mrs. 
Herrington  received  her  education  in  the 
Woodstock  High  School,  from  which  she  grad- 
uated in  June,  1883. 

Since  his  marriage  Mr.  Herrington  has  re- 
sided on  the  Parker  homestead  and  has  been 
the  manager  of  the  extensive  farm  of  his 
father-in-law,  consisting  of  several  hundred 
acres.  While  thus  employed  he  has  given  evi- 
dence at  once  of  his  skill  as  a  practical  farmer 
as  well  as  his  ability  as  a  business  man.     Mr. 


Herrington  is,  withal,  a  man  of  much  kindliness 
of  character  and  manages  his  employes  with- 
out friction  and  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure  the 
most  satisfactory  results  for  both  employer 
and  employed.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Tax 
Collector  of  Greenwood  Township,  and  is  held 
in  high  esteem  as  an  exemplary  citizen,  as  well 
as  a  public-spirited  and  useful  member  of  the 
community. 


THE  JOSLYN   FAMILY  ORIGIN. 

The  Josyln  family  is  a  very  old  one.  Its 
history  reaches  back,  even  beyond  the  time  of 
the  Emperor  Charlemagne,  whose  daughter 
married  Count  Joceline.  One  of  the  descend- 
ants of  this  union  was  Sir  Gilbert  Jocelyne. 
who  accompanied  William,  Duke  of  Normandy, 
in  his  expedition  for  the  conquest  of  England 
in  1066,  and  became  the  founder  of  the  Joslin 
family  in  England.  He  received  from  William 
I.  extensive  territorial  grants  in  the  county  of 
Lincoln,  among  which  were  the  lordships  of 
Sempringham  and  Tyrington.  His  son  Gilbert 
devoted  himself  to  a  religious  life  and  founded 
the  order  called  Gilbertines,  and  was  canonized 
a  Saint  by  Pope  Innocent  III.  in  1202. 

The  younger  son,  Thomas,  married  Maude, 
daughter  and  coheiress  of  John  Hyde,  of  Hyde 
Hall,  and  granddaughter  of  Baron  Sudeley,  by 
which  marriage  the  family  obtained  that  estate 
which  has  ever  since  remained  in  its  possess- 
ion. One  of  his  descendants  married  Anne,  the 
heiress  of  the  Percys,  and  became  Duke  of 
Northumberland.  Another  was  a  signer  of  the 
"Magna  Charta."  Another  is  the  present  Earl 
of  Roden;  others  have  been  Bishops  and  Lord 
Mayors,  etc. 

Another  of  his  descendants  was  Thomas 
Josseline,  who  was  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  America.  He  came  over  in  the  ship  "In- 
crease" in  1635,  and  landed  in  Hingham,  Mass., 
with  his  wife,  Rebecca,  a  son  Nathaniel,  and 
four  daughters,  Rebecca,  Dorothy,  Eliza  and 
Mary.  Later  an  older  son,  Abraham,  who  had 
been  left  at  school,  joined  the  family  ana  they 
removed  to  Lancaster,  of  which  they  were 
among  the  original  proprietors  and  inhabitants. 
These  sons,  Abraham  and  Nathaniel,  are 
doubtless  the  two  brothers  mentioned  in  all 
traditions,  which  claim  that  "two  brothers  came 
from  England,"  and  that  all  Joslins  are 
descended  from  them. 


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McHENRY      COUNTY. 


843 


Thomas  Joslin  died  in  Lancaster  in  1660. 
Abraham  was  a  mariner,  and  was  lost  at  sea  in 
1670.     Nathaniel  died  in  Marlboro  in  1694. 

Lindsey  Joslyn, — or  Josselyn,  as  he  spelled 
the  name — is  the  first  of  whom  we  have  any 
account  in  this  direct  branch  of  the  family.  He 
undoubtedly  descended  from  Thomas  Josselin, 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  who 
came  over  in  the  ship  "Increase"  in  1635. 

Lindsey  Joslyn  was  born  August  12,  1749 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Massachusetts.  When 
he  was  five  years  of  age,  his  parents,  with 
their  children,  Samuel,  Jabez,  Lindsey,  Sarah 
and  Joseph,  moved  to  Sheffield,  Mass.  The 
Joslyns  were  mostly  iron-mongers.  Samuel  and 
Lindsey  were  iron-bloomers,  and  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  went  to 
Poultney,  Vt.  Lindsey  Joslyn  married  for  his 
first  wife  Susan  Welch  in  the  year  1773,  by 
whom  he  had  six  children:  Jabez,  Abi,  Sarah, 
Lindsey,  Alvin  and  Susan  The  first  three  were 
born  in  Sheffield,  Mass.,  and  the  last  three  at 
Poultney.  Lindsey  Joslyn  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  WTar,  being  frequently  called 
out,  and  he  assisted  in  the  capture  of  Burgoyne 
at  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  in  1777.  His  first  wife, 
Susan,  died  in  1795,  leaving  besides  her  other 
children,  an  infant  daughter  named  Susan. 
He  married  in  1797  the  widow  of  Daniel  Rich- 
ards, by  whom  he  had  two  children,  Joseph 
and  Lucy. 

Lindsey  Josyln,  Jr.,  son  of  the  above,  was 
born  Feb.  26,  1786,  in  Poultney.  He  married 
Polly  Wait,  of  Granville,  N.  Y.,  and,  about  the 
year  1814,  went  to  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  then 
a  very  thinly  settled  region  where  he  engaged 
very  extensively  in  business.  He  accumulated 
a  handsome  property,  but  by  becoming  surety 
for  other  parties,  lost  a  large  amount.  He  then 
removed  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County, 
111.  Philip  M.  Huffman,  an  aged  and  respected 
citizen  of  Nunda,  111.,  and  who,  as  a  strong, 
hardy  boy  of  seventeen,  was  with  the  party, 
thus  tells  the  story  of  the  almost  forgotten 
journey:  The  Joslyn  and  Huffman  families 
were  in  the  same  party.  They  left  Nunda, 
Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  in  Nov.  1837,  and  went 
by  wagon  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Here  they  shipped 
their  horses,  wagons  and  a  few  household 
goods,  and  went  by  steamer  to  Detroit,  Mich. 
Thence  they  traveled  to  McHenry  County 
with   their  horses   and   wagons..     The   country 


through  which  they  traveled  was  almost  an 
entire  wilderness,  the  settlements  being  few 
and  far  between.  The  boys  walked  and  greatly 
enjoyed  the  journey,  as  they  could  easily  keep 
up  with  the  teams.  They  were  hardy,  vigorous 
pioneer  boys,  expert  in  all  out-of-door  sports. 
Philip  Huffman,  as  well  as  others  of  the  party, 
was  an  expert  wrestler,  and  as  they  passed 
through  the  pioneer  villages,  they  had  many 
skirmishes  and  fights  with  the  boys,  and  usu- 
ally came  off  victorious.  There  were  four 
Joslyn  boys  along  with  their  parents.  They 
were   Merritt,   Edward,   Daniel   and  Adoniram^ 

Judge  M.  L.  Joslyn,  now  of  Woodstock,  al- 
ways took  an  active  hand  in  these  encounters. 
The  Joslyns  settled  about  one  and  a  half  miles 
southeast  of  Crystal  Lake  and  about  half  a 
mile  east  of  the  Huffmans,  on  new  land.  The 
Joslyns  were  well  known,  friendly  and  hospit- 
able, the  pioneer  families  frequently  visiting 
back  and  forth. 

Lindsey  Joslyn  was  a  leading  man  in  the 
community  and  died  in  Elgin,  111.,  Oct.  10, 
1863,  aged  over  seventy-seven  years.  His  sons 
were  men  of  ability  and  made  their  mark  as 
professional  and  business  men.  There  was  one 
clergyman,  three  lawyers  and  one  physician. 
One  of  them,  Col.  Edward  Swaine  Joslyn,  was 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  eloquent  lawyers 
in  Northern  Illinois.  His  gift  of  language, 
his  magnificent  voice  and  magnetic  manner 
gave  him  almost  a  magical  power  over  a  jury. 
He  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Thirty-sixth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  during  the  Civil 
War,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pea 
Ridge  and  other  important  engagements.  He 
possessed  many  traits  necessary  to  a  soldier 
and  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  rank  and  file. 
In  early  times,  he  was  an  active  supporter  of 
the  proposition  to  pay  all  expenses  connect- 
ed with  the  public  schools  by  general  taxation, 
and  encountered  bitter  opposition.  Col. 
Joslyn  always  referred  to  this  struggle  as  the 
greatest  in  which  he  ever  took  part.  The  old 
Joslyn  family  was  remarkable  in  many  ways. 


HON.   MERRITT    L.  JOSLYN. 

A  pioneer,  and  for  many  years  one  of  the 
foremost  lawyers  and  public  men  of  Northern 
Illinois,  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
article,  is  renowned  throughout  the  county  for 


844 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  rugged  independence  of  character,  his 
stanch  integrity  and  his  natural  eloquence. 
He  is  a  native  of  Livingston  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  was  born  Sept.  10,  1825.  When  a 
boy  of  ten  years  of  age,  he  walked  beside  his 
father's  wagon  with  his  brothers,  who  came 
as  pioneers  to  the  then  new  settlement  near 
Crystal  Lake,  111.  Like  many  of  the  younger 
pioneers  of  the  State,  he  assisted  his  father  to 
improve  the  farm,  and  gained  that  practical 
education  in  farm-work  and  in  the  early  schools 
which  many  of  the  most  distinguished  states- 
men of  that  day  acquired.  He  early  began  the 
study  of  law,  and  soon  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  Woodstock,  the  county-seat,  and 
when  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  had  acquired  a 
reputation  for  ability  and  eloquence  at  the  bar, 
had  been  elected  Mayor  of  his  town  and  gain- 
ed a  marked  influence  as  a  politician,  and  was 
chosen  a  Presidential  Elector  on  the  Buchanaa 
ticket  in  1856.  While  Mayor  of  the  town  he 
took  a  leading  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
Woodstock  Rifles,  and  was  unanimously  elect- 
ed captain.  The  old  muster-roll,  now  before 
the  writer,  shows  that  William  H.  Stewart  was 
First  Lieutenant  and  O.  S.  Johnson,  Second 
Lieutenant,  and  among  the  privates  were  Ira 
Slocum,  Alvin  Bunker,  J.  S.  Medler  and  many 
other  well-known  citizens. 

The  Woodstock  Rifles,  which  was  the  second 
company  to  leave  town  for  the  Civil  War,  was 
enrolled  as  Company  H,  Thirty-sixth  Regiment 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  In  the  war  Captain 
Joslyn  did  faithful  and  gallant  service.  He  was 
in  the  hard  fought  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  in  which 
he  commanded  his  company  in  a  gallant  charge. 
The  report  of  Col.  N.  Greusel,  who  acted  as 
Brigadier  General  during  the  battle,  spea'ks  of 
"the  brilliant  charge  made  by  companies  H  and 
K,  under  the  commands  of  Merritt  L.  Joslyn 
and  J.  Q.  Adams,  which  "drove  a  large  force  of 
the  enemy  like  chaff  before  the  wind."  An- 
other writer  says:  "On  the  top  of  the  hill 
were  posted  several  regiments  of  rebels,  and 
our  guns  were  now  all  engaged  in  shelling 
the  bluff.  Companies  H  and  K  were  sent  for- 
ward to  dislodge  the  rebels.  Here  was  the 
hottest  of  the  fight.  Company  B  and  part  of 
Company  K  fell  back,  while  Company  H  and 
the  rest  of  K  stormed  the  bluff,  and  the  battle 
was  over."  In  this  short  but  terrible 
fight,     five     men     fell.     Orrin     Pickett,     since 


dead;  C.  M.  Kimplin,  shot  in  the  neck; 
Alvin  Bunker,  shot  in  the  leg;  Charles 
Owles,  shot  in  the  foot,  and  Jackson 
Conner,  shot  in  the  shoulder  by  a  shell. 

"It  was  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge 
Capt.  Joslyn  was  ordered  to  march  with 
the  companies  under  his  command,  scale 
a  certain  point  and  attack  the-  rebel 
sharp-shooters,  who  were  picking  off  our 
men  as  fast  as  they  appeared.  They  charged 
as  ordered,  but  on  arrival  at  the  base  of  the 
hill,  found  it  a  perpendicular  rock  and  the 
ascent,  as  ordered,  absolutely  impossible.  For 
a  moment  their  commander  was  baffled,  but 
noting  the  dense  woods  on  either  side,  he 
ordered  his  men  to  run  from  tree  to  tree  and 
endeavor  to  surround  the  enemy.  In  the  mean- 
time the  order  came  from  headquarters  to  re- 
treat, but  this  young  captain  knew  no  such 
word  as  fail.  At  the  risk  of  disobeying  orders, 
he  pushed  on.  The  rebels,  becoming  alarmed 
at  this  flank  movement,  fled  m  confusion;  and, 
to  the  astonishment  of  everybody,  the  stars  and 
stripes  were  unfurled  from  the  spot  that  had 
but  just  now  hurled  death  and  dismay.  Captain 
Joslyn  was  publicly  complimented  by  General 
Sigel;  a  resolution  recommending  his  promo- 
tion was  forwarded  to  Governor  Yates,  and  he 
who  went  into  the  war  a  Democrat  came  out 
a  Republican." 

Entering  the  service  almost  among  the  first 
to  respond  to  the  call  for  troops  in  1861,  he 
served  in  that  gallant  regiment,  the  Thirty- 
sixth  Illinois,  and  was  popular  as  an  officer, 
serving  until  his  health  was  broken  and  he 
could  remain  no  longer.  Then  he  received  an 
honorable  discharge.  Returning  from  the  war 
he  was  elected  to  the  Twenty-fourth  General 
Assembly  from  McHenry  County.  Later  he 
served  as  Senator  during  the  sessions  of  the 
Thirtieth  and  Thirty-first  General  Assemblies 
(1876-80.)  Senator  Joslyn  was  in  more  than 
one  respect  one  of  the  most  influential  and 
conspicuous  members  of  the  Senate  during  his 
term  of  service.  He  was  aggressive,  irrepress- 
ible—the facetious,  ironical,  vigilant  "watch 
dog  of  the  Senate"  on  the  Republican  side. 
Nothing  of  a  dangerous  or  doubtful  character 
in  the  way  of  legislation  escaped  his  unfail- 
ing vigilance,  or  his  brilliant  humor  and  wither- 
ing sarcasm  by  way  of  condemnation.  The 
following  extracts  are  from  contemporaneous 
newspapers : 


^-^^ 


HNIVI 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


8U 


"His  affection,  eloquence  and  wit  are  wonder- 
ful and  inspiring.  No  matter  how  drowsy  or 
apathetic  the  grave  Senators  may  have  been 
over  monotonous  legislation,  or  after  sumptu- 
ous dinners,  when  Senator  Joslyn  takes  the 
floor,  in  support  or  in  denunciation  of  any 
measure  whatever,  immediately  the  body  be- 
comes all  animation,  and  the  most  rapt  at- 
tention was  bestowed  upon  him.  In  addition 
to  these  brilliant  faculties,  he  is  one  of  the 
most  industrious  Senators  in  pushing  needful 
legislation,  both  in  committee  and  on  the  floor 
of  the  Senate.  He  is  a  very  active  and  useful 
member  of  the  following  committees :  Judiciary, 
Municipalities,  Federal  Relations  and  Elec- 
tions; and  has  already  offered  the  following 
bills  for  enactment:  'To  regulate  the  practice 
of  medicine  and  surgery;'  'To  amend  the  law 
relating  to  Railroad  Commissioners,'  and  'To 
abolish  the  Board  of  State  House  Commis- 
sioners, and  transfer  their  duties  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  State.'  His  speeches  thus  far,  on 
the  more  important  acts  of  pending  legislation, 
were  remarkable  for  their  logic,  force  and  ef- 
fectiveness. He  represents  his  constituents 
and  the  State  well  and  ably,  and  need  have 
no  fear  of  his  record  thus  far  before  the  people. 
"When  he  introduced  the  bill  providing  for 
the  doing  away  of  the  pernicious  legislative 
pass,  it  was  supposed  that  the  Senator  lacked 
earnestness  and  simplicity,  and  had  a  purpose 
in  view.  This  annoyed  Joslyn,  and  he  de- 
nounced the  insinuation  as  wicked.  Said  he, 
'My  purpose  is  to  provide  for  short  legislative 
sessions.'  'Free  passes,'  he  said,  'prolong 
them.'  His  bill  provided  that  members  of  tbe 
General  Assembly,  be  fined  $500  and  their 
seats  be  vacated,  should  they  be  found  guilty 
of  accepting  any  such  favors. 

"Senator  Joslyn  proposes  to  place  the  mat- 
ter of  railroad  supervision  in  the  hands  of 
State  officers,  who  are  the  elected  and  necessary 
servants  of  the  people,  as  well  as  men  of 
character  and  standing.  This  course,  If 
adopted,  will  save  $10,000  per  annum  to  the 
people  of  the  State,  and  insure  a  more  efficient 
and  honest  discharge  of  the  trusts  confided  to 
the  care  of  our  Railroad  and  Warehouse  Com- 
missioners. 

"Another  matter  which  we  have  observed 
Mr.  Joslyn  has  taken  hold  of  in  earnest,  is  the 
rascality  practiced  by  the  Union  Stock  Yards 
Company,  of  Chicago." 

The  above  represents  but  a  tithe  of  the  re- 
form measures  introduced  and  strenuously 
advocated  by  Senator  Joslyn.  He  was  untiring 
while  a  member  of  the  Senate,  in  his  fearless 
advocacy  of  any  measure  that  he  believed  to 
be  right.  He  is  described  at  this  period  of  his 
life  as  follows:  "In  appearance  Senator  Joslyn 
is  a  little  above  the  medium  height,  portly  and 
commanding,  with  dark  hair  and  complexion 
and  full,  dark  whiskers." 


Judge  Joslyn  served  his  party  with  so  much 
effectiveness  and  distinction  that  he  became  a 
recognized  leader.  He  was  a  strong  personal 
friend  and  partisan  of  John  A.  Logan,  and 
supported  him  with  great  force  for  the  United 
States  Senate.  In  1882  he  was  appointed  by 
President  Chester  A.  Arthur  as  Assistant- 
Secretary  of  the  Interior.  His  course  in  this 
important  office  is  best  illustrated  from  the 
Washington  and  other  leading  newspapers  of 
the  country: 

"Assistant  Secretary  Mr.  Joslyn  has  the  rep- 
utation of  having  mastered  the  details  of  a 
great  department  quicker  than  any  other  man 
on  record.  Very  soon  after  he  came  Into  the 
department  he  had  the  responsibility  of  the 
whole  thing  thrust  upon  him  by  Secretary 
Teller's  absence  from  the  city,  and  he  was  able 
to  manage  things  without  depending  entirely 
for  his  judgment,  as  well  as  his  information, 
upon  the  clerks  and  bureau  chiefs." 

One  of  his  most  conspicuous  services,  while 
acting  as  Assistant-Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
was  his  course  in  regard  to  the  pensions  of 
old  soldiers.  He  was  known  as  the  soldier's 
friend. 

"To  acting  Secretary  Joslyn  belongs  the 
honor  of  having  broken  through  tne  shallow 
crust  of  artifice,  and  brought  to  the  surface 
the  vital  elements  of  equity  and  justice  in  the 
pension  law,  as  it  stands  today;  and  our  ex- 
soldiers,  we  are  sure,  will  not  be  lacking  in  the 
respect  and  gratitude  which  should  be  meted 
out  to  him." 
The  following  cases  are  in  point: 
"Captain  Hargrave,  while  on  his  way  in  an 
ambulance  to  a  reception  given  to  Gen.  Stone- 
man  on  July  4,  1865,  was  thrown  out  of  the 
vehicle  and  down  an  embankment  and  severely 
injured.  Mr.  Joslyn  decided  that  he  was  in 
the  line  of  duty  at  the  time  of  the  accident, 
and  that,  being  a  staff  officer,  he  was  always 
on  duty.  The  Assistant  Secretary  rules  that 
every  soldier,  whether  officer  or  private,  who 
engages  in  recreation,  joins  social  gatherings 
religious  meetings,  or  any  innocent  amusement, 
and  is  going  to  or  from  them  with  the  assent 
of  his  superior  officer,  does  not  thereby  place 
himself  outside  of  the  line  of  duty. 

"A  case  has  just  come  before  Mr.  Joslyn 
in  which  a  soldier  had  been  wounded  at  Fair 
Oaks  and  sent  to  a  field  hospital.  The  records 
show  nothing  further.  The  man's  death  was 
not  proven,  and,  under  the  rules  of  the  depart- 
ment which  had  been  in  force  twenty-one 
years,  his  widow  could  get  no  pension.  When 
Mr.  Joslyn's  attention  was  called  to  the  mat- 
ter, he  said  promptly,  that  the  existing  rules 
were  all  wrong.  When  a  man  had  ceased  to 
be  heard   from  for  seven  years,  the  common 


84  G 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


law  presumed  him  to  be  dead.  It  proceeded 
to  administer  on  his  estate  as  though  he  were 
dead,  and,  if  it  could  do  that,  it  ought  to  grant 
a  pension  to  his  family;  therefore,  the  old 
rule  was  reversed  and  a  pension  was  ordered 
issued,  from  the  date,  seventeen  years  ago, 
when  he  was  last  heard  of  as  a  patient  in  the 
hospital. 

"The  old  ruling  had,  until  this  time,  worked 
incalculable  wrong.  It  withheld  pensions  from 
the  widows  and  orphans  of  nearly  all  Union 
soldiers  who  died  in  rebel  prisons;  for,  in  most 
cases,  these  unfortunates  were  buried  without 
any  record.  That  the  widows  and  children  ot 
deceased  Union  soldiers  who  had  died  in  prison 
could  be  deprived  of  pensions,  because  the 
Winders  and  the  Wirtzes  did  not  keep  a  com- 
plete record  of  their  own  atrocities,  was  too 
glaring  an  injustice  to  be  maintained." 

Here  is  an  important  case  of  apparent  deser- 
tion: 

"In  this  case,  says  Assistant  Secretary  Jos- 
lyn,  it  appears  that  the  soldier  was  granted 
permission  by  his  superior  officer,  to  go  to  his 
home  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  his  wife  who 
was  very  ill.  After  his  arrival  at  home  his 
wife  died  and  immediately  after  her  death,  and 
before  her  burial,  the  soldier  started  on  his 
way  back,  was  captured  by  the  enemy  and 
taken  to  Andersonville  prison  wrere  he  died 
ax  the  expiration  of  his  furlough  he  was  en- 
tered upon  the  government  records  as  a  de- 
serter. The  evidence  shows  that  he  was  not 
a  deserter,  and  therefore  was  in  a  line  of  duty, 
and  his  family  is  entitled  to  a  pension." 

These  are  a  few  of  the  many  instances  in 
which  Assistant  Secretary  Joslyn  showed  hard 
common  sense  and  good  judgment,  tempered 
by  the  natural  kindliness  of  his  hear". 

On  the  Indian  question  he  pursued  a  like 
broad  and  liberal  course. 

"You  can't,"  says  he,  "defeat  the  progress  of 
nature.  There  are  certain  laws  of  civilization 
which  have  held  good  in  all  time,  and  chief 
among  these  is,  that  work  is  the  only  great 
influence  that  changes  men  from  the  savage 
to  the  citizen.  As  long  as  the  Indian  has  a 
Winchester  rifle,  and  is  allowed  to  roam  at 
his  will  over  vast  tracts  of  land,  he  will  shoot 
an  Indian  of  another  tribe  or  a  white  man 
on  the  least  provocation.  The  tribal  relation 
must  be  abolished.  Let  each  man  have  a  por- 
tion of  land,  a  stock  of  sheep  and  cattle,  and 
tell  him  he  must  make  enough  out  of  them 
to  live,  and  he  will  attend  to  them  and  grow 
better,  year  by  year.  In  those  cases  where  we 
have  given  the  Indians  stock  they  have  made 
good  breeders  and  have  acquired  large 
amounts.  The  Indians  in  the  Indian  Territory 
hold  lands  in  severalty,  and  have  many  brignt 
and  intelligent  men  among  them.  The  Indians 
of   Wisconsin   are    of   a    like   nature    and    are 


fitted  to  become  citizens.  This  system  of  giv- 
ing them  a  theological  education,  and  then 
putting  guns  in  their  hands,  is  all  wrong. 
It  has  been  a  failure  throughout,  and  millions 
of  money  has  been  wasted  in  putting  up  build- 
ings and  sending  out  teacher  and  scientific 
libraries.  It  is  all  wrong.  First  teach  them 
to  work;  give  them  a  short  practical  educa- 
tion if  they  want  it,  but  let  them  learn  in  the 
fields.  There  are  millions  of  acres  of  good  land 
lying  idle  over  which  they  roam  and  on  which 
there  is  little  game.  Give  them  stock  and 
teach  them  to  put  their  land  to  some  use. 
Pay  them  for  the  rest  of  it  that  they  can  not 
use,  and  let  good  white  men  cultivate  it." 

Perhaps  the  most  important  decision  of  Act- 
ing-Secretary Joslyn,  and  of  the  most  far-reach- 
ing benefit  to  the  soldier,  is  tne  following: 

"SOLDIERS'  OATHS  IN  PENSION  CASES. 
— Acting  Secretary  of  the  Interior  Joslyn  has 
rendered  a  decision  of  great  interest  to  pen- 
sioners namely:  That  the  evidence  of  the  ap- 
plicant may  be  received  in  certain  contingen- 
cies as  complete  proof.  For  the  case  in  which 
the  decision  was  made,  Secretary  Joslyn  ruled 
that,  as  the  Government  had  accepted  the 
soldier,  it  could  not  afterwards  raise  the  pre- 
sumption that  he  was  disabled  previous  to  en- 
listment, and  that  his  own  evidence  must  he 
received  as  to  his  being  injured  while  in  the 
service." 

Returning  to  his  home  at  Woodstock  after 
his  term  of  service  in  the  Interior  Department, 
Judge  Joslyn  resumed  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession, also  discharging  the  duties  of  Master 
in  Chancery  for  a  time.  He  is  now  retired  from 
active  practice,  however,  and  in  his  advanced 
years  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow-citizens. 

Judge  M.  L.  Joslyn  and  his  wife,  Mary  R. 
Joslyn.  are  the  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  David  Robinson,  born  Sept.  1,  1866; 
Julia  Catherine,  born  Jan.  28,  1868,  died 
March  4,  1868;  Katie  Maria,  born  May  20,  1870, 
died  Sept.  8,  1872;  Marcellus  L.,  born  Feb.  6, 
1873. 

MRS.  MARY  R.  JOSLYN.— This  cultured 
lady  was  born  in  Pawlet,  Vt.,  and  received  her 
excellent  education  in  Mrs.  Emma  Hart  Will- 
ard's  celebrated  school  for  young  women.  Mrs. 
Willard  was  then  in  her  old  age,  but  the  school 
was  still  conducted  under  her  able  supervision. 
She  was  a  famous  educator  and  established 
the  pioneer  school  of  the  world  for  the  higher 
and  exclusive  education  of  women  in  1818. 
She  also  wrote  many  text-books  which  were 
translated  into  foreign  languages.    Many  young 


I'VU/wi  KirUw>(mC^jLvv 


UH1V1 


ittOlS. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


847 


women  of  the  best  American  families  were  edu- 
cated by  this  able  teacher.  Mrs.  Willard  was 
a  master  of  the  English  language,  of  classical 
elegance,  and  her  pupils  acquired  an  accuracy 
and  finish  in  their  native  tongue  which  has 
ra.rely  been  attained  in  our  later  collegiate 
institutions.  Here  Mrs.  Joslyn  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  her  excellence  in  literature  and  her  love 
of  letters,  which  has  been  a  prominent  feature 
in  her  life  and  a  powerful  stimulant  to  her 
natural  attainments. 

After  completing  her  education,  she  returned 
to  her  home  at  Pawlet,  where  she  was  married 
to  M.  L.  Joslyn,  of  Woodstock,  111.,  in  1862, 
and  immediately  came  to  Woodstock,  where 
they  have  since  lived.  Mrs.  Joslyn,  from  the 
beginning  of  her  residence  here,  took  an  active 
interest  in  literary  matters  in  the  higher 
culture.  She  was  one  of  the  founders  and  lead- 
ing members  of  the  Woodstock  Literary  Soci- 
ety, which,  in  its  zenith,  had  neariy  one  hundred 
members  of  the  best  people  of  tne  town.  Many 
of  those  who  had  the  advantage  of  this  local 
Symposium  are  still  living  in  Woodstock — 
among  them  Mr.  E.  E.  Richards,  J.  C.  Choat, 
James  Casey,  Esq.,  and  others  whose  faces  yet 
light  up  with  pleasure  as  they  recall  the  liter- 
ary feasts  of  this  society.  The  musical,  as  well 
as  the  literary  abilities  of  the  people,  were 
stimulated  and  developed  by  this  society,  and 
nothing  in  more  recent  years  has  arisen  to 
take  its  place. 

Mrs.  Joslyn  is  a  pen-woman  of  easy  and 
graceful  style,  with  a  delicacy  of  sentiment 
and  daintiness  of  fancy  that  finds  its  best 
objects  in  Nature's  handiworks.  She  was  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Chautauqua  Circle  of 
Woodstock,  still  taking  an  active  interest  in 
its  work,  and  is  always  happiest  when  work- 
ing along  literary  lines.  She  has  made  Wood- 
stock her  home  for  many  years,  and  scores 
of  the  best  people  know  and  love  her  for  her 
graceful  attentions  and  kindly  acts.  In  recent 
years  she  has  passed  much  of  her  time  in 
Southern  California,  the  land  of  flowers  and 
sunshine.  From  the  "Santa  Monica  Outlook," 
we  clip  an  extract  from  a  little  poem  which 
she  wrote  to  please  her  friends  of  the  "Ladies" 
Afternoon  Club." 


Violets. 

Dear  little  violet,  lift  your  head 
And  your  sweet  eyes  of  blue; 

If  I  had  only  two  loaves  of  bread, 
I  would  give  one  to  you. 

I  kneel  at  your  lowly  feet  and  read 
This  lesson,  most  complete; 

To  be  a  friend,  like  violets, 
We  must  be  true  and  sweet. 

Oh,  human  friend,  you  will  not  learn 
The  soul  must  needs  be  fed, 

And  more  are  starving  for  a  flower 
Than  for  a  loaf  of  bread? 

From  out  my  store  of  two,  I  said, 

I'd  give  one  loaf  for  you; 
O  violet!  I'd  give  them  both 

For  one  so  sweet  and  true. 

The  following  selection  is  from  a  poem  read 
at  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  meeting  in  Woodstock 
Methodist  church,  in  1889: 

So,  like  a  friend,  have  come  again 
Summer  and  fragrant  flowers, 

With  roses  for  our  waiting  hands, 
And  for  our  hearts  the  showers. 

And  like  a  story,  sweet  and  old, 

Told  o'er  and  o'er  again, 
The  shining  days  repeat  themselves 

O'er  meadow,  hill  and  plain. 

But  in  this  changing  world  of  ours, 
The  seasons  come  and  go; 

The  blossom  and  the  scarlet  leaf, 
And  then  the  frost  and  snow. 

One  round  of  seasons,  and  this  life 

Is  ended  here  below; 
A  bud,  a  flower,  a  withered  leaf — 

And  then  the  drifted  snow. 

Some  only  catch  a  glimpse  of  May, 

And  others  stay  till  June; 
But  few  there  be  who  linger  on 

To  see  the  harvest  moon. 


These  stanzas  are  from  a  dainty  little  poem 
entitled:  — 

The  Robin  That  Sang   in  the   Rain. 


I've  often  known  a  faded  flower 

Or  little  tender  tune, 
To  bring  back  some  delightful  hour — 

Some  long-forgotten  June. 


848 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


I  see  the  old-time  meadow 

And  shadows  as  they  pass, 
And  bobolinks  a-swinging 

On  tall  and  slender  grass. 

And  just  beyond  the  long,  cool  lane, 
With  trees  on  either  side — 

Oh,  if  I  could  walk  there  again, 
I  should  be  satisfied. 

O  little  bird!   you  fill  my  thoughts 
And  thrill  me  with  your  song, 

And  make  me  quite  forget  the  now 
And  all  these  days  so  long. 

Sing  on,  brave  bird,  with  scarlet  breast; 

You've  sung  my  heart  from  pain ; 
Sing  into  my  soul  the  tender  trust 

That  helps  you  sing  in  the  rain. 

And  here  I  give  you  a  secret, 
To  hide  in  your  scarlet  vest; 

Of  all  the  birds  that  sing  or  fly, 
I  love  you,  Robin,  the  best. 

Not  for  the  sweet,  unconscious  way 

You  rob  my  heart  of  pain; 
Not  for  the  scarlet  vest  you  wear, 

But  because  you  sing  in  the  rain. 

Mrs.  Joslyn  has  the  true  artistic  instinct  and 
has  had  the  advantages  of  instruction  by  the 
best  artists.  Her  attractive  residence  is  filled 
with  examples  of  her  art,  and  they  are  at  once 
the  pride  and  delight  of  her  friends. 

Socially  Mrs.  Joslyn  has  been  one  of  the  lead- 
ers in  Woodstock  since  her  residence  here, 
and  her  beautiful  home,  with  its  generous 
hospitality,  has  always  been  open  alike  to  her 
friends  and  to  visitors  to  Woodstock,  whose 
characters  and  reputations  required  more  than 
perfunctory  entertainment.  Many  notables 
have  been  entertained  by  her,  among  them 
Theodore  Tilton,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  John  A.  Logan, 
Robert  Collier,  Richard  J.  Oglseby  and  Gen. 
Kilpatrick. 

It  was,  however,  when  in  Washington  during 
President  Arthur's  administration,  and  when 
Judge  Joslyn  occupied  the  office  of  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  they  were  mem- 
bers of  the  exclusive  social  set,  that  Mrs. 
Joslyn's  'graces  and  abilities  as  a  society 
leader  were  shown  to  their  fullest  extent.  She 
entered  the  highest  society  in  the  land  with  an 
ease  and  graciousne:;s  that  won  her  recogni- 
tion in  the  social  world  of  Washington.  Per- 
haps there  never  were   in  this  country  more 


brilliant  social  functions  than  those  which 
ocurred  during  President  Arthur's  administra- 
tion, which  is  still  remembered  for  its 
gayeties. 

One  of  the  Washington  papers  thus  announc- 
es the  departure  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Joslyn 
from  that  city: 

"We  are  all  heartily  sorry  to  lose  the  Jos- 
lyns  from  among  us.  He  has  done  more  kind 
and  generous  things  during  his  Assistant-Sec- 
retaryship than  any  other  one  official  of  the 
last  administration,  and  Mrs.  Joslyn  is  a  great 
social  favorite,  famous  alike  for  her  exquisite 
toilets,  her  ready  wit  and  artistic  taste  and 
ability." 


DAVID   R.  JOSLYN. 

David  R.  Joslyn  is  a  representative  citizen 
of  Woodstock  and  one  of  the  leading  attorneys 
of  McHenry  County  bar.  He  was  born  in 
Woodstock,  Sept.  1,  1866,  the  son  of  Merritt 
L.  and  Mary  (Robinson)  Joslyn.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Wood- 
stock, including  the  high  school  and  a  fitting 
school  for  college  at  Madison,  Wis.  Young 
Joslyn  had  the  great  advantages  and  the  early 
training  which  a  home  of  culture  and  refine- 
ment alone  can  give,  and  which  was  filled  with 
books  and  choice  literature  of  which  he  was  a 
wide  reader.  When  he  was  fourteen  years 
of  age  he  left  school  and  went  to  live  with  his 
uncle,  Dr.  M.  Baldwin,  in  Kansas,  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  for  four  years.  He  then  re- 
turned to  McHenry  County  and  engaged  in 
farming  for  himself  near  Nunda  on  a  farm 
owned  by  his  grandfather,  David  W.  Robinson. 
Although  but  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  suc- 
cessfully managed  the  farm,  keeping  a  dairy 
of  sixty  milch  cows,  besides  horses  and  other 
stock.  He  remained  on  this  farm  for  four 
years  and  then  attended  school  in  Madison. 
He  then  became  a  student  at  the  Northwestern 
University  Law  School,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1892,  meanwhile  reading  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  C.  C.  Kohlsaat,  now  of  the 
United  States  District  Court.  He  was  then 
admitted  to  the  bar. 

Mr.  Joslyn  married  July  14,  1892,  in  Chicago, 
Mary  Brownell,  who  was  born  in  Dayton,  Ohio, 
daughter  of  James  and  Amelia  (Root)  Brown- 
ell. After  marriage  Mr.  Joslyn  settled  with 
his  wife  in  Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County, 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


849 


where  he  bought  a  farm  of  180  acres  on  which 
he  lived  for  four  years.  Mr.  Joslyn  then  prac- 
ticed law  in  1897-98  in  Chicago  in  company 
with  his  brother  Marcellus,  then  a  recent 
graduate  of  Harvard  Law  School.  The  firm 
did  a  large  probate  business,  but  the  partner- 
ship was  dissolved  in  the  fall  of  1898,  and  Mr. 
Joslyn  returned  to  Woodstock,  where  he  soon 
established  a  successful  law  business  and  is 
now  one  of  the  well-known  attorneys. 

David  R.  Joslyn  has  won  a  reputation  as  an 
able  and  fearless  advocate,  with  the  further 
advantage  which  the  winning  of  the  majority 
of  the  cases  entrusted  to  him  gives  to  an  at- 
torney. He  is  becoming  a  factor  in  the  politics 
of  McHenry  County,  and  successfully  managed 
the  late  campaign  of  Judge  O.  H.  Gillmore  for 
the  office  of  County  Judge.  Born  and  reared  a 
Republican,  he  has,  for  the  past  ten  years,  been 
independent  in  politics  and  is  now  an  earnest 
champion  of  the  rights  of  the  laboring  man. 
Although  bred  in  a  home  of  wealth  and  refine- 
ment, at  an  early  age  he  donned  the  work- 
man's clothing  to  become  a  common  farmer. 
He  was  thus  in  early  life  inured  to  a  life  of 
toil  and  learned  to  endure  the  fatigue  of  fol- 
lowing the  plow  in  the  heat  of  the  summer 
sun.  Here  he  learned  to;  know  what  labor 
really  is;  his  long  hours  of  toll,  his  patient 
endurance,  his  narrow  and  uninviting  environ- 
ments, firmly  fixed  by  a  pitiful  pittance  called 
wages.  That  such  an  experience  has  its  effect 
on  a  thinking  man's  life  is  undoubted,  and  its 
broadening  influence  results  in  an  abundant 
sympathy  with  the  toilers,  such  as  Tolstoi 
felt. 

To  these  early  experiences  must  be  attribut- 
ed Mr.  Joslyn's  course  of  action  and  his  sympa- 
thies with  the  late  locked-out  members  of  a 
labor  union  in  Woodstock.  He  became  attor- 
ney and  adviser  for  these  men  and  managed 
their  business  in  an  able  manner.  He  was 
opposed  by  the  prejudices  of  many  of  the 
prominent  men  of  Woodstock,  and  was  shown, 
in  many  ways,  that  his  course  was  unpopular. 
In  taking  this  position  against  the  advice  of 
many  of  his  friends,  Mr.  Joslyn  has  no  hope 
of  gaining  either  money  or  popularity;  yet  he 
was  almost  their  only  defender,  influenced 
solely  by  motives  of  principle  and  by  his  close 


sympathies  with  oppressed  labor.  Mr.  Joslyn 
represented  these  men  in  their  negotiations 
with  their  former  employers  and,  in  several 
important  conferences  with  prominent  labor 
men  representing  their  organizations,  and 
afterwards  assisted  in  securing  employment 
for  many  of  the  locked-out  employes.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  the  "Elgin  Daily  News" 
clearly  shows  his  position  in  the  labor  move- 
ment: 

"WHO  ARE  FREE  MEN?— Men  who  toil 
with  their  hands  and  possess  little  property 
are  the  only  free  men.  Their  courage  is  not 
sapped  by  the  constant  fear  of  losing  money 
tbat  assails  men  of  large  wealth. 

"The  birth  place  of  freedom  and  manliness 
is  in  the  hearts  of  toilers.  Its  cradle  and 
home  is  in  their  arms,  and  never  in  the  history 
of  the  world  has  it  thrived  in  any  other  place. 

"Organization  is  the  spirit  of  the  age.  Capi- 
tal in  organization  finds  an  opportunity  for 
maximum  profit  with  the  minimum  risk,  anl 
eagerly  avails  itself  of  the  opportunity. 

"Labor  must  also  organize,  for,  as  above 
quoted,  the  time  is  passed  when  the  individual 
workman  is  called  upon  to  put  his  feeble 
strength  against  the  might  of  organized  cap- 
ital 

"Times  and  methods  change  and  the  man 
who,  clinging  to  the  past,  sets  his  face  against 
the  world's  progress,  will  surely  'wither  away 
and  perish.'  " 

That  David  R.  Joslyn  is  a  man  of  natural 
eloquence  is  clearly  shown  by  his  address  at 
the  memorial  services  held  in  Woodstock  on 
the  occasion  of  the  death  of  William  McKinley. 
The  following  is  a  brief  extract: 

"The  man  who,  as  a  ruler  of  a  modern  na- 
tion, would  be  accounted  great,  must  possess 
an  intellect  of  the  first  rank  and  that  intellect 
must  be  softened  by  modesty;  it  must  be  rip- 
ened by  the  sunshine  of  sympathy;  must  be 
touched  as  readily  by  the  heart-beats  and 
hopes  of  the  humblest  citizen,  as  by  the  thun- 
dering throbs  of  the  mighty  engines  that  turn 
the  wheels  of  our  greatest  industry.  The 
wrong  that  robs  the  poor  man  of  a  dollar 
must  stir  in  his  breast  as  quick  an  indigna- 
tion as  the  blow  that  would  destroy  the  piled- 
up  thousands  of  the  millionaire.  His  victories 
must  be  won  by  winning  his  opponents,  not  by 
destroying  them." 

David  R.  Joslyn  and  his  wife  are  the  parents 
of  two  children:  David  Robinson,  born  Sept. 
12,  1893,  and  James  Brownell,  born  Jan.  22, 
1895. 


850 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


MARCELLUS  L.  JOSLYN. 
Marcellus  L.  Joslyn,  son  of  Judge  Merritt  L. 
Joslyn,  a  lawyer  and  prominent  business  man 
of  McHenry  County,  was  bom  in  Woodstock, 
111.,  and  received  his  early  education  in  the 
public  schoolsi  of  his  native  town  and  at  Madi- 
son University,  Wis.  He  next  attended  Notre 
Dame  University,  Ind.,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated, when  he  entered  the  Law  Department  of 
Harvard  University,  completing  his  course  in 
law  in  that  institution.  Then,  returning  to 
Illnois,  he  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  partnership  with  his 
brother,  David  R.  Joslyn,  in  the  city  of 
Chicago;  but  later  became  connected  with  the 
telephone  business  at  Woodstock.  This  was 
soon  after  extended  to  the  furnishing  of  tele- 
phone supplies,  including  the  manufacture  of 
cross-arms  for  telephone  poles,  which  finally 
led  to  the  buying  of  lumber  mills  and  timber 
tracts  for  the  supply  of  material,  besides  con- 
tracting for  the  output  of  other  mills,  thus 
establishing  a  large  and  lucrative  business. 
On  Oct.  22,  1899,  Mr.  Joslyn  was  married  at 
Faribault,  Minn.,  to  Alice  Cecilia  Newell, 
daughter  of  George  W.  and  Cecilia  Newell. 
The  present  residence  (1903)  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Joslyn  is  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  where  his 
business  headquarters  are  located.  Mr.  Joslyn 
has  proved  himself  a  sagacious  and  successful 
business  man  of  the  educated  type.  He  and 
his  wife  have  two  children,  named  Marcellus 
Newell,  born  Feb.  28,  1901,  and  George  Robin- 
son, born  Nov.   19,  1902. 


WALTER  P.  JEWETT. 

Walter  P.  Jewett  (deceased),  a  pioneer  and 
prominent  citizen  in  his  day,  of  Dorr  Township, 
McHenry  County,  was  of  English  extraction,  the 
founders  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family 
becoming  settlers,  at  an  early  day,  at  Pownal, 
Vt.,  where  Walter  P.  was  born  July  26,  ISOfi. 
the  son  of  Nathan  and  Lucy  (Perry)  Jewett. 
The  children  of  Nathan  Jewett  and  wife  were: 
Perry,  Alden,  Walter  P.,  Harry,  Nathan,  Har- 
riet, Edna,  Sarah,  Mary,  Celinda  and  Susan. 
The  father,  Nathan  Jewett,  died  at  his  old 
home  in  Pownal,  Vt.  Of  his  children,  all  but 
two — Perry  and  Harriet — came  to  McHenry 
County,  111.     The  son  NathaD  became  a  Metho- 


dist minister,  traveled  quite  extensively  and 
was  well  known  in  McHenry  County  and 
throughout    Northern   Illinois. 

Walter  P.  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion in  his  native  place,  became  a  farmer  and, 
in  1836,  removed  to  Illinois  with  Samuel  Greg- 
ory and  family,  after  reaching  Illinois  making 
the  journey  to  Rockford  with  ox-teams.  Soon 
after  Mr.  Jewett  located  a  claim  on  Govern- 
ment land  on  Rock  River,  but  two  years  later 
(1838)  removed  to  Dorr  Township,  McHenry 
County,  where  he  settled  on  land  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  Truax  family.  Here  he  subse- 
quently entered  400  acres  of  Government  land, 
then  wholly  unimproved,  and  erected  upon  it 
the  first  frame  house  in  thf».t  section  of  the 
county.  In  March,  1847,  he  was  married  at 
Woodstock,  111.,  to  Harriet  Caroline  Horton, 
who  was  born  at  Hanover  Center,  Chautauqua 
County,  N.  Y.,  March  26,  1821,  the  daughter 
of  Jessie  and  Nancy  Caroline  (Clark)  Horton. 
Her  father,  Jesse  Horton,  was  a  native  of 
Cheshire,  Mass.,  born  Sept.  17,  1796,  the  son 
of  Isaac  and  Louisa  Horton.  The  children  of 
this  family  were  Benjamin,  Isaac,  Jesse,  Asel, 
Achsah,  Polly,  Louisa  and  Amanda.  The 
father,  Isaac  Horton,  Sr.,  died  in  Massachu- 
setts. 

Jesse  Horton  received  a  good  education  for 
his  time,  and  having  adopted  the  vocation  of 
a  farmer,  in  1821  removed  to  Hanover  Center, 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared  up 
a  farm  from  the  woods.  Having  sold  his  farm 
in  middle  life,  he  removed  to  Brant,  Chautauqua 
County,  where  he  bought  another  farm  and 
erected  upon  it  a  good  residence,  spent  here 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  March  12, 1874, 
in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
a  man  of  considerable  property,  a  Democrat  in 
politics  and  prominent  in  the  community.  At 
an  early  day  he  held  the  offices  of  Road  Com- 
missioner and  Constable,  and  was  entrusted 
with  the  settlement  of  many  estates,  often 
being  called  upon  to  act  as  guardian  of  orphan 
children.  He  was  a  member  or  the  New  York 
State  militia.  His  wife  died  at  their  home  in 
Brant,  N.  Y.,  aged  seventy-three  years.  Their 
children  were:  Isaac  R.,  Harriet  'Caroline 
(Mrs.  Walter  P.  Jewett),  Elon  L.,  Louvisa, 
Amanda,  Julia  A.,  Emeline,  Jessie,  Emilus, 
John  (who  died  aged  six  years),  John  (2)  and 
Franklin  (who  died  aged  seven  months.) 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


851 


Mrs.  Walter  P.  Jewett  remained  at  her  home 
in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  until  1843,  when 
she  came  west  with  her  friends,  Trestham 
Vincent  and  family,  coming  by  lake  vessel  to 
Milwaukee  and  thence  by  team  to  Cook 
County,  111.,  but  in  1846  went  to  Half  Day.. 
Lake  County.  In  March,  1847,  she  was  married 
to  Walter  P.  Jewett,  after  which  she  and  her 
husband  settled  on  his  farm  in  Dorr  Township, 
McHenry  County,  where  they  continued 
to  reside  until  1857,  when  they  removed 
to  Woodstock.  Here  they  bought  prop- 
erty but  having  sold  this  out,  later 
bought  property  on  Tryon  Street.  After 
settling  in  Woodstock,  Mr.  Jewett  lived  a  re- 
tired life.  He  was  a  man  of  independent  views, 
a  zealous  Democrat  in  politics,  and  held  vari- 
ous town  offices,  besides  being  connected  with 
the  settlement  of  many  estates,  serving  as 
guardian  of  orphan  children,  etc.  He  left  a 
substantial  property,  including  over  400  acres 
of  fine  farming  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  P. 
Jewett  had  five  children,  only  two  of  whom 
lived  to  years  of  maturity,  viz. :  Edna,  who  was 
born  April  1,  1851,  and  Emilus  C,  born  Jan. 
29,  1854.  (See  sketch  of  Emilus  C.  Jewett). 
Edna  Jewett  married  William  C.  Allen,  who  is  a 
lawyer  and  real  estate  agent,  at  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  and  they  have  two  children:  Walter 
Jewett  Allen  and  Harry  Horton  Allen. 

Walter  P.  Jewett  bore  a  high  reputation  for 
personal  integrity  and  force  of  character. 


EMILUS   C.   JEWETT. 

Emilus  C.  Jewett,  banker  and  Mayor  of  the 
city  of  Woodstock  and  Treasurer  of  McHenry 
County,  is  a  native  of  Dorr  Township,  where 
he  was  born  Jan.  29,  1854.  When  about  three 
years  of  age,  his  parents  moved  to  Woodstock, 
where  he  received  his  education,  and  which 
has  since  been  his  home.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  he  entered  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Woodstock,  where  he  was  employed  for 
eight  years  as  clerk.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  business  in  Woodstock,  which  he 
conducted  successfully  for  about  seven  years, 
when  he  retired  on  account  of  ill  health.  He 
then  embarked  in  the  stock  business  for  a  time, 
being  engaged  in  shipping  horses  to  South 
Dakota,  but  retiring  from  this,  in  1887  became 
a  partner  of  Mr.  E.  E.  Richards  in  the  abstract 


business  in  Woodstock,  in  whicn  he  became  the 
owner  of  a  half-interest.  Two  years  later 
(1889)  he  became  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
State  Bank  of  Woodstock,  of  which  he  was 
elected  cashier — a  position  wbich  he  has  con- 
tinued to  fill  to  the  present  time.  In  1895  Mr. 
Jewett,  in  conjunction  with  George  K.  Bunker, 
E.  E.  Richards,  Burton  Wright  and  C.  B. 
Wright,  organized  a  private  bank  at  Nunda, 
McHenry  County,  which  was  soon  after  changed 
to  the  Citizens'  State  Bank  of  Nunda,  and 
has  since  been  successfully  conducted.  Origin- 
ally a  Democrat  in  political  opinion,  in  1896 
Mr.  Jewett  supported  Mr.  McKinley  for  the 
Presidency,  as  he  did  again  in  1900,  and  has 
since  been  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  policies 
of  which  President  McKinley  was  the  repre- 
sentative. His  standing  in  the  community  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  has  frequently 
been  called  upon  by  his  fellow-citizens  to  fill 
various  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility. 
In  1876,  shortly,  after  attaining  his  majority, 
he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  tax-collector, 
which  he  filled  for  one  term  and  also  served 
one  term  as  City  Treasurer.  In  1888  he  was 
chosen  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
for  the  city  of  Woodstock,  and  from 
1890  to  1894  served  on  the  Board  of 
Education,  filling  the  office  of  clerk  of 
the  Board.  In  1897  he  was  elected 
Mayor  of  Woodstock,  and  has  discharged  the 
duties  of  that  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
community  for  the  past  six  years,  as  indicated 
by  his  successive  re-elections.  Again  in  1902 
he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  County 
Treasurer  of  McHenry  County  by  a  large 
majority,  running  ahead  of  his  ticket. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Jewett  is  a  member  of  the 
Blue  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  has 
held  the  office  of  Master.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Chapter  and  of  the  Commandery  of 
Knights  Templar,  in  the  latter  organization 
being  a  Past  Eminent  Commander. 

On  Sept.  25,  1879,  Mr.  Jewett  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Alice  C,  Eckert,  daughter  of 
Jacob  and  Eliza  (Freeman)  Eckert,  of  Wood- 
stock, 111.  Mrs.  Jewett  grew  up  in  the  city  of 
Woodstock,  attending  the  public  schools  there, 
including  the  high  school  as  well  as  the  well- 
known  Todd  Seminary,  after  which  she  took 
a  course  in  the  Cook  County  Normal  School 
from  which   she  graduated.     She  then  taught 


852 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


for  two  years  at  Harvard  and  Woodstock,  prov- 
ing herself  a  capable  and  efficient  instructor. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  have  two  daughters — 
Jessie  E.  and  Helen  A. — both  of  whom  received 
their  early  education  in  the  Woodstock  pub- 
lic schools,  also  attending  the  high  school, 
from  which  Jessie  E.  graduated.  They  are  now 
attending  the  Downer  College,  a  high-class 
collegiate  institute  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  from 
which  they  will  soon  receive  their  diplomas. 

Mr.  Jewett  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation  for 
business  probity  and  integrity  of  character, 
as  did  his  father  before  him,  and  has  been 
frequently  called  upon  to  serve  as  administra- 
tor, as  conservator  or  guardian  in  settling  up 
or  caring  for  estates,  or  looking  after  the  in- 
terests of  minors.  He  is  popular  among  his 
fellow-citizens  of  McHenry  County,  not  only 
on  account  of  his  well-known  integrity  and  re- 
liability of  character,  but  for  his  kindly  and 
courteous  treatment  of  all  with  whom  he  comes 
in  contact  in  either  a  business  or  official  capa- 
city. Born  and  reared  in  McHenry  County, 
and  having  spent  nearly  all  his  life  in  the  city 
of  Woodstock,  he  has  established  a  local  repu- 
tation as  an  efficient  and  conservative  business 
man  that  is  universally  recognized  in  the  com- 
munity with  which  he  has  been  so  long  and 
so  intimately  identified. 

Mr.  Jacob  Eckert,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Jewett, 
was  born  in  Alsace — then  a  department  of 
France,  but  now  a  part  of  the  Empire  of 
Germany — the  son  of  Jacob  Eckert,  Sr.,  March 
17,  1818,  and  in  1836,  at  the  age  of  nearly 
nineteen  years,  emigrated  to  America,  two 
years  later  coming  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  he  took  up  land  in  Greenwood  Township, 
becoming  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  that 
section.  His  parents  and  a  brother,  Henry, 
came  to  McHenry  County  at  a  later  period. 
Mr.  Eckert  first  purchased  a  tract  of  160  acres 
of  land,  but  prospered  by  his  industry  and 
prudent  management  until  he  became  the 
owner  of  303  acres.  On  March  18,  1851,  he 
was  married  in  Greenwood  Township  to  Eliza 
Freeman,  who  was  born  at  Potsdam,  St.  Law- 
rence County,  N.  Y.,  April  2,  1831,  the  daughter 
of  Ashley  and  Sarah  (Dewey)  Freeman.  Mr. 
and   Mrs.   Eckert  became   the   parents  of  the 


following  named  children:  Flora,  Dora  (who 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years),  Alice  C.  (Mrs. 
Jewett),  Jesse  and  Elizabeth.  Mr.  Eckert  be- 
came a  prosperous  farmer,  improved  his  lands, 
erecting  thereon  a  substantial  frame  dwelling 
house,  which  is  still  standing,  making  his 
holding  one  of  the  best  farms  in  his  township. 
In  1866  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Wood- 
stock, where  he  purchased  residence  property 
and  a  warehouse,  and  there  engaged  in  the 
grain-commission  business,  which  he  conducted 
until  a  few  years  before  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred March  3,  1896.  He  and  his  wife  were 
communicants  of  the  Congregational  church, 
and  in  politics  he  was  a  Republican.  He  was 
a  man  of  stanch  character  and  sterling  worth, 
and  he  and  his  faithful  wife  reared  an  excellent 
family. 

Ashley  Freeman,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Jacob 
Eckert,  of  old  colonial  and  English  stock,  was 
born  in  Vermont,  the  son  of  Hezekiah  Free- 
man. He  settled  at  an  early  day  in  the  vicinity 
of  Potsdam,  N.  Y.,  where  he  opened  up  a 
farm  in  a  heavily  timbered  region.  He  was 
married  twice — first,  to  Eliza  Bates,  who  bore 
him  children  named  Oliver,  Martha  and  Wil- 
liam. His  first  wife  having  died,  he  married  as 
his  second  wife,  Sarah  Dewey,  the  daughter 
of  Harry  and  Sarah  Dewey.  The  children  by 
this  second  marriage  were:  Eliza,  Samantha, 
Sabra,  Henry,  Horace,  Hattie  and  a  daughter 
who  died  in  infancy.  In  1850,  Mr.  Freeman's 
second  wife  having  died,  he  moved  to  Illinois 
with  his  children,  and  having  bought  land  in 
Queen  Ann  Prairie,  Greenwood  Township,  lived 
there  some  years,  but  later  located  on  another 
farm  in  the  same  township,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  dying  in  November, 
1855.  In  politics  Mr.  Freeman  was  an  old  line 
Whig  and  an  opponent  of  slavery-extension — 
would  have  been  Republican  had  he  survived 
until  the  organization  of  that  party.  He  had 
a  good  common-school  education,  and  was  a 
reliable   and    trustworthy   citizen. 

Mayor  Jewett  and  family  reside  on  Jackson 
Street,  in  the  city  of  Woodstock,  where  he 
erected  a  pleasant  and  attractive  home  in 
1895. 


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McHENRY      COUNTY. 


853 


JOHN  JUDSON. 

John  Judson,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Hebron 
Township,  has  won  his  own  place  in  life  by 
sheer  pluck  and  energy,  and  now,  in  his  eighty- 
first  year,  is  living  upon  a  comfortable  income 
derived  from  the  accumulated  earnings  of 
former  years.  Mr.  Judson  is  an  Englishman 
by  birth  and  parentage.  His  father,  Henry 
Judson,  was  a  Yorkshire  farmer,  as  also  was 
his  grandfather  Judson.  Henry  Judson  was 
born  and  reared  in  Yorkshire,  and  there,  upon 
reaching  manhood,  married  Eleanor  Smith. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  were  born  three 
children:  William,  John,  and  Mary.  In  1830, 
some  years  after  marriage,  Mr.  Judson  decid- 
ed to  emigrate  to  America,  and,  after  eight 
weeks  and  three  days  on  a  sailing-vessel,  land- 
ed with  his  family  in  the  city  of  New  York. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  worked  as  a  day- 
laborer  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  then,  renting  land 
about  seven  miles  from  Utica,  he  began  life 
as  a  farmer.  Here  he  spent  his  last  days, 
dying  in  1844.  He  was  a  man  of  industrious 
and  frugal  habits  and  gave  his  children  the 
best  rearing  his  purse  could  afford.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Episcopal 
church. 

John  Judson  inherited  his  father's  taste  for 
agriculture,  and  the  large  capacity  for  work 
necessary  to  success  in  that  line.  Born  in 
Foxhall,  Yorkshire,  England,  Dec.  22,  1823,  he 
was  about  seven  years  old  when  the  family 
emigrated  to  America,  and  remembers  well 
scenes  in  England  and  the  long  ocean  voyage. 
He  received  only  a  meager  education,  and  at  an 
early  age  began  working  on  the  farm  near 
Utica,  N.  Y.  At  Whitesboro,  Oneida  County, 
N.  Y.,  Jan.  24,  1844,  Mr.  Judson  married  Mary 
M.  Bartlett,  who  was  born  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
Jan.  27,  1824,  the  daughter  of  Crandall  and 
Patience  (Wheater)  Bartlett.  The  Wheaters 
were  of  Holland-Dutch  stock,  and  the  Bartletts, 
French  Huguenots,  who  settled  in  Massachu- 
setts in  colonial  times  and  intermarried  with 
members  of  some  of  the  prominent  Puritan 
families.  Mrs.  Judson's  mother,  Patience 
(Wheater)  Bartlett,  was  born  in  the  Green 
Mountains,  the  daughter  of  Richard  Wheater. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartlett  had  three  children: 
John,  Sarah,  and  Mary  M.  (Mrs.  Judson).  Mr. 
Bartlett  having  died  when  his  daughter  Mary 


M.  was  about  six  weeks  old,  her  mother 
subsequently  married  Riley  Button,  and  they 
had  four  children:  Harvey  Alexander,  Joanna, 
Mathew  and  Ezra. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  settled 
near  Oriskany,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  worked  as  a  day  laborer,  receiving  a  month- 
ly salary.  In  the  hope  of  bettering  his  fortune 
he  decided  in  1845  to  move  to  Wisconsin,  and 
on  May  1st  of  that  year  arrived  at  Linn  in  that 
State,  where  he  obtained  employment  as  a 
farm  hand.  Shortly  after  this  he  pre-empted 
a  40-acre  tract  of  Government  land  in  Alden 
Township,  McHenry  County,  which  be  cleared 
and  put  under  cultivation.  Two  years  later, 
having  sold  his  land  in  McHenry  County,  he 
bought  an  unimproved  80-acre  tract  in  Linn 
Township,  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  which  he 
improved  and  still  owns.  This  he  continued 
to  occupy  until  1885,  when  he  bought  120  acres 
in  Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County,  upon 
which  he  erected  substantial  buildings  and 
made  other  valuable  improvements.  Manag- 
ing both  farms,  he  carried  on  an  agricultural 
industry  quite  extensively  for  many  years,  and 
amassed  considerable  property.  His  heavy 
responsibilities,  however,  began  to  tax  his 
energies,  and  in  1893,  having  sold  his  McHenry 
County  farm  to  his  son,  he  settled  upon  a  43- 
acre  tract  in  Hebron  Township,  where  he  now 
resides.  Through  life  he  has  been  a  careful 
financial  manager,  and,  in  addition  to  his  two 
farms,  now  has  considerable  money  at  interest. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  have  eight  children — 
four  sons  and  four  daughters-  -all  of  whom  are 
married  and  have  families  of  their  own,  viz.: 
Henry,  Sarah,  George,  Ellen,  John,  Annie, 
Mary  and  Fred.  The  sons  are  all  farmers  and 
the  daughters  are  married  to  farmers. 

Henry  married  Emma  Burris,  and  they  now 
reside  in  Minnesota,  and  have  six  children. 

Sarah  married  John  Niver,  a  farmer,  who  is 
now  deceased,  leaving  two  children. 

George  married  Ellen  Burris,  and  they  have 
one  child.  He  is  a  farmer  and  fraternally  a 
Mason. 

Ellen  married  George  Markham  and  they 
have  four  children. 

John  married  Martha  Tibbetts,  is  a  retired 
farmer  of  Hebron  Township,  and  they  have  six 
sons. 

Annie  married   Ira   Nourse,     a     farmer     of 


854 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


Hebron  Township,  who  is  now  deceased.  She 
has  two  children. 

Mary  married  George  Wheater,  a  farmer,  and 
they  have  five  children.  They  live  in  Linn 
Township,  Walworth  County,  "Wis. 

Fred  married  Ada  Darrow,  is  a  farmer  in 
Geneva,  and  they  have  three  children. 

In  all  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  have  twenty-nine 
grandchildren  and  ten  great-grandchildren, 
with  their  eight  children,  making  a  total  of 
forty-seven  descendants. 

In  politics  Mr.  Judson  has  been  a  life-long 
Republican  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln  stamp,  and 
his  conspicuously  successful  career  gives  evi- 
dence of  his  sturdy  character. 


LAWRENCE  K.  JONES. 
Lawrence  H.  Jones,  veteran  of  the  Civil 
War  and  present  Police  Magistrate  of  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  was  born  in  Carroll — now  Kiantone 
—Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  18,  1837. 
The  Jones  family  is  of  Welsh  extraction,  John 
Jones,  the  founder  of  the  American  branch 
of  the  family,  having  emigrated,  according  to 
tradition,  from  Wales  to  America  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  His  sons 
were  all  natural  musicians,  one  of  them, 
Abraham,  being  especially  clever  with  stringed 
instruments.  Another  son  named  John  was  a 
"Minute  Man"  during  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, taking  part  in  several  battles,  also  serving 
as  a  musician  in  the  Continental  Army.  After 
the  conclusion  of  the  war  he  settled  in  Wards- 
boro,  Windham  County,  Vt.,  where  he  raised 
a  family  of  sons,  who  were  also  singers  and 
noted  musicians,  playing  both  wind  and  string- 
ed instruments.  The  father  and  sons  made  up 
an  orchestra  of  twelve  members,  of  which 
Benjamin,  who  was  an  expert  player  on  the 
violin,  was  the  leader.  They  collected  together 
from  different  parts  of  the  country  for  this 
service.  John  Jones,  who  has  just  been  men- 
tioned as  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  had  sixty- 
seven  grandchildren.  Elliott  Jones,  who  was 
the  compiler  of  the  first  church  hymn-book 
adopted  by  all  the  churches,  was  organist  and 
chorister  in  the  Broadway  Tabernacle,  New 
York,  and  his  daughter  Kate  sang  with  the 
celebrated  Jenny  Lind  in  her  Castle  Garden 
concerts   during  her  visit  to  this  country.     A 


number  of  the  members  of  the  family  were 
professors  and  teachers  of  music,  among  whom 
Chandler  and  David  Jones  will  long  be  rem- 
embered. 

Joseph  Jones,  grandfather  of  Lawrence  H. 
Jones,  of  Woodstock,  was  born  May  21,  1782. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  married  Betsy  Richard- 
son, who  was  born  in  1784.  Their  children 
were  Sarah  R.,  Electa,  Eliza,  David,  Simon  G., 
Sarah  G.,  and  Lydia  J.  The  father  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
was  known  as  an  industrious  and  highly  re- 
spected citizens.  In  old  age  Mr.  Jones  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  son  Simon  G.,  and  died  at 
Franklinville,  McHenry  County.  His  wife  died 
in  Chautauqua  County,  July  5,  184fi. 

Simon  G.  Jones  was  born  in  Chautauqua 
County,  N.  Y.,  received  an  ordinary  common- 
school  education,  became  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and,  on  Nov.  27,  1836,  was  married  at 
Carroll,  Chautauqua  County,  to  July  A.  Hoyt, 
who  was  born  at  Wilton,  Conn.,  Oct.  3, 
1809,  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Abigail  (Ray- 
mond) Hoyt.  Daniel  Hoyt,  the  father,  was  born 
in  Norfolk,  Conn.,  July  15,  1782,  and  his  wife 
Abigail,  June  6,  1778.  Both  the  Hoyts  and  the 
Raymonds  were  of  New  England  and  Revolu- 
tionary stock.  Simon  G.  JoDes  first  settled  in 
Chautauqua  County,  where  he  cleared  up  a 
farm  in  the  woodlands.  He  inherited  the 
musical  taste  of  the  family,  and  was  a  singer 
in  the  choir  of  the  old  Presbyterian  church  at 
Kiantone,  Chautauqua  County.  The  pew  in 
this  church  formerly  occupied  by  his  own  and 
his  father's  family,  is  still  held  by  some  mem- 
bers of  the  family.  Simon  G.  Jones  was  a  man 
of  remarkable  physical  strength  and  very 
skillful  in  handling  the  scythe.  It  is  related 
of  him  that  no  man  in  Chautauqua  County  was 
his  equal  in  this  respect.  He  was  a  member 
and  deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  church.  In 
1854  he  moved  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Mc- 
Henry County,  March  10,  first  settling  in 
Hartland  Township,  where  he  lived  three  years. 
In  1857  he  bought  land  in  Seneca  Township, 
but  later  moved  to  Linn  County,  Iowa,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  with  his 
children,  dying  there  Sept.  24,  1885.  While 
a  resident  of  Seneca  Township,  McHenry 
County,  he  held  the  office  of  Assessor  and 
Collector     of     Taxes.         Originally     a     stanch 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


85; 


Democrat,  he  became  a  Lincoln  Republican  in 
the  days  of  the  Civil  War.  His  children,  all 
born  before  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  were: 
Lawrence,  born  Oct.  18,  1837;  Agnes  L.,  born 
Sept.  3,  1839;  Clinton  M.,  born  Aug.  4,  1841; 
Mary  E.,  born  Aug.  4,  1844. 

Lawrence  H.  Jones,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  received  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  his  native  county,  to  which  he 
walked  a  distance  of  about  three  miles.  He 
grew  up  to  be  a  farmer  and,  when  about  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  came  with  his  father  to 
McHenry  County,  111.  He  remained  with  his 
father  working  on  the  farm  until  after  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Civil  War,  in  ante-bellum  days 
being  a  member  of  Company  A,  Woodstock 
Light  Guard,  under  the  State  militia  organiza- 
tion. On  May  24,  1861,  he  enlisted  at  Wood- 
stock, as  a  private  in  Company  A,  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  (Capt.  L.  D.  Kelly), 
one  of  the  first  regiments  to;  be  mustered  in 
under  the  call  for  three  years'  volunteers. 
While  in  the  service  he  became  Orderly  Ser- 
geant of  his  company,  but  later  was  promoted 
to  First  Lieutenant,  and  for  about  three  months 
during  the  absence  of  Captain  Kelly,  was  in 
command  of  the  company;  also  spent  some 
time  at  home  in  the  recruiting  service.  On 
February  15,  1862,  he  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Pittsburg  Landing  on  account  of  disa- 
bility incurred  in  the  service,  His  disability 
was  due  to  chronic  diarrhoea,  and  he  was  so 
greatly  emaciated  at  the  time  of  his  discharge 
that  he  had  entirely  lost  his  voice  and  weighed 
only  100  pounds.  Returning  home,  he  was  in 
a  critical  condition  for  some  time  and  for  eigbt 
months  was  unable  to  speak  aloud. 

After  his  recovery  Mr.  Jones  was  married  at 
Sycamore,  111.,  on  July  3,  1865,  to  Mary  A. 
Weaver,  who  was  born  at  Woodstock,  May  3, 
1847,  the  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  A.  (Carr) 
Weaver.  Peter  Weaver  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Woodstock,  and  he  and  his  wife 
were  parents  of  the  following  named  children : 
James,  Thomas,  Joseph,  Crawford  and  Mary 
A.  All  the  sons  were  soldiers  during  the  Civil 
War — with  one  exception  all  being  members 
of  Illinois  regiments,  Thomas  serving  fhree 
years  in  a  Michigan  regiment.  Crawford, 
the  youngest,  enlisted  before  he  had  reached 
the  age  when  he  would  be  subject  to  military 
duty,  serving  one  year  and  three  months,  while 


James  and  Joseph  each  served  about  one  year. 

Mrs.  Jones  became  an  orphan  while  still  an 
infant,  her  mother  dying  when  the  daughter 
was  six  days  old,  while  her  father  died  about 
two  years  later.  She  was  then  brought  up  in 
the  family  of  Mr.  John  Ackerson,  who  was  a 
relative  of  her  mother's  and  an  old  settler  of 
Seneca  Township.  She  remained  a  member  of 
the  Ackerson  family  up  to  the  time  of  her 
marriage. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones 
settled  upon  a  farm  in  Seneca  Township,  but, 
in  1874,  removed  to  Woodstock,  where  he  en- 
tered into  the  employment  of  Timothy  J.  Dacy, 
in  the  agricultural  machinery  business.  Later 
he  had  charge  of  the  pickle  factory  of  Haines 
&  Noble  until  1883,  when  he  was  appointed 
by  President  Harrison  Collector  of  Internal 
Revenue  for  the  First  District,  including  Lake, 
McHenry,  Boone  and  Winnebago  Counties. 
Mr.  Jones  served  some  twelve  years  as  Deputy 
Sheriff  under  Sheriffs  Steadman,  Church,  Bck- 
ert  and  Udell,  and,  in  1892,  was  elected  Police 
Magistrate  for  Woodstock,  a  position  which  he 
has  held  ever  since,  proving  himself  an  effi- 
cient and  impartial  judicial  officer.  During  his 
service  as  Deputy  Sheriff  lie  nad  charge  of  tlie 
enrance  to  the  portion  of  the  county  jail  in 
which  Dacy — the  only  person  ever  executed 
in  McHenry  County — suffered  the  penalty  of 
his  crime  in  the  murder  of  a  Chicago  Al- 
derman. 

'Squire  Jones,  as  he  is  familiarly  called  by 
his  intimate  acquaintances,  is  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  Woodstock  Post,  No.  108,  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  and  has  held  all  the  offices  of  the 
organization,  including  that  of  Post  Com- 
mander. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  has  held  all 
the  offices  of  the  order,  besides  being  delegate 
to  the  State  Lodge  for  the  past  six  years.  In 
politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican  and,  as  dem- 
onstrated by  his  record  as  a  soldier,  a  man  of 
patriotic  impulses.  He  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  the  preservation  of  the  records  of 
deceased  soldiers  who  have  been  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  Woodstock,  and  it  was  through 
his  application  to  the  authorities  in  Washing- 
ton that  head-stones  for  the  soldier  dead  were 
obtained,  and  these  he  personally  saw  placed 
at  the  graves  of  those  for  whom  they  were 
intended. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  have  had  children  named 


856 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


as  follows:  John  S.,  George  L.,  Charles  C. 
and  Neva  L.  Of  his  three  sons,  two — George 
L.  and  Charles  C. — are  members  of  the  Hospi- 
tal Corps,  Third  Regiment,  I.  N.  G. 

Mrs.  Jones  was  only  a  little  over  thirteen 
years  of  age  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out 
and,  as  all  the  young  men  in  the  vicinity 
where  she  lived  had  entered  the  army,  she 
often  drove  the  team  which  propelled  the 
reaper  that  cut  the  grain  for  her  own  people 
and  their  neighbors  in  Seneca  Township. 

Jones  Genealogy. — There  is  a  tradition  hand- 
ed down  in  the  Jones  family  to  the  effect  that 
their  ancestors  of  many  generations  ago  moved 
about  1590  from  England  to  Wales,  and  after 
remaining  there  about  one  hundred  years, 
their  descendants  emigrated  to  America,  set- 
tling in  Massachusetts.  John  Jones,  who  was 
the  son  of  Abraham  Jones,  was  born  in  Men- 
don,  Mass.,  March  23,  1744,  and  in  1780  moved 
to  Waldsboro,  Vt.,  and  there  Benjamin  Jones 
was  born,  May  21,  1788.  Joseph  Jones,  the  son 
of  John,  was  born  May  21,  1782,  and  in  the  fall 
of  1815  moved  to  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  became  the  progenitor  of  the  family 
whose  record  has  been  given  in  the  preceding 
sketch. 


ROBERT    JOHONNOTT. 


Among  the  names  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Richmond  Township,  and  prominent  among  the 
citizens  who  assisted  in  developing  this  section 
of  country  from  a  wilderness  to  its  present 
state  of  civilization  and  cultivation,  is  the 
name  of  Robert  Johonnott,  a  descendant  of 
one  of  the  noted  French  soldiers  who  came  to 
this  country  with  the  famous  La  Fayette  to  as- 
sist in  the  struggle  for  freedom.  The  great- 
grandfather married  and  settled  in  Massachu- 
setts and  had  one  child,  Peter  Johonnott,  who 
lived  and  became  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject. He  was  born  in  Massachusetts  and  lived 
in  Barre,  Vt.,  about  six  miles  from  Montpelier. 
He  married  Ruth  Sheldon  and  their  children 
were  Peter,  Asa,  Ruth  and  Edwin  S.  This 
wife  died  and  he  married  Sallie  Wheaton,  and 
their  children  were  Leonard,  Louisa,  Sarah  and 
Mary  Ann.  Peter  Johonnott,  at  the  age  of 
ninety-four  years,  came  to  Illinois  and  died  at 
the  residence  of  Ira  R.  Crosby,  of  Solon.  He 
was  a  Universalist  in  religious  belief,  a  soldier 


in  the  War  of  1812,  and  lived  to  the  venerable 
old  age  of  ninety-sis  years.  He  was  a  man 
of  powerful  physique,  six  feet  two  inches  tall, 
and  weighed  two  hundred  pounds. 

Edwin  S.  Johonnott,  father  of  Robert,  was 
born  in  Barre,  Vt.,  about  1811,  received  the 
usual  common-school  education  of  his  day  and 
was  a  tanner  by  trade.  He  married  in  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  Mariette  Crosby,  who  was  born  in 
the  same  place,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and 
Bridget  (Steele)  Crosby,  natives  of  Connecti- 
cut, of  English  descent;  Bridget  Steele  being 
the  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Steele,  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  a  daughter  of  Governor  Bradford, 
Edwin  S.  Johonnott  settled  in  Burlington,  Vt., 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade;  afterwards 
moved  to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  thence  to  Michigan  in 
1835,  where  he  bought  land,  and  in  1837  moved 
to  Volo,  111.,  taking  up  land,  which  he  partly 
improved  previous  to  moving  to  Chicago  In 
1839.  He  engaged  in  the  leather  business  in 
Chicago,  his  place  of  business  being  on  Kin- 
zie  Street,  the  last  building  but  one  near  the 
State  Street  Bridge.  In  1843  Mr.  Johonnott 
moved  to  McHenry  County  and  settled  in 
Spring  Grove,  where  he  bought  6C0  acres  of 
partly  improved  land  of  the  United  States 
Government.  He  had  made  considerable  prog- 
ress towards  improving  this  land  when  he  died, 
in  1847,  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years.  His 
children  were  Robert,  Gertrude  and  Edwin  S. 
Mr.  Johonnott  was  a  hard-working,  industrious 
pioneer  citizen,  respected  by  all  his  acquaint- 
ances, and  a  member  of  the  Universalist 
church. 

Robert  Johonnott,  born  in  Burlington,  Vt., 
Sept.  2,  1833,  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Michigan  in  1835,  thence  to  Volo,  111.,  in  1837, 
and  was  raised  on  the  frontier  settlement  of 
that  State.  He  attended  a  very  good  school  in 
Chicago  for  about  three  years,  his  teacher  be- 
ing A.  P.  Wilder,  one  of  the  early  teachers  of 
that  city.  Later  he  attended  the  Waukegan 
Academy  for  one  year,  and  afterwards,  in  1850, 
began  to  learn  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Rich- 
mond, 111.,  with  Sampson  &  Mason,  who  were 
early  blacksmiths  with  whom  Mr.  Johonnott 
served  an  apprenticeship  of  four  years.  Mr. 
Johonnott  thoroughly  mastered  his  trade  and 
in  1858  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  in  Spring 
Grove,  111.,  where  he  lived  for  thirteen  years. 
March  15,  1859,  he  married  at  Spring  Grove 
Frances  A.  Rice,  born  at     Fall    River,    Mass., 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


857 


June  15,  1840,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Catherine  (Bliven)  Rice. 

Joseph  Bliven  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812  and  served  at  the  Fort  on  Long  Island, 
when  it  was  bombarded  by  the  British.  He 
was  descended  from  an  old  New  England  fam- 
ily, and  moved  to  Illinois  in  1841,  settling  in 
Spring  Grove,  where  he  built  a  grist-mill  (the 
first  mill  in  that  place),  and  there  lived  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death  in  1845,  at  the  age  of 
sixty  years. 

Joseph  Rice  came  to  Illinois  with  Mr.  Bliven 
and  kept  a  hotel  at  Spring  Grove,  where  he 
lived  the  remainder  of  his  life  dying  at  the  age 
of  sixty-eight  years. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johonnett  set- 
tled at  Spring  Grove  and  then  moved  to  Rich- 
mond in  1870,  where  he  opened  his  present 
blacksmith  shop.  Their  children  are  Marietta, 
Louisa,  Gertrude,  Henry,  Louis,  Catherine  and 
Nellie.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Johonnott  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  of  the  Masonic  Order. 
He  has  always  been  a  man  of  very  industrious 
habits,  owns  a  pleasant  residence,  and  is  still 
in  active  business,  a  well-known  and  highly 
respected  pioneer  settler. 

When  Mr.  Johonnott's  father  settled  in  Chi- 
cago there  were  no  buildings  between  Clybourn 
Place  and  the  city.  The  prairies  about  the  city 
were  continuous  and  Mr.  Johonnott  has  often 
driven  cattle  through  what  is  now  one  of  Chi- 
cago's populous  residence  districts. 


EDITH   (KINGMAN)   POYER-KERN. 

Edith  (Kingman)  Poyer-Kern,  educator  and 
business  woman  of  Woodstock,  111.,  was  born  at 
Harvard,  McHenry  County,  Jan.  14,  1866,  the 
daughter  of  A.  J.  and  Sarah  M.  (Cronkhite) 
Kingman,  and  grew  up  in  the  quiet  and  beau- 
tiful little  city  of  Woodstock,  where  her  par- 
ents located  while  she  was  still  a  child.  Her 
parents,  having  both  been  students  and  suc- 
cessful teachers,  she  inherited  from  them  those 
qualities  of  mind  which  made  her  especially 
successful  in  the  same  field.  She  received  her 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Woodstock, 
including  the  high  school,  where  she  took  a 
high  rank  as  a  student.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen she  began  teaching  in  a  near-by  district 
school,  but  soon  after  was  appointed  to  a  posi- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Woodstock,  where 
she  remained  five  years,  during  which  time  she 


won  a  reputation  as  an  expert  and  successful 
educator.  Then,  having  taught  two  years  in 
the  public  schools  at  Dundee,  111.,  and  one 
year  at  Oak  Park,  a  suburb  of  Chicago,  she 
became  widely  known  as  one  of  the  leading 
teachers  of  Northern  Illinois,  the  Oak  Park 
schools  having  a  standard  second  to  none  m 
the  country.  In  June,  1894,  she  married  Dr. 
Ulysses  Grant  Poyer,  a  prominent  dentist  of 
Chicago,  where  she  resided  for  the  next  six 
months,  when  her  husband's  promising  career 
was  cut  short  by  death  from  heart-disease. 
Afterward  she  resumed  teaching  in  Oak  Park, 
where  she  was  an  efficient  and  valued  instruc- 
tor for  several  years,  until  she  was  called  to 
accept  a  superior  position  as  teacher  in 
Evanston,  111.,  a  city  well  known  for  its  culture 
and  progress  in  education.  As  the  seat  of  the 
Northwestern  University,  the  public  schools  of 
Evanston  in  which  Mrs.  Poyer  taught,  bear  a 
national  reputation.  In  1896  Mrs.  Poyer  be- 
came interested  in  the  breeding  of  Belgian 
hares,  becoming  one  of  the  pioneers  in  this 
branch  of  business  and  the  first  to  engage  in 
it  on  an  extensive  scale.  Her  brother,  Carroll 
F.  Kingman,  was  her  business  manager  in  this 
line,  and  to  his  pains-taking  care  is  due  much 
of  the  success  which  has  been  attained  in  this 
enterprise.  Mrs.  Poyer  became  widely  known 
as  an  importer  of  Belgian  hares  and  "Flemish 
giants"  from  England,  receiving  some  of  the 
largest  consignments  of  these  animals  brougtit 
to  this  country,  and  has  also  been  a  successful 
exhibitor  in  the  fair  of  the  National  Fanciers 
and  the  Belgian  Hare  Associations,  in  which 
she  has  won  many  prizes.  By  good  judgment 
in  the  investment  of  her  capital,  Mrs.  Poyer 
achieved  a  remarkable  success  in  this  line  of 
business  and  owned  the  largest  and  best 
equipped  rabbitry  in  the  world.  The  building 
occupied  was  erected  expressly  for  this  pur- 
pose, for  which  it  was  especially  well  adapted. 
During  Mrs.  Poyer's  career  as  a  teacher  and 
business  woman,  she  has  found  time  to  gain  a 
reputation  in  journalism.  Many  of  her  articles 
have  appeared  in  the  great  dailies  of  Chicago, 
and  numerous  complimentary  notices  of  her 
work  have  appeared  in  the  general  press 
throughout  the  country.  Mrs.  Poyer  has  trav- 
eled extensively  in  this  and  foreign  countries, 
and  is  the  author  of  several  books  of  travel  for 
children.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Press    League   and   of   the    Independent    Pen- 


858 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


women   of   Chicago,   and    is    always    active    la 
promoting  advanced  thought. 

In  the  spring  of  1903,  Mrs.  Poyer  married 
Josiah  Quincy  Kern,  of  Washington,  D.  C.  a 
graduate  of  Mount  Union  College  and  the  Na- 
tional Law  School.  Mr.  Kern  is  a  man  of  let- 
ters, having  received  five  collegiate  degrees. 
He  is  the  author  of  several  legal  reference 
books,  used  in  the  Government  offices,  and  has 
had  an  extensive  experience  as  a  correspondent 
for  the  Washington  press.  For  many  years  he 
has  been  engaged  in  a  judicial  capacity  in  the 
Treasury  Department  at  Washington,  and  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  safest  advisers  in  legal 
matters  among  the  officials  at  the  National 
capital.  He  is  recognized  among  leading 
statesmen  and  jurists  as  one  of  the  best 
equipped  men  in  the  public  service.  Although 
a  resident  of  Washington,  D.  C,  for  thirty-eight 
years,  Mr.  Kern  was  born  and  reared  on  a 
farm  near  Alliance,  Stark  County,  Ohio.  His 
father,  Jacob  Kern,  was  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Stark  County,  where  he  was  widely 
known  for  his  intelligence  and  for  his  unfailing 
integrity. 


A.  J.  KINGMAN. 
Mr.  Kingman,  long  a  leading  teacher  of 
Harvard  and  former  Superintendent  of  Schools 
for  McHenry  County,  was  born  June  5,  1835,  in 
Chester,  G-eauga  County,  Ohio,  of  English  Puri- 
tan ancestry,  the  founders  of  the  family  in 
America  having  settled  in  Boston  as  early  as 
1634.  The  great-grandfather  of  A.  J.  King- 
man was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Revolution.  His  son,  Isaac  King- 
man, was  long  a  citizen  of  Cummington,  Mass., 
which  was  his,  birthplace  and,  after  his  marriage 
to  Nancy  Bigelow,  he  emigrated  to  Geauga 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  opened  up  a  farm  and 
was  a  prominent  citizen.  His  son,  Edmund 
Kingman,  (who  was  father  of  A.  J.),  was  mar- 
ried at  Chester,  Ohio,  to  Hannah  Hawes,  and 
they  had  a  family  of  ten  children:  Newton  H., 
Cornelia  M.,  Isaac  W.,  Thomas  B.,  Edmund, 
Arthur  L.,  Philo  W.,  Harriet  and  A.  J.  Five 
sons  enlisted  in  the  Civil  War,  one  of  these 
being  Edmund,  who',  at  the  time,  was  fifteen 
years  old,  but  was  prevented  from  being  mus- 
tered in  by  the  protest  of  his  father  on  ac- 
count of  his  extreme  youth.  Newton  H.,  Cap- 
tain of  Company  I,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Vol- 


unteer Infantry,  "veteranized"  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  three  years'  service  and  took  part 
in  many  battles.  Isaac  W.  served  as  a  First 
Lieutenant  in  the  Twenty-second  Wisconsin, 
and  was  a  prisoner  in  Libby  Prison.  Thomas 
R.  was  Orderly  Sergeant  in  Company  I,  Thir- 
teenth Wisconsin,  and  died  in  hospital.  Arthur 
L.  ran  away  from  home  at  seventeen  and  en- 
listed, serving  a  little  more  than  one  year. 
In  1849  Edmund  Kingman  removed  to  Wal- 
worth County,  Wis.,  where  he  purchased  an 
improved  farm.  At  this  time  the  son  A.  J. 
was  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  he  received  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  of  Walworth 
County  and  at  the  Walworth  and  Albion  acad- 
emies. At  seventeen  years  of  age  he  began 
teaching  in  the  district  schools  of  Walworth 
County,  which  he  continued  during  the  winters 
of  1856  to  1859,  meanwhile  pursuing  a  course 
in  the  academy  and  keeping  up  with  his  class. 
On  August  26,  1858,  he  was  married  hi  Wal- 
worth County  to  Sarah  M.  Cronkhite,  both  he 
and  his  wife  continuing  their  attendance  at 
the  academy  after  marriage.  In  1860  they  re- 
moved to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where 
Mr.  Kingman  was  Principal  of  the  public 
schools  for  five  years,  while  his  wife  was  a 
teacher  in  the  same.  Later  he  was  elected  to 
the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Schools  for 
McHenry  County,  serving  from  1865  to  1870. 
Failing  health,  however,  compelled  him  to  re- 
tire from  educational  work,  for  which  he  was 
so  well  fitted  not  only  by  his  educational 
training,  but  by  experience  and  executive 
ability  as  well.  The  enviable  record  which 
he  made  while  engaged  in  office,  is  indicated 
by  the  following  testimonial  presented  to  him 
by  the  teachers  of  McHenry  County  on  oc- 
casion of  his  bidding  them  farewell  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Teachers'  Institute,  held  at 
Richmond,  McHenry  County,  Oct.  9,  1869: 

"Resolved,  that  we,  as  appreciative  teachers, 
tender  to  A.  J.  Kingman  a  vote  of  thanks  for 
his  very  efficient  services  as  Superintendent  of 
our  Common  Schools,  for  the  past  four  years. 
We  recognize  in  him,  not  only  a  judicious 
counselor  and  sympathetic  friend,  but  an 
earnest  co-laborer,  whose  untiring  zeal  and 
ability  have  contributed  much  to  raise  the 
character  and  elevate  the  standard  of  our 
schools,  and  we  deeply  regret  that  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  our  county  are  to  be  de- 
prived of  his  valuable  services  at  a  time  when 
the  benefit  of  his  administration  had  become 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


859 


more  than  ordinarily  apparent.  To  our  thanks 
we  add  our  sincere  wishes  that  his  future,  in 
whatever  sphere  of  life  his  lot  may  be  cast, 
may  be  as  successful  and  honorable  as  have 
been  his  labors  in  the  past. 

"JOHN    B.    LYON, 

Secretary. 
"WM.  NICKLE, 

Chairman  Protem." 

A.  J.  Kingman  was  one  of  tne  founders  of 
the  McHenry  County  Teachers'  Institute  as  it 
exists  today,  which,  in  its  earlier  history,  was 
a  feeble  organization,  but  sparsely  attended, 
but  to  which,  by  his  earnest  labors  in  its  behalf 
he  imparted  a  strong  impetus,  contributing 
largely  to  the  noteworthy  success  which  it 
finally  achieved. 

After  leaving  the  educational  field,  Prof. 
Kingman  engaged,  at  a  liberal  salary,  with 
Col.  L.  H.  Everts,  an  extensive  publisher  of 
atlases,  with  whom  he  remained,  filling  an 
important  position  from  1874  to  1878,  after 
which  he  was,  for  two  years,  associated  with 
his  brothers  as  manager  of  the  atlas  publish- 
ing firm  of  Kingman  Brothers.  In  1867  Mr. 
Kingman  moved  to  Woodstock,  where  he  after- 
wards resided.  In  political  opinions  he  has 
always  been  independent  and  a  strong  sup- 
porter of  the  rights  of  the  common  people  as 
advocated  by  those  great  leaders,  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson, Andrew  Jackson  and  Abraham  Lincoln. 
In  his  later  years,  by  appointment  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic National  Committee,  he  served  as  pre- 
cinct representative  of  that  party  for  Wood- 
stock. 

Mrs.  Sarah  M.  (Cronkhite)  Kingman,  wife 
of  A.  J.  Kingman,  was  born  Jan.  8,  1837,  in 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Sarah  (Gott)  Cronkhite.  The 
Gotts  are  of  mixed  Scotch  and  English  blood 
and  the  Cronkhites  of  Holland-Dutch  stock, 
who  came  to  New  York  State  at  an  early  day. 
Henry  Cronkhite  settled  in  Chautauqua  County, 
N.  Y.,  but,  in  1842,  came  by  horse-teams  and 
wagons  to  Wisconsin,  the  journey  occupying 
three  weeks.  He  first  bought  land  in  Walworth 
County,  where  he  opened  up  and  improved  a 
farm,  but  afterwards  retired  from  active  life, 
settling  in  Janesville,  where  he  died  in  1898, 
aged  eighty-nine  years.  His  children  were: 
Mary,  Sarah  M.  (who  became  Mrs.  Kingman), 
and  Permelia.  Mrs.  Kingman  received  a  good 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  East  Troy, 


Wis.,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  began 
teaching  near  her  home,  continuing  in  this  line 
until  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Kingman  at  twenty- 
two  years  of  age.  After  marriage,  she  was  em- 
ployed with  her  husband  in  the  schools  at 
Harvard,  111.,  establishing  for  herself  a  repu- 
tation as  an  efficient  teacher.  She  has  been  a 
life-long  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and, 
by  her  kindness  of  heart  and  elevated  charac- 
ter, has  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
who  know  her. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kingman  were  the  parents  of 
three  children:  Carroll  F.,  born  at  Harvard, 
111.,  June  28,  1861 ;  Edith,  born  at  Harvard,  Jan. 
14,  1866;  and  Judson  Irving,  born  in  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  Oct.  6,  1873.  Carroll  F.  married, 
May  28,  1902,  in  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Emily  A. 
Stein;  (the  record  of  Edith  Kingman,  now  Mrs. 
Kern,  is  given  in  her  personal  sketch  else- 
where in  this  volume) ;  Judson  Irving,  mar- 
ried in  Sharon,  Wis.,  August  18,  1894,  Anna 
Lindall,  and  they  have  had  four  children; 
Edith,  born  Nov.  9,  1895;  Florence,  born  Sept. 
30,  1897;  Adelbert  Judson,  born  April  15,  1899; 
Howard,  born  May  24,  1901 — all  born  in  Chi- 
cago, except  Florence,  who  was  born  in  Wood- 
stock. 

Carroll  F.,  the  eldest  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  J.  Kingman  was,  for  nine  years,  an  engineer 
on  the  North-Western  Railway  and  later  man- 
ager of  the  Northwestern  rabbitry,  in  Wood- 
stock, for  his  sister,  Mrs.  Edith  (Kingman) 
Poyer,  now  Mrs.  Kern,  during  which  time  he 
visited  England  in  the  interest  of  the  business. 
He  is  now  engaged  with  the  South  Side  City 
Railway  Company  in  Chicago.  Judson  now 
holds  a  responsible  position  with  the  Western 
Electric  Railway  Company;  is  also  a  student 
at  the  Lewis  Institute,  Chicago,  industriously 
fitting  himself  for  a  higher  position.  Both  of 
the  Kingman  brothers  are  men  of  exemplary 
habits  and  possess  the  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter for  which  their  father  was  noted. 

*       *       * 

Since  the  above  sketch  and  family  record 
were  written  Mr.  A.  J.  Kingman  has  passed 
away,  his  death  occuring  at  his  home  in  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  June  19,  1903. 

By  special  request  of  his  family  and  friends 
we  publish  below  copious  extracts  from  an  ar- 
ticle  on   his   life   and   labors   which   appeared 


860 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


in  the  "McHenry  County  Republican,"  from 
the  pen  of  A.  L.  Wing  Coburn,  the  editor  of 
the  McHenry  County  department  of  this  work. 
This  tribute  was  read  with  much  satisfaction 
by  Mr.  Kingman's  friends,  and  is  considered 
an  able  and  just  portrayal  of  his  character 
and  work: 

(From  the  McHenry  County  Republican.) 
A.  J.  Kingman. 

(By  our  special  contributor,  A.  L.  Wing  Co- 
burn,  Editor  McHenry  County  Record.) 

"ABOU  BEN  ADHEM." 
"Abou  Ben  Adhem   (may  his  tribe  increase!) 
Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 
And  saw  within  the  moonlight  in  his  room, 
Making  it  rich  and  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 
An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold; 
Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold. 
And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  ne  said: 
'What  writest  thou?'  The  vision  raised  its  head 
And,  with  a  look  made  of  all  .sweet  accord, 
Answered,  'The  names  of  those  who  love  the 

Lord.' 
And  is  mine  one?'  said  Abou.    'Nay,  not  so,' 
Replied  the  angel.    Abou  spoke  more  low, 
But  cheerily  still;  and  said,  'I  pray  thee,  then, 
Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow  men.'  " 

"The   angel   wrote   and  vanished.       The   next 

night 
It  came   again,    and   with   a   great  awakening 

light, 
And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had 

blessed, 
And,  lo!  Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest!" 

When  the  end  comes  and  a  friend  and  fellow, 
citizen  rests  in  peace,  our  thoughts  naturally 
revert  to  those  events  in  his  life  with  which 
we  are  most  familiar.  As  in  a  panorama,  the 
varied  events  of  bygone  years  pass  in  review 
before  us.  Then  we  ask,  "What  of  his  work? 
Has  he  done  well  with  the  precious  gift  of 
life?  Can  we  write  against  his  name,  'Well 
done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant?'  " 

Success  in  life  is  not  to  be  measured  by  the 
accumulation  of  large  holdings  in  money  or 
in  lands.  The  miser  by  his  greed  and  avarice 
can  do  this,  and  in  this  age  the  skilled  finan- 
cier can  hardly  estimate  his  almost  untold 
wealth,  which  has  undoubtedly,  in  many  cases, 
been  unjustly  wrung  from  the  masses  of  his 
fellow  men,  the  common  people.  Think  ye 
that  the  day  of  reckoning  cometh  not?  What 
place  will  such  a  man  hold  when  the  great 
history  of  this  generation  shall  be  written? 
The  scheming  and  unscrupulous  politician  fre- 
quently obtains  high  official  position,  but  the 
name  his  honored  father  bore  must  always 
reek  with  sickening  odors  of  the  taint  of  po- 
litical corruption. 


Success  in  life  is  not  of  these;  nor  of  many 
other  examples  in  kind  that  could  be  given. 
It  is  not  to  him  who  stands  in  the  full  blaze 
of  apparent  prosperity  and  popularity;  and 
yet,  like  the  Pharisee  by  the  wayside,  heed- 
eth  not.  Real  success  is  to  him  who,  with 
few  opportunities — the  tools  of  effort — by  his 
patient  and  tireless  energy,  the  broadening  of 
his  natural  abilities  and  the  cultivation  of  kind- 
ness in  his  words  and  acts,  achieves  an  honor- 
able position  among  his  fellow-men  and  wins 
their  respect  for  his  character,  his  works  and 
his  virtues.  It  is  to  him  who  keeps  the  love 
and  respect  of  his  wife,  the  filial  devotion  of 
his  children,  and  a  warm  spot  in  the  hearts 
of  his  friends.  It  is  surely  to  him  who  is  a 
good  citizen,  the  head  of  an  affectionate  house- 
hold— a  home — for  it  is  here  that  the  great 
strength  of  our  mighty  American  nation  rests 
— on  the  home — when  there  is  honor  and  truth 
and  virtue  and  love. 

As  with  the  reminiscent  pen  we  turn  to  the 
life  of  our  friend,  A.  J.  Kingman,  for  our  lesson, 
which  is  so  plain  that  any  one  can  learn  it — a 
strong  will  and  a  noble  purpose  untiringly 
pursued,  a  good  life,  a  loving  and  faithful  hus- 
band, an  affectionate  and  indulgent  father,  an 
able  and  earnest  teacher,  and  that  broadest 
and  grandest  title,  a  good  citizen  of  our  great 
commonwealth. 

Mr.  Kingman  was  an  excellent  mathemati- 
cian, and,  in  his  later  life,  delighted  in  the  so- 
lution of  difficult  problems  in  algebra  and  the 
higher  mathematics.  He  was  a  wide  reader  and 
delved  deeply  into  the  history  of  American 
politics  and  the  works  of  the  fathers  of  the 
American  government.  He  believed  in  knowing 
that  he  was  right  in  the  advocacy  of  any 
political  principle,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to 
say  of  him  that  he  was  one  of  the  best  read 
men  in  political  matters  in  McHenry  County. 
He  was  a  clear  thinker  and  entirely  independ- 
ent in  his  modes  of  thought.  In  other  words, 
he  did  his  own  thinking.  In  argument  he  was 
forceful,  direct,  logical  and  effective  in  his 
reasoning  and  in  his  conclusions.  Mr.  King- 
man was  a  fearless  advocate  of  what  he  be- 
lieved to  be  right,  and  was  always  honest  in 
his  convictions.  In  his  death  his  political 
friends  (and  he  had  many)  have  lost  a  thinker 
and  a  lender  who  will  be  greatly  missed. 

Men  differ  in  political  opinions.  If  they  dir< 
not,  there  would  be  no  politics,  and  by  the 
liberties  our  fathers  gained,  they  have  the  right 
to  differ.  All  honest  opinions  should  be  re- 
spected and  all  men  should  remember  that,  in 
this  country,  every  man  has  the  undoubted 
right  to  think  for  himself — pven  the 
right  to  think  wrongly,  if  he  so  lists.  Time 
passes,  measures  and  methods  change,  and 
who  shall  say  what  principle  or  policy  shall 
prevail  in  the  coming  years?  Differences  are 
forgotten  and  all  unite  in  a  respectful  tribute 
to  a  good  citizen.     We  sum  up  the  life  of  our 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


861 


friend  and  fellow-citizen  and  say  that  a  man's 
success  in  life  is  in  proportion  to  the  benefit 
that  he  is  to  himself,  his  family  and  his  fellow- 
men.  The  man  who,  by  his  efforts,  makes  the 
world  wiser  and  better,  has  lived  a  successful 
life;  and  for  whom  can  we  claim  this  honor 
with  more  truth  than  for  the  teacher  and  edu- 
cator and  fearless  champion  of  the  rights  of 
the  common  people?  Throughout  the  country 
there  are  many  men  and  women,  the  heads  of 
respected  families,  who  owe  the  inspiration  to 
a  better  education  to  our  friend  Kingman,  and 
the  value  of  his  labors  shall  thus  extend  to 
other  generations:  therefore,  we  write  against 
his  name,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithfal 
servant." 

To  the  bereaved  wife  and  mother  the  heart- 
felt sympathy  of  her  old-time  friends  and  neigh- 
bors is  extended.  To  those  who  know  her  best, 
no  words  of  praise  are  needed  for  the  patient 
and  loving  life  she  has  lived,  or  for  the  strong 
soul  that  is  as  well  sustained  in  her  afflic- 
tion as  the  quiet  waters  of  an  inland  sea. 
She  has  been  a  quiet  and  peaceful  force  for 
good  in  her  home  (which  has  been  ennobled 
by  her  self-sacrifice)  and  in  the  community  in 
which  she  has  lived  so  long. 


ALFRED   KING. 

Alfred  King  (deceased),  pioneer  settler,  and 
during  his  life  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
widely  known  residents  of  Marengo  Township, 
McHenry  County,  was  born  at  Suffield,  Conn., 
in  1807,  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Dorcas  (Gil- 
lette) King,  and  died  as  the  result  of  an  acci- 
dent while  working  on  his  farm  in  1846. 

The  Marengo  branch  of  the  King  family  is  cf 
strictly  English  origin,  the  first  in  this  line,  of 
which  an  authentic  record  has  been  preserved, 
being  James  King,  who  was  the"  son  of  William 
King,  a  resident  about  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  of  Ugborough,  Devonshire, 
England.  Besides  his  son  James,  William 
King  had  another  son  named  William,  and  the 
two  brothers  came  to  America  together,  and 
William  is  believed  to  have  settled  in  one  of 
the  Southern  Colonies.  This  was  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  James 
King,  who  first  located  at  Ipswich,  Conn.,  as 
early  as  1671,  is  said  later  to  have  become  one 
of  the  original  proprietors  of  Suffield,  Conn., 
which  continued  to  be  the  home  of  his  descend- 
ants for  several  generations.  He  is  thought  to 
have  been  born  in  Devonshire,  about  1652,  and 
to  have  been  about  eighteen  years  old  when  he 
came  to  America.  On  March  23,  1674,  he  was 
married  at  Ipswich,  Conn.,  to  Elizabeth  Fuller, 


and  they  had  children  named:  James,  Jr., 
born  March  14,  1675,  died  July  15,  1757;  Wil- 
liam, born  Jan.  4,  1679,  died  Sept.  30,  1680: 
Agnes  (Austin),  born  July  15,  1681,  died  Jan. 
7,  1733;  Benonia,  born  Dec.  5,  1685,  died  June 
27,  1686;  Joseph,  born  June  5,  1677,  died  Jan. 
23,  1688;  Joseph  (2)  born  May  10,  1689,  died 
March  6,  1756;  Benjamin,  born  Nov.  21,  1690, 
died  April  24,  1712;  Mary,  born  April  20,  1692, 
died  May  8,  1769;  William  (2),  born  date  un- 
known, died  Jan.  8,  1774.  James  King  settled 
at  Suffield,  Conn.,  in  1678,  and  died  there  May 
15,  1722. 

The  next  in  line  of  descent  in  the  branch  of 
the  family  to  which  Alfred  King  of  Marengo 
belonged,  was  Joseph  (2),  who  was  born  at 
Suffield,  Conn.,  in  1689,  and  died  in  1712.  He 
was  twice  married;  first  to  Mary  Jesse,  May  2, 
1717,  and  second  to  Hannah  Devotion,  June  2, 
1740.  His  children  were:  Abigail  (Bliss), 
born  Jan.  9,  1719,  died  Aug.  5,  1797;  Joseph, 
born  Oct.  1,  1722,  died  Jan.  27,  1724;  Joseph 
(2),  born  April  15,  1741,  died  1814;  Eliphalet, 
born  Feb.  6,  1743,  died  Aug.  29,  1821;  Hannah 
(Granger),  born  Aug.  23,  1744,  died  Oct.  28, 
1821;  Epaphros,  born  May  11,  1746,  died  Feb. 
17,  1767;  Ashbel,  born  Jan.  26,  1748,  died  May 

21,  1806;  Thaddeus,  born  June  25,  1749,  died 
Jan.  20,  1792;  Theodore,  born  Dec.  21,  1750, 
died  Sept.  8,  1822;  Mary  (Granger),  born  July 

22,  1752,  died  June  30,  1836;  Ichabod,  born  May 
14,  1756,  died  December,  1830.  Joseph  (2), 
died  in  1756. 

Eliphalet  King  of  this  family,  born  in  Con- 
necticut, in  1743,  became  the  head  of  the  next 
generation  (the  third  in  lineal  descent)  from 
William  King  of  England.  He  became  an  offi- 
cer of  the  Continental  Army  during  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  his  commission  as  Lieuten- 
ant of  a  company  in  the  Twenty-second  Regi- 
ment of  Foot,  under  command  of  Col.  Samuel 
Wylie,  bearing  date  Jan.  1,  1776,  with  the  sig- 
nature of  John  Hancock  as  President  of  the 
Continental  Congress,  being  still  preserved  by 
his  descendants.  Lieut.  Eliphalet  King  was 
married  twice;  first,  to  Mary  Remington,  Nov. 
3,  1768;  and  next  to  Silence  Rumrill,  Oct.  2, 
1798.  Sixteen  children  were  the  issue  of  these 
two  marriages — of  which  all  but  two  were  by 
the  first — viz.:  Epaphros,  born  Sept.  4,  1769, 
died  Oct.  15,  1769;  Roger,  born  Jan.  16,  1771, 
died  Aug.  15,  1855;  Jonathan,  born  Nov.  11, 
1772,  died  July  11,   1862;    Seth,  born  Oct.    15. 


862 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1775,  died  Sept.  24,  1776;  Seth  (2),  born  Sept. 
27,  1777,  died  July  12,  1851;  Eliphalet,  born 
Sept.  3,  1779,  died  March  26,  1866;  Henry,  born 
Aug.  8,  1781;  Augustine,  born  Sept.  19,  1783, 
died  1856;  Mary,  born  Dec.  4,  1786;  Elijah, 
born  Oct.  14,  1789,  died  Aug.  21,  1847;  Lucy, 
born  Nov.  12,  1791;  Aurelia,  born  Sept.  8,  1793; 
Sherlock,  born  Aug.  2,   1796;    Harriet,   born  in 

1798,  died  Aug.  29,  1802;   Matilda,  born  Feb.  6, 

1799,  died  March  15,  1865;  Harriet  Devotion, 
born  Sept.  2,  1803,  died  June  3,  1869.  Lieut. 
Eliphalet  King's  residence  was  at  Suffield, 
Conn.,  where  he  died  in  1821. 

Jonathan  King,  of  the  fourth  generation,  aril 
son  of  Lieut.  Eliphalet  King  of  the  Revolution, 
was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1772,  and  removed 
from  his  native  State  in  1820  to  Hammond,  St 
Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  and  where  most  of  his 
descendants  have  continued  to  reside.  Hii 
original  homestead  is  now  occupied  by  his 
great-great-grandson,  Myron  Wallace  King. 
Jonathan  was  a  Captain  in  the  New  York  State 
militia  and,  for  many  years,  kept  a  hotel  in 
which  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son. 

Returning  to  the  principal  subject  of  this 
sketch,  Alfred  King,  who  was  born  in  1807,  the 
son  of  Jonathan  and  Dorcas  (Gillette)  King, 
and  fourth  in  line  of  descent  from  William 
King  of  Devonshire,  England:  Mr.  King  was 
about  thirteen  years  of  age  when,  in  1820,  he 
accompanied  his  parents  to  Hammond,  St. 
Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  received  a 
common-school  education  and,  in  early  man- 
hood for  a  time,  was  engaged  in  teaching. 
Here  he  married  Emeline  Buss,  who  was  born 
in  New  Hampshire  in  1810,  the  daughter  of 
Elisha  and  Polly  (Mann)  Buss.  After  his  mar- 
riage, Mr.  King  settled  on  a  farm  in  St.  Law- 
rence County,  where  he  remained  the  next 
seven  years,  in  the  meantime  being  engaged  t.i 
some  extent  in  the  cattle  trade,  purchasing  his 
stock  in  Canada.  In  June,  1840,  he  removed  to 
Illinois,  settling  in  Marengo  Township,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  upon  land  still  occupied 
by  his  children.  Here  he  bought  several  hun- 
dred acres,  which  he  improved,  building  on  it. 
the  second  frame  house  on  the  State  road  be- 
tween Elgin  and  Belvidere.  This  house  was 
built  of  pine  lumber  hauled  by  Mr.  King  from 
Chicago,  and  was  painted  and  plastered — an 
unusual  thing  for  the  pioneer  homes  of  those 
days.       Mr.  King  brought  with   him  from  the 


East  a  considerable  stock  of  merchandise, 
which  he  sold  out  to  his  neighbors.  He  con- 
ducted his  business  in  an  energetic  and  enter- 
prising manner,  and  became  a  successful 
farmer,  owning  a  well-stocked  farm.  He  was 
the  first  Postmaster  at  Marengo,  the  postoffict; 
being  located  in  his  home.  He  was  killed  by 
accident  on  Feb.  28,  1846,  while  working  on  his 
woodland  in  McHenry  County. 

Mr.  King  was  one  of  the  early  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  in  his  locality,  and  his 
house  was  always  open  to  the  itinerant  min- 
isters who  had  occasion  to  visit  that  section. 
His  children  were:  Lucy  J.,  Mary  A.,  Augus- 
tus C,  Alfred  H,  and  two  others  who  died  in 
infancy. 

The  daughters,  Lucy  J.  and  Mary  A.,  are 
both  members  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
have  always  liberally  assisted  it. 

Alfred  H.  is  now  a  resident  of  Shreveport, 
La.,  where  he  is  engaged  in  business.  While 
a  student  in  the  high  school  at  Marengo  during  • 
the  Civil  War,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he 
enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  an  Illinois  regiment,  the 
company  to  which  he  belonged  being  composed 
largely  of  pupils  of  the  same  school.  He  was 
married  Aug.  1,  1882,  to  Susie  Dickerson,  who 
died  Aug.  24,  1895,  leaving  no  children.  They 
had  an  adopted  daughter,  Mabel,  who  was  born 
March  22,  1882.  Mr.  King's  second  wife,  to 
whom  he  was  married  in  1898,  was  Dora  Rowe, 
and  they  have  an  adopted  daughter  named 
Nellie  Amanda  Marguerite. 

AUGUSTUS  C.  KING,  son  of  Alfred  King. 
Sr.,  born  in  1837,  in  Hammond  Township,  St 
Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  is  a  practical  farmer 
and  stock-dealer,  and  manages  the  home  farm 
upon  which  his  father  settled  over  sixty  years 
ago.  In  1876,  in  company  with  his  mother, 
he  built  a  substantial  stone  residence,  which  i3 
calculated  to  stand  a  hundred  years  without 
showing  signs  of  decay.  Mr.  King  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  in  poli- 
tics an  unswerving  Republican.  His  father 
having  died  when  the  son  was  about 
nine  years  of  age,  the  latter  attended  the  Pres- 
byterian Academy  at  Marengo  for  a  number  of 
years,  receiving  a  good  education.  Since 
reaching  manhood,  he  has  had  charge  of  the 
home  farm  and  has  made  a  success  of  it — no 
man  in  the  community  maintaining  a  higher 
reputation  for  integrity  and  business  sagacity. 

The  Buss  family,  to  which  Mrs.  Alfred  King 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


863 


belonged,  were  of  English  descent,  and  quite 
a  number  of  them  were  residents  of  Leomin- 
ster, Mass.,  about  forty  miles  from  Boston, 
where  Elisha  Buss,  the  father  of  M'rs.  King,  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  moved 
at  an  early  day  to  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.. 
where  he  bought  wild  timber-land  and  cleared 
up  a  farm,  and  where  he  died  in  middle  life 
His  children  were:  John,  Mary,  Lucy,  Betsy, 
Alfred  and  Emeline — the  last  of  whom  became 
Mrs.  Alfred  King.  Mr.  Buss  was  a  member  of 
the  Congregational  church. 

Elisha  Mann,  who  was  the  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  King  on  the  maternal  side,  was  a  promi- 
nent and  public-spirited  citizen  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  he  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. During  the  struggle  for  independence  he 
gave  evidence  of  his  patriotism  by  raising  a 
company  for  the  field,  which  he  clothed  and 
shod  at  his  own  expense.  He  was  still  living 
at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Bunker 
Hill  monument,  in  1825,  and,  although  ad- 
vanced in  years  and  in  feeble  health,  traveled 
by  private  conveyance  a  distance  of  200  miles 
to  attend  the  ceremony.  Several  members  ol 
his  regiment  were  present,  and  although  then 
over  ninety  years  of  age,  he  was  one  of  the 
most  vigorous  and  erect  of  their  number. 


JOHN    KENNEDY. 

John  Kennedy,  of  Marengo,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, is  a  Civil  War  veteran,  and  a  substantial 
business  man  as  well,  having  for  years  been 
engaged  at  the  shoemaker's  trade.  Born  in 
Prescott,  Ontario,  Nov.  4,  1837,  he  is  the  son  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  Kennedy.  His  grandfather, 
Alexander  Kennedy,  who  was  a  resident  of 
North  of  Ireland,  was  a  man  of  remarkable 
vitality,  and  he  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of 
one  hundred  and  eight  years. 

John  Kennedy,  Sr.,  father  of  the  subject  ol 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  there 
passed  his  early  life.  While  a  young  man  he 
enlisted  in  the  British  army,  serving  un- 
der the  Duke  of  Wellington,  and  participating 
in  some  of  the  fiercest  battles  of  the  Na- 
poleonic campaigns,  including  those  of  Sala- 
manca, Badajoz,  Victoria,  and  Waterloo.  Later 
he  was  stationed  as  one  of  the  guards  at  St. 
Helena,  serving  altogether  a  number  of  years 
in  the  army.  He  married  in  Scotland  and  of 
this  union  there   were   nine  children:        Alex- 


ander, Robert,  Jane,  William,  John,  Thomas 
(who  died  in  infancy),  George,  Thomas  and 
David.  After  marriage  Mr.  Kennedy  came  to 
Ontario  and  settled  in  Prescott,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time,  and  then  moved  to  Lon- 
don, Ont.,  making  a  part  of  the  journey  on  the 
Thames  river  by  raft.  Later  he  settled  upon 
a  100-acre  tract  of  land  heavily  wooded  with 
beach,  oak  and  maple,  near  Chatham,  Ont., 
where  he  made  his  home  for  the  remainder  of 
his  active  life.  He  cleared  land  and  brought  it 
under  cultivation  and  in  time  had  a  valuable 
farm.  Having  retired  from  active  work,  late 
in  life,  he  lived  with  his  daughter,  Jane  Somer- 
ville,  in  Chatham,  where,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  one  hundred  and  eight  years,  he  died.  Like 
his  ancestors  for  generations  Mr.  Kennedy  was 
an  adherent  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  fraternally  affiliated  with 
the  order  of  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 

John  Kennedy,  Jr.,  was  the  product  of  good 
wholesome  farm  life  with  some  business  train- 
ing. On  his  father's  farm  near  Chatham,  he 
spent  a  portion  of  his  early  years,  and  there,  in 
the  district  schools,  received  his  education. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  began  learning 
the  shoemaker's  trade  in  Chatham,  and  in  1857 
removed  to  Detroit,  and  there  followed  his  trade 
for  some  time.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  same 
business  in  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  and  subse- 
quently in  Chicago.  His  next  field  of  labor 
was  Iroquois  County,  111.,  where  he  remained 
for  some  time,  but  in  the  fall  of  1861  opened  a 
shop  in  Marengo,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
August  5,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com- 
pany A,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  went  to  the  front,  during  the  period  of  his 
service  taking  part  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
in  the  Red  River  campaign,  battles  of  Cham- 
pion Hills,  Nashville,  and  many  other  im- 
portant engagements.  He  also  participated  in 
the  campaign  against  Price  in  Missouri  and 
Arkansas.  He  served  with  a  short  intermis- 
sion to  the  close  of  the  war,  receiving  an  hon- 
orable discharge  in  1865.  During  his  service 
his  merits  as  a  soldier  were  recognized  by  his 
promotion  from  the  rank  of  Corporal  to  that  oi* 
Sergeant.  At  the  battle  of  Nashville  a  cannon- 
ball  struck  his  knee,  compelling  the  amputa- 
tion of  his  leg  and  six  weeks'  treatment  in 
Cumberland  Hospital,  after  which  he  received 
a  thirty-days  furlough.  After  the  war  Mr. 
Kennedy   returned   to    Marengo,    and   resumed 


864 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  trade  as  a  shoemaker,  which  he  has  since 
made  the  main  business  of  his  life.  A  skilled 
workman  he  has  won  for  himself  a  comfortable 
livelihood. 

At  Marengo,  July  4,  1867,  Mr.  Kennedy  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Green,  who  was  born  in  Seneca 
Township,  daughter  of  John  and  Hannah 
(Hetybe)  Green,  who  came  from  the  State  of 
New  York,  and  became  pioneer  settlers  of 
Seneca  Township.  Their  children  were:  Dr. 
De  Witt  C,  Frederick,  Bmeline  and  Elizabeth 
(Mrs.  Kennedy).  The  latter  died  in  Marengo, 
Sept.  28,  1899.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kennedy  were 
horn  five  children:  John,  who  served  in  the 
Spanish  War,  and  for  three  years  in  the  Philip- 
pines; Frederick  and  Anna,  (twins);  William, 
who  also  served  in  the  Spanish  War  and  for 
three  years  in  the  Philippines,  and  Arthur. 

Mr.  Kennedy  is  a  typical  Civil  War  veteran, 
battle-scarred,  patriotic  and  fond  of  the 
reminiscences  of  that  period.  As  a  member  of 
the  Harley  Wayne  Post  G.  A.  R.,  of  Marengo  he 
has  acted  as  Vice-Commander,  Chaplain,  and  ac 
present  is  Commander.  He  is  a  man  of  sou  ad 
moral  principles,  temperate  in  his  habits,  and 
a  highly  respected  citizen.  As  tax-collector  he 
has  served  Marengo  faithfully  and  efficiently 
for  two  years.  Politically  he  affiliates  with 
the  Republican  party,  but  is  an  independent 
thinker.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kennedy  are  members 
of  the  Baptist  church. 


GOODSKALK    KNUTSON. 

Goodskalk  Knutson,  a  resident  of  Woodstock, 
McHenry  County,  and  soldier  of  the  Civil  War. 
was  born  at  Waterford,  Racine  County,  Wis.. 
March  8,  1841,  the  son  of  Knute  Knutson,  who 
was  born  in  Voss,  Norway,  the  son  of  Good- 
skalk Knutson,  for  whom  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  named.  About  1838  or  1839,  Knute 
Knutson  came  to  America,  landing  at  Quebec 
and  coming  thence  by  way  of  the  lakes  to 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  and  finally  bought  sixty  acres 
of  unimproved  land  twenty-five  miles  south- 
west of  Milwaukee.  Here  he  married  Anna 
Rognaldson,  who  was  a  native  of  Norway,  and 
crossed  the  ocean  on  the  same  vessel  with 
him  when  he  came  to  America.  Mr.  Knut- 
son was  an  industrious  man  and  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  his  locality,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  engaged  in  improving  his 
land,    and  where  he  died  in  1858  at  the  age  of 


about  forty-five  years.  His  children  were: 
Goodskalk,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Knute. 
who  died  aged  two  and  a  half  years;  Mar- 
jorie,  died  aged  sixteen;  Betsy,  died  at  eight- 
teen;  Annie,  died  after  marriage,  and  Knute 
(2).  Mr.  Knutson  and  his  family  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church.  His  wife  lived 
to  be  seventy-four  years  old,  dying  in  1888. 
Goodskalk  Knutson,  the  oldest  son  of  this 
family,  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  receiv- 
ing but  little  schooling.  His  father  having 
died  when  the  son  was  about  seventeen  years 
old,  the  responsibility  of  caring  for  the  family 
and  improving  the  farm  devolved  largely  upon 
the  latter.  When  a  little  over  twenty  years 
of  age,  on  Sept.  5,  1861,  at  Racine,  Wis.,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  Company  K,  Eighth  Reg- 
iment Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry.     On  June 

4,  1864,  the  Eighth  Regiment  "veteranized," 
Mr.  Knutson  re-enlisting  in  his  old  company, 
in  which  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
corporal,  and  being  honorably  discharged  Sept. 

5,  1865.  During  his  service  of  over  three  years, 
Mr.  Knutson  took  part  with  his  regiment  in 
thirty-six  battles  besides  many  skirmishes,  in- 
cluding: Frederickstown,  Mo.,  Oct.  21,  1861; 
Siege  of  New  Madrid  and  Island  No.  10,  March 
and  April,  1862 ;  Point  Pleasant,  Mo.,  March  20, 
1862;  Farmington,  Miss.,  May  9,  1862;  before 
Corinth,  May  28,  1862;  Iuka,  Sept.  14-18,  1862; 
Burnsville,  Miss.,  Sept.  16-18,  1862;  Corinth, 
Oct.  3-4,  1862;  Tallahatchie,  Dec.  2,  1862;  Mis- 
sissippi Springs,  Miss.,  May  13,  1863;  Jackson, 
Miss.,  May  14,  1863;  assault  on  Vicksburg,  June 
4,  1863;  Richmond,  La.,  June  15,  1863;  Vicks- 
burg, June  24,  1863;  surrender  of  Vicksburg, 
July  3,  1863;  Brownsville,  Miss.,  Oct.  14,  1863; 
Fort  Surry,  La.,  March  13,  1864;  Fort  de  Rus- 
sey,  March  15,  1864;  Henderson  Hill,  La., 
March  15,  1864;  Grand  Ecore,  La.,  April  2,  1864; 
Pleasant  Hill,  La.,  April  8-9,  1864;  Hurricane 
Creek,  La.,  April  13,  1864;  Natchitoches,  April 
20,  1864;  Cane  River,  La.,  April  22,  1864; 
Cloutierville  and  Crane  Hill,  La.,  April  23, 
1864;  Rapides,  La.,  May  2,  1864;  Bayou  La 
Mourie,  La,  May  16,  1864;  Maysville,  La., 
May  17,  1864;  Calhoun's  Plantation,  La., 
May  18,  1864;  Bayou  de  Glaize.  La.,  May 
18.  1864;  Lake  Chicot,  La.,  June  6, 
1864;  Battle  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  15-16, 
1864.  The  Eighth  Wisconsin  carried  the  fa- 
mous war  eagle  "Old  Abe,"  as  a  "mascot,"  at 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


86t 


the  head  of  its  columns  during  the  principal 
part  of  its  service.  The  following  extract  in 
reference  to  this  famous  bird,  taken  from  the 
"Military  History  of  Wisconsin,"  will  be  of 
interest   in   this   connection: 

"OLD  ABE,  WISCONSIN  WAR  EAGLE  — 
The  Eighth  was  known  as  the  'Eagle  Regi- 
ment,' from  the  fact  that  a  live  eagle  was 
carried  in  every  battle  up  to  the  return  of 
the  Union  veterans  in  1864.  This  noble  bird 
was  taken  from  the  parent  nest  in  Chippewa 
County  in  Wisconsin,  by  an  Indian  who  dis- 
posed of  it  to  a  gentleman  of  Eau  Claire 
County,  from  whom  it  was  purchased  by  the 
members  of  Capt.  Perkin's  company  while 
organizing  in  1861.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
it  was  instantly  adopted  as  the  regimental 
pet,  and  was  christened  'Old  Abe.'  A  perch 
was  prepared,  and  the  royal  bird  was  borne 
with  the  regiment  on  all  its  marches,  and 
into  every  battle  in  which  the  gallant  Eighth 
was  engaged  up  to  the  muster-out  of  the  Union 
veterans. 

"Perched  on  its  stand  and  above  the  heads 
of  the  men.  the  bird  was  more  than  once  the 
mark  for  rebel  bullets,  but  luckily  escaped 
unharmed  with  the  exception  of  the  loss  of  a 
few  feathers  shot  away.  He  returned  with  the 
Union  veterans  in  1864,  and  was  presented 
to  the  State  and  placed  in  charge  of  the  Quar- 
termaster's Department,  and  every  care  was 
bestowed  upon  him.  At  the  great  Chicago  Fair 
in  1865,  'Old  Abe'  was  exhibited,  and  his  photo- 
graph disposed  of,  realizing  the  amount  of 
$16,000.  He  was  also  exhibited  at  the  Mil- 
waukee Fair  with  profitable  results.  The 
sum  netted  for  charitable  objects  was  about 
$20,000.  He  occasionally  breaks  his  fetters, 
but  he  has  become  so  far  domesticated  that  he 
is  easily  recovered.  Occasionally  tlie  music 
of  a  band,  or  the  noise  of  a  drum,  will  reach 
his  ears,  when  he  will  intently  listen,  and  will 
respond  with  his  characteristic  scream,  prob- 
ably recognizing  the  strain  as  one  with  which 
the  battle  field  has  made  his  ear  familiar. 
'Old  Abe'  has  become  celebrated  in  our  mili- 
tary annals,  and  his  history  inextricably  inter- 
woven with  that  of  the  brave  and  gallant  reg- 
iment who  bore  him  triumphantly. 

"At  the  battle  of  Corinth,  Gen.  Price,  know- 
ing that  the  capture  of  the  eagle  would 
electrify  the  South,  ordered  his  men  to  take 
him  at  all  hazards;  and,  if  they  could  not  do 
so,  to  kill  him — adding,  he  would  rather  get 
that  bird  than  the  whole  brigade." 

During  his  whole  career  as  a  soldier  Mr. 
Knutson  was  never  wounded  or  taken  prisoner, 
and  was  in  hospital  only  one  week  on  account 
of  sickness.  He  was  always  active  as  a  soldier 
and  performed  his  full  duty,  taking  part  in  all 
the  battles,  skirmishes,  campaigns  and  marches 


in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged;  and,  as  a 
consequence,  he  enjoys  the  well-earned  repu- 
tation of  a  true  patriot  who  endured  priva- 
tion and  risked  his  life  in  the  service  of  his 
country.  After  his  return  to  civil  life  he 
went  to  South  Dakota,  where  he  purchased 
160  acres  of  land  in  Hand  County.  On  May 
28,  1887,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Howe,  who 
was  born  near  Christiania,  Norway,  Oct.  2, 
1855,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Elsie  (Bergen) 
Howe.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  the  same 
locality  in  Norway  just  named,  being  born  in 
1809.  Mr.  Howe  was  a  farmer,  and  his  resi- 
dence was  in  a  village  on  the  banks  of  the 
beautiful  Lake  Otte,  where  he  kept  a  ferry  and 
lived  in  comfortable  circumstances.  His  child- 
ren were:  Rachel,  Julia,  Martha,  Andrew,  Ole 
John  and  Mary.  Mr.  Howe  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Woodstock,  McHenry  County, 
in  1872,  making  his  home  there  with  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Rachel  Anderson,  and  dying 
there  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years.  His 
wife  died  in  Norway  aged  about  forty  years. 
After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knutson  settled 
on  his  farm  in  South  Dakota,  but  being  dis- 
satisfied with  the  country,  they  came  to  Wood- 
stock, where  Mr.  Knutson  became  night  watch- 
man for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
road, but  for  the  past  two  years  has  held  a 
similar  position  with  the  Oliver  Typewriter 
Company.  In  political  belief  Mr.  Knutson  is 
a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of  Woodstock 
Post,  No.  108,  G.  A.  R.,  in  which  he  has  held 
office  and  is  recognized  as  an  honored  com- 
rade. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knutson  have  one 
daughter,  Olive,  to  whom  they  are  giving  a 
good  education.  With  a  record  as  a  brave 
and  faithful  soldier  and  a  high  reputation  for 
personal  integrity,  Mr.  Knutson  is  spending 
a  useful  and  industrious  life  in  the  home 
owned  by  him  in   Woodstock 


JAMES    KEE. 

James  Kee,  one  of  the  most  venerable  and 
respected  residents  of  McHenry  County,  who 
is  a  descendant  of  a  family  of  Scotch-Irish 
extraction,  emigrated  to  Illinois  more  than 
half  a  century  ago,  and  has  ever  since  made 
his  home  in  Algonquin  Township.  His  grand- 
father, William  Kee,  was  a  native  of  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  where  his  ancestors  had  set- 


866 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tied  when  they  moved  from  Scotland  at  an 
early  period.  William  Kee  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  faith, 
and  died  in  his  native  country  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  His  children  were  John,  James 
and  William. 

James    Kee,    father    of   the    subject    of    ibis 
sketch,     was     born     in    County    Tyrone,    and 
adopted   his  father's  vocation  as  a  farmer,  to 
which  he  added  that  of  ,i  surveyor,  and   was 
also  inspector  of  linens,  with  offices  in  London- 
derry   and    Strabane.      He    married    Elizabeth 
Mahafey,    and    their    children    were:    William, 
Rebecca,     Elizabeth,     John,     Letitia,     James. 
Joseph,  Mary,  Jane,  Matilda  and  Robert       Of 
these  only  Robert  and  James  are  now   (1902) 
living,  the  latter  being  the  principal  subject  cf 
this   article.     James   Kee    (1)    and   wife  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  though  born 
members   of  the   Church   of  England.     James 
Mahafey,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Kee,  died  on  his 
farm  in  Ireland,  at  the  age  of  about  sixty  years. 
James  Kee  (2)  was  born  on  the  home  farm 
in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  Oct.  24,  1814,  where 
he  received  a  good  elementary  education  and 
attended     high     school     for     some     time.     He 
learned  to  farm  with  his  father  and,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  years,  came  to  America,  sailing 
from  Londonderry  in  May,  1831,  on  the  good 
ship,  "The  Bows,"  the  voyage  to  Quebec,  by 
sailing-vessel,     requiring     about     Ave     weeks. 
After  his  arrival  at  Quebec,  Mr.  Kee  obtained 
employment  as  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  house,  and 
v»as   afterwards    employed   at   farm   work,    re- 
maining in  Canada  about  two  and  a  half  years. 
In  1833  he  went  to  New  York  State  and  worked 
in  a  stone  quarry  at  Yonkers,  and  there  mar- 
ried  Sept.   22,   1836,   Rachael  Morton,  born  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  Oct.  18.  1819,  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Margaret    (Fee)   Morton. 

David  Morton,  the  father  of  Robert  Morton 
and  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Kee,  was  a  farmer 
and  a  well-to-do  citizen  of  Scotch-Irish  ex- 
traction, who  lived  in  County  Cavan,  Ireland, 
where  he  held  land  under  a  long  lease  and 
carried  on  the  business  of  a  linen-weaver, 
employing  a  number  of  men  and  women  in  his? 
business.  His  children  were:  Robert,  Charles, 
Charlotte,  Ann,  John,  Elizabeth  (who  died 
young),  William  and  Elizabeth  (2)  who  died 
in  infancy.     David  Morton,  the  father  of  this 


family,   died   on   his   farm   between   sixty   and 
seventy  years  of  age. 

Robert  Morton,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Kee,  was 
born  in  County  Cavan,  Ireland,  Nov.  14,  1791, 
son  of  David 'and  Margaret  (Wilson)  Morton. 
He  received  a  common  school  education,  be- 
came an  excellent  mathematician,  and,  like 
his  father,  was  a  weaver  by  trade.  He  was 
married  in  Ireland  to  Margaret  Fee,  daughter 
of  George  Fee,  who  came  to  America  in  1815 
and  engaged  in  the  stone-quarry  business  at 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  his  wife  remaining  in  Ireland 
two  years  longer  awaiting  the  distribution  of 
the  paternal  estate.  In  1847  (thirty-two  years 
after  his  arrival  in  the  United  States)  Mr.  Fee 
removed  to  Illinois  coming  via  the  Erie  Canal 
and  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  thence  going  directly 
to  Algonquin  Township,  McHenry  County,  where 
he  entered  500  acres  of  Government  land  which 
he  improved  and  left,  at  his  death,  for  dis- 
tribution among  his  children.  He  died  in  1881 
aged  eighty-eight  years  and  six  months.  His 
children  were  Rachael,  Edward,  Charles, 
David,  Margaret,  Ann,  Mary  J.,  Elizabeth,  Ellen, 
Robert,  John  and  William.  Mr.  Morton  was 
originally  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, but  became  a  Methodist  and  was  a  man 
of   excellent  character. 

After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Morton  in  183G, 
Mr.  James  Kee  remained  in  the  stone-quarry 
business  with  Edward  Morton  at  Yonkers,  N. 
Y.,  until  1849,  when  he  removed  to  Illinois, 
leaving  New  York  May  15,  by  railroad  to  Buf- 
falo and  thence  by  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  where 
he  hired  a  conveyance  to  complete  the  journey 
to  Algonquin.  Here  they  found  Mrs.  Kee's 
father,  Mr.  Robert  Morton,  who  resided  in  a 
two-story  house  with  the  only  brick  chimney 
in  the  neighborhood,  which  was  the  means 
suggested  to  them  for  learning  when  they 
had  reached  their  destination.  Mr.  Kee  set- 
tled on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  en- 
tered eighty  acres  of  Government  land  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  more,  to  which  he  made 
additions,  until  he  became  the  owner  of  two 
hundred  and  fourteen  acres  of  land,  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  which  he  still  retains.  He  soon 
erected  substantial  buildings  to  take  the  place 
of  the  log  structures  he  first  found  on  the 
farm.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kee  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  church  and  have  done  much  to  as- 


£%^r>  ^Wg, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


86:r 


sist  in  the  material  and  moral  development 
of  the  community  in  which  they  still  reside, 
and,  at  an  advanced  age,  enjoy  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 
They  are  the  parents  of  Elizabeth,  Robert, 
James,  William,  Margaret  Jane,  Joseph,  John, 
Morton,  Mary  Ellen,  Charlotte  L.  and  Edward 
J.  The  son  James  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  during 
the  Civil  War. 


VINCENT  SILAS   LUMLEY. 

Vincent  Silas  Lumley,  a  leading  lawyer  and 
ex-Prosecuting  'Attorney  of  MeHenry  County, 
was  born  in  Ringwood,  MeHenry  County,  Dec. 
26,  1867,  the  son  of  Thomas  R.  and  Eliza  (Mit- 
chell) Lumley.  The  Lumley  family  are  oi 
English  descent,  their  history  being  identified 
with  Yorkshire,  England,  from  a  remote  period. 
They  were  the  founders  of  a  fraternal  organi- 
zation known  as  "The  Foresters,"  originally 
composed  solely  of  members  of  that  family,  but 
into  which,  at  a  later  period,  members  of  other 
English  families  were  admitted. 

Thomas  R.  Lumley,  the  father  pf  Vincent  S., 
was  born  in  Yorkshire,  Eng.,  July  3,  1827,  the 
son  of  Thomas  Emanuel  and  Mary  Ann  Lum- 
ley, and  was  reared  a  farmer  in  his  native 
country.  His  father,  Thomas  Emanuel  Lumley, 
also  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  was  a  farmer,  and 
had  three  brothers,  all  of  whom,  like  himself, 
were  men  of  prominence  and  considerable 
property.  Of  these,  John,  now  deceased,  was 
a  well-to-do  citizen  of  Scriven,  Eng.;  Mathew 
was  a  piano  manufacturer  of  Hull,  and  Edwin 
(deceased)  was  formerly  an  extensive  farmer 
in  Yorkshire.  Thomas  Emanuel  served  as  a 
soldier  during  the  French-English  War  under 
Lord  Wellington  and  took  part  in  the  battle  ot 
Waterloo.  A  former  Lord  Lumley,  connected 
with  this  family,  was  friendly  to  the  Puritan .-:, 
and  assisted  some  of  them  in  reaching  Ameri- 
ca during  the  days  of  their  persecution. 
Thomas  E.  Lumley  married  Mary  Ann  Wright, 
and  they  had  a  good  home  in  Yorkshire,  where 
the  following  named  children  were  born  to 
them:  John,  Helen  E.,  James,  William, 
Thomas  Robert  (father  of  Vincent  S.)  and 
Mary  Ann.  Thomas  E.  Lumley  died  in  England 
in  1863,  and  his  wife  in  1848. 

Thomas  R.  Lumley  and  his  brother  William 
sailed  from  Liverpool  for  America  in  1851,  the 


voyage  to  New  York  consuming  six  weeks, 
whence  they  came  direct  to  Huntley,  MeHenry 
County,  where  they  obtained  employment  for  a 
time  on  what  is  now  a  division  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  Railroad.  Later  they  joined 
the  John  S.  Cummings  Company  in  an  expedi- 
tion across  the  plains  to  California,  an  account 
of  which  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  volume 
(See  sketch  of  John  S.  Cummings).  While  in 
California  Thomas  R.  engaged  in  mercantile 
business  for  two  years,  but  in  1854  returned  to 
MeHenry  County.  He  then  bought  355  acres  of 
land  in  Ringwood  Prairie,  a  part  of  it  improved 
and  known  as  the  Holcomb  farm,  while  the  re- 
mainder was  unimproved.  Here  he  erected 
one  of  the  finest  farm-houses  of  the  time  in  Me- 
Henry County.  May  3,  1858,  he  married  Ann 
Eliza  Mitchell,  born  in  Kingsville,  Ashtabula 
County,  Ohio,  Feb.  22,  1836,  the  daughter  of 
Silas  Robert  and  Mary  S.  (Hopkins)  Mitchell. 
After  marriage,  Mr.  Lumley  settled  on  his  land 
in  MeHenry  County,  where  he  acquired  a  large 
estate,  finally  becoming  the  owner  of  1,000 
acres  of  land.  Among  his  later  acquisitions 
were  the  Tryon  farm  of  275  acres  in  Hebron 
Township  and  the  Peterson  farm  of  218  acres 
in  Greenwood.  Mr.  Lumley  and  wife  remained 
on  their  farm  until  1888,  when  they  removed  to 
Woodstock  and  later  to  Chicago.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  which  ho 
filled  the  office  of  Steward  for  many  years. 
Politically  he  was  a  Republican,  but  not  in  any 
sense  an  office-seeker,  preferring  to  give  his  at- 
tention to  his  large  farming  and  other  business 
interests.  He  was  public-spirited  and  took  a 
deep  interest  in  educational  matters  and  other 
enterprises  affecting  his  township  and  locality. 
Commencing  without  capital,  but  possessing 
sagacity  and  an  indomitable  will,  he  attained 
a  high  degree  of  business  success.  He  was 
very  abstemious  in  habits,  using  neither  liquors 
nor  tobacco  in  any  form.  Mr  .and  Mrs.  Lum- 
ley were  the  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Frank  B.,  Clinton  G.,  Genevieve  L.. 
Vincent  S.,  Edwin  T.,  Wallace  J.,  and  Stanley 
M.,  who  died  Aug.  24,  1890,  aged  eighteen 
years.  Mr.  Lumley  died  at  the  home  of  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Tryon,  in  Chicago,  Nov.  14, 
1896,  aged  sixty-nine.  Of  their  children,  Clin- 
ton G.  graduated  from  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois and  the  Chicago  Medical  College,  and  is 
now  a  practicing  physician  in  Chicago.,  He 
married   Miss   Nellie   McLean,   of  Urbana,   111., 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


who  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Illinois, 
and  they  have  four  children:  Harold  M.,  Les- 
lie, Arlene  and  Dorothy.  Edwin  T.  took 
courses  in  the  Dixon  Business  College  and  the 
Illinois  School  of  Pharmacy,  and  is  a  druggist 
in  Chicago.  Wallace  J.  graduated  in  both  the 
institutions  just  named,  and  is  now  a  resident 
of  Elgin.  Frank  B.  married  Fred  Tryon  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  they  had  three  children: 
Glendara  H.,  who  married  W.  V.  Hoff,  of  Blue 
Island;  Floyd  C.  and  Verna  E.  Mr.  Tryon 
died  in  1894,  and  his  widow  now  resides  in 
Woodstock.  Genevieve  L.  married  George  T. 
Goodnow,  now  connected  with  the  firm  of  Ben- 
jamin Moore  &  Co.,  Chicago,  and  they  have  one 
child — Pauline.  Wallace  J.  married  Margaret 
Weast,  and  Edwin  T.  married  Cecil  Erickson. 
The  last  named  couple  have  two  children — 
Gerald  and  Bernice.  Mrs.  Thomas  R.  Lumley 
still  survives  and  is  a  resident  of  Chicago.  A 
woman  of  strong  character  and  vigorous  con- 
stitution, in  early  days,  she  bore  her  full  part 
in  maintaining  the  family  home  and' in  assist- 
ing her  husband  in  the  accumulation  of  his 
handsome  property.  Like  her  husband,  she 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  re 
tains  her  physical  and  mental  vigor,  with  an 
especially  retentive  memory.  In  1874  Mr. 
Lumley  visited  his  old  Yorkshire  home  in  com- 
pany with  his  daughter  Frank  B.,  to  whose 
recollection  are  due  some  of  the  reminiscences 
of  that  interesting  region  comprised  in  this 
sketch. 

Vincent  S.  Lumley  was  reared  among  the 
peaceful  scenes  of  rural  life  in  Ringwood  Prai- 
rie, one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  smaller 
prairies  which  dot  the  rich  landscape  of  North- 
ern Illinois.  Here  he  passed  his  youthful  days, 
and  here  attended  the  public  schools,  acquiring 
the  foundation  of  a  good  education  under  the 
instruction  of  Rev.  William  Nickle,  the  veteran 
teacher  of  McHenry  County,  who  speaks  of  Mr. 
Lumley  as  one  of  his  brightest  pupils.  He  next 
attended  the  Normal  School  at  Normal,  111., 
and  later  graduated  from  the  Northern  Busi- 
ness College  at  Dixon,  where  he  was  valedic- 
torian of  his  class.  After  being  engaged  in 
teaching  for  a  year  at  McHenry,  111.,  he  entered 
the  Law  Department  of  the  Michigan  Univer- 
sity at  Ann  Arbor,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1888  at  twenty  years  of  age,  being  selected  to 
deliver  the  class  oration.  The  year  previous, 
at  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  was  admitted  to 


practice  law  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  and  at 
Ann  Arbor,  with  a  single  exception,  was  the 
youngest  student  in  a  class  of  one  hundred  and 
forty-two,  the  others  not  only  being  older,  but 
many  of  them  able  lawyers  in  active  practice. 

In  1888,  the  year  of  Mr.  Lumley's  graduation, 
he  engaged  in  practice  in  Woodstock,  McHenry 
County,  in  partnership  with  the  late  Judge  T 
D.  Murphy,  which  was  continued  until  the 
death  of  the  latter.  Since  then  he  has  prac 
ticed  alone,  and  has  been  uniformly  successful 
establishing  a  large  and  lucrative  practice 
Politically  he  is  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  prin 
ciples  of  the  Republican  party,  and,  in  1896, 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  State's  Attorney 
for  McHenry  County,  receiving  a  plurality  of 
fifty-nine  votes  over  that  cast  for  President 
McKinley,  and  securing  the  largest  majority 
ever  given  to  any  candidate  for  office  in  the 
county.  During  the  past  twelve  years  he  has 
been  connected  with  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant cases  tried  before  the  courts  of  Me 
Henry  County.  He  was  retained  for  the  de 
fense  in  the  celebrated  Delhanty  murder  case 
and,  in  1900,  recovered  from  the  city  of  Chi 
cago  $11,000  as  attorney  in  a  suit  for  damages 
in  behalf  of  Frank  Gilbert.  While  Prosecuting 
Attorney  he  discharged  his  duty  with  fearless 
energy  and  efficiency,  during  his  first  term  se- 
curing the  conviction  under  sentences  to  the 
penitentiary  of  eight  criminals  who  richly  de- 
served their  fate,  and,  during  both  terms,  send- 
ing more  guilty  persons  to  Joliet  than  any 
Prosecuting  Attorney  before  him,  during  this 
time  losing  but  one  case.  Shrewd,  incisive  and 
aggressive,  Mr.  Lumley  is  a  true  type  of  the 
weil-read  and  successful  lawyer.  Fearless  and 
independent,  he  expresses  his  views  in  clear, 
concise  and  vigorous  language,  always  talking 
to  the  point.  He  is  one  of  the  best  read  and 
most  successful  lawyers  at  the  McHenry  Coun- 
ty bar,  and  his  law  library,  purchased  at  a  cost 
of  $3,500  is  one  of  the  largest  private  libraries 
in  Northern  Illinois. 

In  1892  Mr.  Lumley  was  united  in  marriage, 
at  Woodstock,  111.,  to  Neva  D.  Bunker,  who  was 
born  at  Woodstock,  the  daughter  of  Amos  and 
Dell  (Sherman)  Bunker.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Marjorie  Dell.  Fraternally  Mr.  Lum- 
ley is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  of  several  benevolent  asso- 
ciations. 
Reverting  to  the  family  of  Mrs.  Thomas  R. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


869 


Lumley,  her  father,  Silas  R.  Mitchell,  was  born 
at  Fairfield,  Vt,  March  25,  1752,  the  son  of 
John  Robert  Mitchell.  The  latter  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution,  who  served  under  the  com- 
mand of  Aaron  Burr — then  a  captain — in  the 
memorable  expedition  led  by  Benedict  Arnold 
through  the  wilds  of  Northern  Maine  against 
Quebec  in  1775.  This  expedition,  which  marked 
the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  en- 
dured great  suffering  and  privation.  Later  Mr. 
Mitchell  served  as  Aid-de-camp  on  the  staff  of 
Gen.  Washington.  At  a  reception  given  by 
Gen.  and  Mrs.  Washington,  that  lady  dropped 
her  handkerchief,  when  the  young  Aid-de-camp 
picked  it  up,  and,  returning  it  to  her,  gallantly 
kissed  her  hand.  Gen.  Washington,  observing 
the  act,  jocularly  remarked:  "Take  care, 
Robert,  I  will  excuse  you  this  time,  but  don't 
take  such  liberties  again."  In  1787  Mr.  Mit- 
chell, in  company  with  Joseph  Wheeler  and 
"John  Sunderland,  went  to  "Vermont,  where  they 
became  the  first  settlers  at  Fairfield  in  that 
State,  and,  it  is  said,  lived  for  a  time  on  bass- 
wood  buds  until  they  could  raise  a  crop  of 
corn.  Mr.  Mitchell  married  Jemima  Suther- 
land who  was  born  Nov.  25,  1750.  She  appears 
to  have  been  a  woman  of  rare  physical  and 
mental  vigor;  was  the  first  white  woman  at 
Fairfield,  Vt.,  and  it  is  told  of  her  that  she 
could  cut  down  a  tree,  two  feet  in  diameter,  as 
quickly  as  her  husband.  She  was  a  famous 
spinner  and  weaver,  and  expert  with  the 
needle,  and  is  said  to  have  made  the  clothes 
for  her  family  of  ten  children,  whom  she  cared 
for  while  her  husband  was  serving  as  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  1812.  When  one  hundred  and 
four  years  old,  it  is  said  she  could  knit  one 
pair  of  socks  and  "set  up"  another  in  a  single 
day.  She  died  July  7,  1862,  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  years  old.  Her  husband  died 
Sept.  8,  1842.  Their  children  were:  Thomas, 
Roswell,  Hubbell,  Silas  Robert,  Susan,  Joan, 
Polly,  Hepsy,  Lydia  and  Delia. 

Silas  Robert  Mitchell,  of  this  family,  was 
born  in  Vermont,  Feb.  4,  1793,  and  served  as 
a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  His  occupation 
was  that  of  a  miller.  He  married  in  Fairfield, 
Vt.,  Mary  S.  Hopkins,  who  was  born  at  Bur- 
lington, Vt.,  the  daughter  of  Noah  and  Clarissa 
(Castle)  Hopkins.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of   Massachusetts    and    a    brother    of    Stephen 


Hopkins,  who  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  The  Castle  fam- 
ily were  from  Connecticut.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband,  Noah  Hopkins,  his  wife  mar- 
ried John  Castle,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the  War 
of  1812,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burg,  on  that  occasion  being  shot  through  the 
hand.  Uriah,  the  son  of  John  Castle,  was  an 
officer  in  the  same  war,  and  also  served  in  the 
Civil  War  with  his  brother  Horace,  who  was 
fatally  wounded  and  died  at  Bowling  Green, 
Ky.  Noah  Hopkins  and  wife  had  but  one 
child,  Mary  S.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Castle  moved  to  Vermont,  where  he 
cleared  up  a  farm  in  the  woods.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Joel,  Squire,  Uriah,  Stanley,  Hor- 
ace, John,  Clarissa,  Minerva  and  Emeline. 
John  Castle  died  in  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
aged  ninety  years,  and  Mrs.  Castle  at  eighty- 
five. 

After  his  marriage  to  Mary  S.  Hopkins,  in 
1824,  Silas  Robert  Mitchell  moved  to  Warsaw, 
N.  Y.,  and,  in  1829,  to  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  bought  200  acres  of  land;  was  also 
the  owner  of  a  large  "sugar  bush,"  where  he 
manufactured  much  maple  sugar.  He  and  his 
wife  were  Methodists  and  they  raised  a  fam- 
ily of  twelve  children:  Emily  Jeannette,  born 
at  Fairfield,  Vt.,  April  18,  1822,  died  at  Kings- 
ville,  Ohio,  Nov.  30,  1843;  Emeline  Cecilia, 
born  in  Vermont,  Dec.  23,  1823,  died  May  14, 
1901;  Adelia  Caroline,  born  in  Vermont,  Nov. 
8,  1825,  died  Oct.  27,  1895;  Lucy  Ann,  born 
June  1,  1827,  died  April  13,  1886;  Amasa  Castle, 
born  at  Warsaw,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  18,  1829;  Chester 
Potter,  born  at  Kingsville,  Ohio,  May  8,  1834, 
died  Dec.  13,  1871;  Ann  Eliza,  born  Feb.  22, 
1836;  Helen  Maria,  born  Oct.  15,  1838,  died 
July  28,  1856;  Frances  Adelaide,  born  April 
20,  1840;  Alice  Jeannette,  born  Oct.  2,  1844. 
died  Jan.  2,  1878;  Mary  Isadore,  born  at  Kings- 
ville, Ohio,  July  26,  1847,  died  in  1850.  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  a  man  of  strictly  moral  and  tem- 
perate habits,  and  conscientiously  refrained 
from  profane  language  and  the  use  of  liquor 
or  tobacco.  The  Mitchells  were  of  colonial 
Puritan  ancestry,  and  of  the  same  stock  as 
Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell,  the  astronomer  and  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  War.  Silas  Robert  Mitchell 
died  Jan.  9,  1876,  and  his  wife  at  Kingsville, 
Ohio,  in  1873. 


870 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


SAMUEL    L.     LINCOLN. 

Samuel  L.  Lincoln,  of  Harvard,  111.,  is  one 
of  the  old  settlers  of  McHenry  County,  where 
he  was,  for  many  years,  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools.  The  Lincolns  are  of  English  Puritan 
stock  and  came  to  America  in  the  old  colonial 
days,  being  among  the  founders  of  Massachu- 
setts. General  Lincoln,  of  Revolutionary  fame, 
w,as  of  the  same  line,  and  it  is  now  well 
established  that  President  Abraham  Lincoln's 
ancestors  came  from  Massachusetts  to  Vir- 
ginia. 

Purvis  Lincoln  was  the  great-grandfather  of 
Samuel  L.,  and  Daniel  Lincoln,  the  grandfather, 
was  born  in  Vermont,  and  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolutionary  War,  being  one  of  the 
famous  "Green  Mountain  Boys."  He  also 
served  in  the  War  of  1812.  In  the  former  he 
was  present  at  the  capture  of  Ticonderoga  by 
Ethan  Allen,  and  in  the  latter  belonged  to  the 
land  forces  in  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie.  He  was 
promoted  to  be  an  officer,  but  his  rank  is  not 
remembered.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
and  when  he  was  but  nineteen  years  of  age 
married,  for  his  first  wife,  Eunice  Bragg,  in 
New  York  State.  The  Braggs  were  of  the 
same  original  stock  as  the  famous  rebel 
Gen.  Bragg.  After  marriage  Daniel  Lincoln 
settled  on  new  land  and  opened  up  a  farm  in 
the  Genesee  Flats,  near  Batavia,  N.  Y.  He 
then  moved  to  Alexander  Township,  in  the 
Genesee  Flats,  where  he  cleared  a  large  farm 
erf  300  to  400  acres,  which  he  divided  among 
his  sons  before  his  marriage  to  his  second 
wife.  The  children  by  his  first  marriage  were: 
Daniel,  Emory,  Calvin,  Eunice,  Arathusia. 
Rial,  Apollos  and  Lucius.  His  first  wife  died 
when  about  sixty  years  of  age,  after  which  he 
married  a  second  time  and  lived  with  his  sec- 
ond wife  for  more  than  thirty-three  years.  He 
died  on  his  farm  in  Alexander  Township,  in 
January,  1862,  aged  ninety-seven  years  and 
seven  months.  For  his  day  he  was  a  man  of 
considerable  property  and  his  advice  was  much 
sought  after.  He  was  Colonel  of  a  militia  regi- 
ment, was  a  natural  athlete,  at  sixty  years  of 
age  being  able  to  jump  further  than  most 
young  men,  and  at  the  old-fashioned  musters 
could  shoulder  the  heaviest  load  of  stone. 
In  religion  he  was  an  Old  School  Baptist. 
The  farm  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  is  still 
held  in  the  family  name. 

Apollos  Lincoln,   son  of  Daniel  Lincoln  and 


father  of  Samuel  L.,  was  born  in  Brattleboro, 
Vt,  June  2,  1802,  and  when  a  child  in  arms 
went  with  the  family  to  New  York.  He  gained 
a  common-school  education  and  was  reared  a 
farmer  and  expert  woodman.  He  married  in 
May,  1828,  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  Melissa 
Waite,  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y., 
April  2,  1802,  daughter  of  William  Waite.  Mr. 
Waite  was  of  an  old  colonial  family  of  Massa- 
chusetts of  English  descent,  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution  at  the  capture* of  Fort  Ticon- 
deroga and,  in  1812,  with  the  land  forces  at, 
the  battle  of  Lake  Erie.  He  was  a  farmer  of 
Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  a  pioneer. 
He  finally  settled  on  a  farm  at  West  Valley, 
Cattaraugus  County.,  where  he  built  a  saw  and 
flouring-mill  and  a  tannery.  He  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1864,  aged  ninety-seven  years  and  six 
months.  He  was  a  remarkably  well  preserved 
man  and,  at  the  age  of  ninety-seven  years, 
could  read  the  "New  York  Tribune"  without 
glasses — in  fact,  had  never  worn  glasses,  and 
had  no  gray  hairs  on  his  head.  The  children 
of  William  Waite  and  wife  were:  Weston, 
Lorin,  AJvira,  Eesic,  Melissa,  Henry  and  Fan- 
nie. In  religious  belief  Mr.  Waite  was  a  Bap- 
tist. He  was  married  three  times — the  last 
time  being  when  he  was  over  sixty  years  of 
age — and  he  lived  with  his  wife  over  thirty 
years.     He  died  at  West  Valley,  N.  Y. 

Apollos  Lincoln  settled  after  marriage  at 
Alexander,  N.  Y.,  on  land  of  his  own.  The 
winter  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age  he  as- 
sisted in  cutting  the  ship  timber  from  Grand 
Island,  in  the  Niagara  River  below  Buffalo,  in 
this  work  having  the  direction  of  the  best  com- 
pany of  men.  This  island  was  heavily  wooded 
and  it  required  two  years  to  cut  off  the  timber, 
which  was  shipped  to  England.  The  island 
belonged  to  an  old  New  York  "Patroon"  fam- 
ily, and  the  clearing  of  it  was  one  of  the  great 
events  of  the  day  in  that  region.  Mr.  Lincoln, 
having  sold  his  land  in  Genesee  County,  moved 
to  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared 
up  another  farm.  In  June,  1845,  he  removed 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the  journey 
with  his  family  on  a  steamboat  from  Buffalo 
to  Chicago,  and  hauling  his  goods  from  Crystal 
Lake  by  teams.  After  living  on  rented  land 
for  four  years,  he  bought  120  acres  of  timber- 
land  in  Nunda  Township,  on  which  a  little  tim- 
ber had  been  cut  and  a  log-cabin  had  been 
built.    He  cleared  up  this  land  and  finally  made 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


871 


a  good  home.  Having  sold  this  farm,  he  bought 
another,  in  Marengo  Township,  consisting  of 
seventy-eight  acres  of  cleared  land,  and  here 
passed  the  rest  of  his  life,  dying  Feb.  23,  1880, 
aged  seventy-eight  years.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  in  politics 
originally  a  Democrat,  but  became  an  early  Re- 
publican, supporting  John  C.  Fremont  and 
Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  Presidency.  His 
death  was  caused  by  injuries  which  he  had 
received  from  an  accident  many  years  pre- 
vious, the  ribs  on  his  left  side  having  been 
crushed.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Apollos 
Lincoln  were:  Gooding  W.,  Henry  M.,  Eliza- 
beth A.,  Eunice  A.,  Mary  S.,  Samuel  L.  and 
Omar  H. 

Samuel  L.  Lincoln  was  born  in  Alexander 
Township,  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  June  7,  1840, 
and  was  an  infant  when  his  father  moved  to 
Cattaraugus  County,  and  was  not  quite  five 
years  old  when  he  moved  to  Illinois.  He  can 
well  remember  the  old  double  log  house  in 
which  they  lived  in  New  York  and  some  of  the 
scenes  and  incidents  of  the  voyage  on  Lake 
Erie.  He  received  his  education  chiefly  in 
Illinois,  but  had  attended  school  in  New  York. 
He  attended  one  of  the  early  schools  in  Crystal 
Lake,  in  a  small  frame  school  house,  and  later 
different  schools  in  Nunda  Township,  in  the 
Huffman  District  and  then  on  Fox  River  in  the 
first  school  house  in  what  is  now  the  Lincoln 
District.  He  helped  draw  the  lumber  and 
stone  and  assisted  to  build  the  school  house. 
He  was  sixteen  years  old  when  he  attended 
Wauconda  Academy  two  terms,  working  at 
farm  work  during  the  summer.  He  began 
teaching  at  seventeen  years  of  age  while  at- 
tending the  academy  in  the  winter  of  1857-8  in 
Cuba  Township,  Lake  County,  and  taught 
every  winter  for  a  period  of  thirty-four  years. 
All  his  teaching  was  in  Boone,  Lake  and  Mc- 
Henry  Counties,  and  his  is  probably  the  longest 
record  as  a  teacher  in  these  counties.  His 
brother,  Omar,  has  taught  longer  and  is  still 
employed  in  the  same  line,  but  in  other  locali- 
ties. Many  persons  who  are  now  grown  men 
and  women  and  the  heads  of  families,  and  scat- 
tered over  the  West  in  various  pursuits  of  life, 
were  among  his  pupils.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  mar- 
ried April  15,  1868,  in  Ridgefield,  McHenry 
County,  to  Julia  E.  Francisco,  who  was  born 
in  McHenry  County,  Feb.  26,  1847,  daughter  of 
Peter    and    Sarah    (Ingalls)    Francisco.      The 


Francisco  family  is  descended  from  French  an- 
cestors who  were  early  settlers  of  Western 
New  York,  and  there  is  a  tradition  that  there 
is  a  large  amount  of  property  in  France  whicn 
properly  belongs  to  the  family.  They  were 
Protestants,  probably  of  Huguenot  stock.  Like 
many  of  the  French  Huguenots,  the  family  in- 
termarried freely  with  the  Holland  Dutch. 
John  Francisco,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Lin- 
coln, was  a  farmer  of  Genesee  County,  N.  Y., 
and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Near,  was  of  Holland 
Dutch  stock.  He  moved  to  Ohio  at  an  early 
day,  and  there  all  his  children  were  born  and 
there  he  died.  Their  children  were:  Charity, 
Abraham,  Sallie,  Hester,  Charles,  Peter,  Mar- 
tha (Patty)  and  Margaret — the  last  three  being 
triplets.  Martha  (or  Patty)  became  Mrs.  Fos- 
dick,  now  a  well-known  resident  of  Woodstock, 
and  Margaret  married  William  D.  Hoege,  but 
died  several  years  ago.  Mrs.  John  Francisco 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  with  her  chil- 
dren, and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter 
Charity,  aged  over  ninety  years. 

Peter  Francisco,  born  near  Mentor,  Ohio, 
June  16,  1819,  about  1844  came  to  McHen- 
ry County,  driving  a  yoke  of  oxen  for  his 
brother-in-law,  Hubbard  Whitlock.  who  had 
married  his  sister  Hester  Francisco,  and  had 
entered  land  in  that  locality.  Here  Peter 
Francisco  entered  180  acres  of  Government  land 
and,  on  Jan.  1,  1846,  near  Ringwood,  McHenry 
County,  married  Sarah  Ann  Ingalls,  who  was 
born  in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  April  9,  1828, 
the  daughter  of  Warren  and  Matilda  (Brown) 
Ingalls,  and  at  the  time  of  her  marriage,  eigh- 
teen years  of  age.  Oliver  Ingalls  was  a  pioneer 
of  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  and  died  of  cholera 
while  on  a  land-hunting  expedition.  The  chil- 
dren were:  Alpheus  O.,  Sarah  A.  and  Char- 
lotte O.  The  Ingalls  family  were  of  old  New 
England  ancestry.  After  marriage  Peter  Fran- 
cisco settled  on  his  land  and  cleared  his  farm 
from  the  oak  timber  which  encumbered  it.  He 
added  to  his  farm  until  he  owned  100  acres, 
erected  upon  it  good  buildings  and  became  a 
prosperous  farmer.  The  children  were:  Ju- 
lia E.,  born  Feb.  26,  1847;  Delia  Ann,  born  Nov. 
29,  1849;  Albert,  born  Oct.  15,  1852;  Warren 
I.,  born  April  7,  1855;  Myron,  born  Nov.  18, 
1857,  and  Annie  M.,  born  June  21,  1861 — all 
born  on  the  old  homestead  in  McHenry  County, 
and  all  still  living.  Politically  Mr.  Francisco 
was  a  Lincoln  Republican,  and  an  honored  citi- 


872 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


zen  of  his  township.  He  served  as  a  member 
of  the  School  Board  many  years.  Mr.  Fran- 
cisco died  on  his  farm,  Dec.  13,  1872,  as  the  re- 
sult of  an  accident,  and  his  wife  June  6,  189G. 
The  Francisco  homestead  is  now  owned  by  My- 
ron and  Annie  M.  Francisco. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  settled 
at  Marengo  and  lived  there  about  twelve  years 
and  was  engaged  in  teaching  and  renting  land. 
In  1881  he  moved  to  his  present  home  farm  in 
Hartland  Township,  which  consists  of  163 
acres.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel 
L.  Lincoln  are:  Earl  G.,  born  June  22,  1869; 
Charity  M.,  born  April  12,  1872;  Herbert  W.„ 
born  June  30,  1875;  Clara  B.,  born  June  14, 
1878;  Albert  W.,  born  Feb.  22,  1881;  George 
M.,  born  May  29,  1884,  and  Samuel  Leon,  born 
Sept.  20,  1889.  Of  these  children.  Earl  G.  mar- 
ried, May  15,  1899,  Mary  Sophia  Straudt,  of 
Amherst,  Neb.,  and  they  have  one  child,  War 
ren  M.  Their  daughter,  Charity  M.  married, 
Jan.  1,  1891,  Ellsworth  C.  Hammond,  who  is  a 
contractor  residing  in  Harvard,  and  has  been 
Road  Commissioner  of  Chemung  Township  for 
the  past  five  years.  He  and  his  wife  have  five 
children:  Dorris  J.,  Bernice  A.,  Gladys  E., 
Vernon  and  one  child  unnamed.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lincoln  suffered  a  sad  calamity  on  April  22, 
1897,  in  the  death  of  their  two  promising  sons, 
— Herbert  W.  and  Albert  W. — both  dying  of 
diphtheria  on  the  same  day. 

Mr.  Lincoln  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  In  politics  he  first  voted  for  Abraham 
Lincoln  at  his  first  election,  and  afterwards 
became  a  Democrat  and  voted  for  William  J. 
Bryan..  He  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  or 
the  Peace,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
School  Board  many  years.  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  McHenry  County 
Teachers'  Institute,  about  1860-1,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  appointed  to  draft  the  by- 
laws for  the  organization,  having  as  associates 
on  this  committee  A.  W.  Cummings,  of  Che- 
mung, and  Edward  Hayden,  of  Nunda  Town- 
ship. 


LEVI     LAKE. 

Levi  Lake  came  of  that  old  sturdy  New  Eng- 
land stock  which  has  given  to  this  country  so 
much  of  its  honor,  intelligence  and  industry. 
He  was  born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  August 
24,    1816,    son    of   Phipps    Waldo    and    Rebecca 


(Beardsley)  Lake.  His  great-grandfather  was 
one  of  the  old  "Patroons,"  and  owned  a  large 
tract  of  land  on  the  border  of  New  York  an.! 
Vermont,  but  by  adhering  to  the  British  cause 
as  a  Tory,  was  obliged  to  flee  to  Canada  and 
his  estate  was  confiscated. 

Henry  Lake,  the  grandfather,  was  born  on 
his  father's  estate  and  served  as  a  patriot  sol- 
dier in  the  War  of  the  American  Revolution. 
He  married  Jemima  Waldo,  a  descendant  of 
the  famous  Governor  Phipps,  who  was  re- 
warded by  George  III.  of  England  by  being 
made  Governor  of  colonial  Massachusetts  for 
raising  a  rich  Spanish  galleon,  or  treasure- 
ship.  Soon  after  marriage,  Henry  Lake  set- 
tled in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  and  cleared  up 
a  farm  from  the  heavily  timbered  wilderness. 
His  children  were:  Daniel,  Nicholas,  Phipps 
W.,  Jedediah.  David,  Henry,  Jr.,  Valorous,  Jar- 
vis  M.,  Calvin,  Rosanna  and  Lucretia,  the  last 
two  being  twins  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr. 
Lake  spent  all  his  active  days  on  his  farm,  but 
in  his  old  age  moved  to  Montgomery  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in 
the  village  of  Ames.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Free-Will  Baptist  church,  in  which  he  was  a 
deacon  for  many  years,  during  the  latter  years 
of  his  life  being  called  "Father  Lake." 

Phipps  Waldo  Lake,  the  father  of  Levi,  was 
born  at  Plainfield,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and  studied 
law,  but  finally  prepared  for  the  ministry  and 
became  a  Free-Will  Baptist  minister.  He  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  denomination  in  New 
York  State  and  one  of  its  leading  ministers 
for  many  years;  also  served  as  a  soldier  at 
Sackett's  Harbor  during  the  War  of  1812.  He 
married,  in  Richfield,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  Re- 
becca Beardsley,  whose  parents  were  of  Eng- 
lish ancestry  and  early  colonial  settlers.  Mr. 
Lake  preached  in  Cortland  and  Montgomery 
Counties,  N.  Y.,  and  then  settled  in  Ames,  Cana- 
joharie  Township,  Montgomery  County,  where 
he  preached  for  fourteen  years,  and  having 
purchased  250  acres  of  land,  became  a  suc- 
cessful farmer.  In  the  spring  of  1839  he  be- 
came a  pioneer  settler  in  Big  Foot  Prairie, 
Walworth  County,  Wis.,  where  he  bought  640 
acres  of  land,  100  acres  of  which  had  pre- 
viously been  broken,  and  a  crop  of  corn,  wheat 
and  oats  planted.  Mr.  Lake  made  extensive 
improvements  on  his  land,  built  a  frame  house, 
which  is  strll  standing,  and  here  passed  the  re- 


,     t*<         <\jZsUs^- f 


*1 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


87; 


mainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  1860,  about  seven- 
ty-two years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lake  were 
the  parents  of  Polly  (who  died  when  about 
fifty-six  years  of  age),  Beardsley,  Levi,  Lucre- 
tia  (who  died  a  married  woman),  Rebecca, 
Waldo,  Sarah  and  Mary,  the  last  two  twins. 
Six  of  their  children  are  still  living,  the 
youngest  being  over  seventy  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Lake  was  a  speaker  of  much  ability  and 
preached  to  the  early  settlers  of  Walworth 
County,  besides  having  charge  of  a  church  at 
Lake  Geneva  for  several  years.  Politically  he 
was  in  early  days  an  old  line  Whig,  but  later 
became  a  Republican  and  represented  his  party 
in  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  for  two  years. 

Levi  Lake,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  ar- 
ticle, received  a  common-school  education,  and 
later  attended  the  academy  at.  Ames,  N.  Y.. 
for  several  terms.  When  twenty-one  years  of 
age  he  engaged  with  the  Saratoga  Mutual  In- 
surance Company,  and  remained  in  this  busi- 
ness until  he  came  west  in  1839.  On  the  trip 
west  Mr.  Lake  made  the  journey  by  way  of  the 
Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and 
then  by  wagon  to  Big  Foot  Prairie,  where  he 
arrived  July  22.  He  managed  his  father'* 
farm  until  the  fall  of  1839,  when  he  engaged  at 
farm  labor  for  himself,  renting  part  of  his  fath- 
er's land  on  shares  for  a  time.  In  1840  he  re- 
turned to  New  York  and  married  at  Root,  Mont- 
gomery County,  January  17,  Lydia  Maria  Win- 
nie, who  was  born  in  that  place  Oct.  6,  1819, 
daughter  of  Lucas  Winnie.  The  Winnies  were 
of  Holland-Dutch  stock,  descended  from  an  olu 
colonial  family  of  that  name  in  New  Jersey. 
Lucas  Winnie  was  a  wealthy  farmer  of  Mont- 
gomery County,  where  his  father  had  cleared 
up  a  farm  as  a  pioneer.  His  children  were: 
Lydia  M.,  Rachael,  Eliza,  Susan  Ann  and  Har- 
riet. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Lake  returned  to  Big 
Foot  Prairie,  and  in  1843  bought  100  acres  of 
unimproved  land  from  the  Government  for 
$1.25  per  acre,  upon  which  he  made  extensive 
improvements,  built  a  frame  house  and  had  a 
good  home  and  farm.  Three  years  later  he 
returned  to  New  York,  and  there  managed  one 
of  his  father-in-law's  farms,  which  he  after- 
wards bought.  He  remained  there  for  twenty 
years,  and  then  (in  1867),  returning,  settled  at 
Harvard,  McHenry  County,  engaging  in  the 
lumber  business.  Four  years  later  he  retired 
from    this    business,  investing    his    capital    in 


Michigan  pine  land,  with  profitable  results.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lake  were  the  parents  of  children 
named:  Ann  Eliza,  Monroe,  Jane,  Kittie, 
Mary,  Hattie,  besides  three  others  who  died  in 
infancy.  They  were  both  members  of  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  church,  in  which  Mr.  Lake  was 
clerk  and  chorister,  at  Ames,  N.  Y.,  for  many 
years.  Originally  an  old  line  Whig,  he  became 
a  Republican  on  the  organization  of  that  party 
and  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  In  his  young- 
er days  Mr.  Lake  was  a  very  active  and  indub- 
trious  man  and  noted  for  his  upright  charac- 
ter. Mrs.  Lake,  a  woman  of  many  virtues  and 
greatly  beloved  by  all  her  acquaintances,  died 
in  December,  1892. 

Coming  west  at  an  early  day,  Mr.  Lake  has 
spent  many  years  of  his  life  in  Southern  Wis- 
consin and  Northern  Illinois,  and  has  witnessed 
the  development  of  this  region  almost  from  its 
infancy  to  the  present  time.  He  was  clerk  of 
the  first  town-meeting  in  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  and  is  the  only  man  now  living  who  ac- 
tended  that  gathering.  He  built  the  first 
frame  barn  on  Big  Foot  Prairie,  and  helped  to 
gather  the  first  corn-crop  on  that  prairie,  his 
father  having  bought  the  crop  standing  in  the 
field.  Mr.  Lake  had  a  severe  spell  of  sickness 
when  eighty-five  years  of  age,  but  previous  to 
that  time  had  scarcely  felt  the  approach  of 
.age.  Retaining  the  energy  of  a  man  in  the 
prime  of  life,  he  could  mount  a  horse  witn 
ease,  enjoying  the  exercise  as  much  as  in  his 
younger  days. 


JAMES    OLIVER     LEWIS. 

James  Oliver  Lewis,  pioneer  settler  of  Big 
Foot  Prairie,  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  now  a 
resident  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111.,  is 
descended  from  Eastern  New  York  ancestry. 
His  grandfather,  Moses  Lewis,  born  in  New 
York  State  east  of  the  Hudson  River,  enlisted 
as  a  soldier  during  the  latter  part  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  but  saw  no  active  service.  He 
was  of  English  and  French  descent.  Having 
married  Martha  Fisk,  Moses  Lewis  first  settled 
in  Saratoga,  but  in  1799  removed  to  Cherry  Val- 
ley, in  Otsego  County,  where  he  bought  a  con- 
siderable tract  of  land  and  cleared  up  a  farm 
in  the  forest  on  Bowman's  Creek,  upon  which 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  at  the 
age  of  eighty-six  years.  He  had  a  family  of 
thirteen  children — four  sons,  Moses,  Ezra,  Mor- 
gan  and  Theodore,   and   nine   daughters,  Cyn- 


874 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


thia,  who  married  a  Mr.  Brush;  Martha,  mar- 
ried a  Mr.  Terhune;  Annie,  married  a  Mr. 
Briggs;  Lydia,  married  a  Mr.  Flint;  Marian, 
married  a  Mr.  Van  Dusen,  and  Betsy,  who  mar- 
ried a  Mr.  Gamble  and  removed  to  the  State 
of  Ohio.  Huldah,  Dercha  and  Lavanchia  died 
in  childhood.  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  Methodist  in 
religious  belief  and  in  politics  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat.  He  accumulated  a  goodly  property 
for  his  clay  and  the  old  Lewis  homestead, 
which  he  established  in  Otsego  County,  still 
belongs  to  the  family. 

Morgan  Lewis  of  this  family,  and  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Cherry 
Valley,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  received  a  com- 
mon-school education  and  became  a  farmer, 
also  being  engaged  in  the  mercantile  and  mill- 
ing business.  He  married  Catherine  Seebe  , 
who  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  N.  Y., 
the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Mover) 
Seeber,  who  were  of  Holland  stock  and  earlv 
"Mohawk  Dutch"  settlers.  Jacob  Seeber  and 
wife  were  the  parents  of  children  named : 
Solomon,  Deloss,  Mary,  Eliza,  Lena,  Margaret. 
Ann  and  Catherine.  Mr.  Seeber  was  a  sub- 
stantial farmer,  and  his  home,  like  that  of  the 
Lewises,  is  still  retained  in  the  hands  of  the 
members  of  the  family.  After  his  marriage, 
Morgan  Lewis  settled  on  a  part  of  the  paternal 
homestead,  and  there  built  a  grist  and  saw- 
mill. He  was  also  the  owner  of  a  clover  mill 
and  a  mill  for  grinding  plaster  used  as  fertiliz- 
ing material  by  the  farmers  of  that  region.  As 
his  business  extended,  he  also  built  a  store 
and  a  hotel  at  Salt  Springville,  both  of  which 
were  conducted  under  his  personal  supervision. 
As  may  be  readily  inferred,  he  was  a  prominent 
citizen  as  well  as  an  energetic  and  successful 
business  man.  He  was  twice  married,  his  chil 
dren  by  his  first  marriage  being  Elizabeth 
(who  married  George  Hawver,  died  in  Janu- 
ary, 1851,  leaving  one  son,  Lewis  Hawver) ; 
James  Oliver  (the  subject  of  this  sketch).  Jay 
Seeber,  Martha,  Washington,  Catherine,  Hul- 
dah, Cynthia,  Albert  and  Maggie.  His  second 
wife  was  a  Miss  Eveline  Willis,  who  bore  him 
children  named  Lydia,  Elizabeth  and  Ida.  Mor- 
gan Lewis  was  liberal  in  his  religious  views 
and  in  politics  a  Democrat.  He  maintained  a 
reputation  for  high  integrity  and  enjoyed  the 
respect  of  the  community. 

James  Oliver  Lewis  was  born  on  his  father'1' 
farm  in  Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y.,  received  a  good 


common-school  education  and,  during  his 
youth,  worked  in  his  father's  mill  and  on  the 
farm.  In  1850,  having  reached  his  twenty-first 
year,  he  came  to  Big  Foot,  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  where  he  arrived  with  less  than  fifty 
cents  in  his  pocket.  Here  he  engaged  in 
farming  "on  shares"  and  later  taught  school 
one  term  at  Burr  Oak,  Boone  County,  111. ;  also, 
was  employed  in  farm  work  by  Mark  Pierce, 
of  Big  Foot  Prairie.  Returning  to  New  York 
in  May,  1852,  he  assumed  the  management  of 
his  father's  farm,  but  again  coming  to  Illinois, 
on  December  25,  1853,  he  was  married  in  Che- 
mung Township,  McHenry  County,  to  Sarah 
Jane  Bentley,  who  was  born  at  Berlin,  Rens- 
selaer County,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  Rudolph 
and  Christina  (Price)  Bentley.  Mrs.  Lewis' 
father  was  the  son  of  Caleb  Bentley,  a  native 
of  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  and  of  Scotch- 
Irish  extraction.  Caleb  Bentley  was  a  farmer 
at  Berlin,  N.  Y.,  and  was  twice  married,  having 
a  son  named  Uriah  by  his  first  marriage.  The 
children  by  his  second  marriage  were:  Da- 
rius, Alexander,  Cyrus,  Rudolphus  and  Melanc- 
thon;  besides  two  daughters:  Polly  Ana 
who  married  Nathaniel  Smith  and  died  in  Cali- 
fornia, at  the  home  of  her  son,  Judge  B.  N 
Smith,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  four 
years,  and  Betsy,  who  married  a  Mr.  Thomas 
Harvey.  Caleb  Bentley  died  on  his  farm  in 
New  York  at  an  advanced  age.  His  son,  Ru- 
dolphus Bentley,  born  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  became  a  farmer  and 
married  Christina  Price,  who  was  born  in  New 
York  State.  Having  settled  on  a  farm  in  his 
native  State,  he  remained  there  until  184G. 
when  the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Chemung  Township,  McHenry  County. 
Here  he  bought  400  acres  of  land  and  became 
one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  that  section, 
dying  there  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican.  His  children 
were:  John,  Caleb,  Jane,  James,  Harriet,  Da- 
vid and  Josephine.  He  accumulated  a  hand- 
some property  and  was  widely  respected. 

After  marriage  in  Chemung  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  in  1853,  James  Oliver  Lewis  and 
wife  settled  on  the  old  Lewis  homestead  in 
New  York,  which  Mr.  Lewis  had  purchased, 
remaining  there  until  1870,  when  they  again 
came  to  Illinois.  Here  Mr.  Lewis  purchased 
300  acres  of  improved  land  in  Chemung  Town- 
ship, four  miles  north  of  Harvard,  upon  which 


V-wC^*   ^^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


871 


he  established  a  good  home.  Later  he  erect- 
ed upon  this  land  substantial  barns  and  other 
farm  buildings,  besides  adding  to  it  ninety 
acres  on  the  State  line,  which  he  has  since 
sold.  He  still  retains  the  original  home  farm 
of  300  acres,  which  he  has  greatly  improved, 
and  also  owns  excellent  residence  property  in 
Harvard,  where  he  located  in  1887.  Mr.  Lewis 
has  one  daughter  who  lived  to  years  of  matur- 
ity, named  Harriet  Lucille.  She  married  Dr. 
Charles  Treat,  and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Margaret  Jane,  who  is  now  a  pupil  in  the 
Harvard  High  School.  Mr.  Lewis  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church,  in  politics  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  has  served  one  term  as  a  member  oi 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  the  city  of  Harvard. 
He  has  taken  great  interest  in  advancing  farm 
ers'  mutual  insurance,  being  Secretary  for  sev- 
eral years  of  the  Dunham  and  Chemung  Town- 
ship Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  now 
composed  of  nine  Townships;  was  also  Sec- 
retary of  the  Harvard  Mutual  County  Cyclone 
Insurance  Company,  until  its  corporation  with 
the  Rockford  Farmers'  District  Mutual  Tor- 
nado Insurance  Company.  Possessing  su- 
perior business  qualifications,  by  his  sagacity 
and  thrifty  business  methods,  he  has  accumu- 
lated a  handsome  competence.  By  a  life  of 
strict  morality  and  consistent  integrity,  he  has 
won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who 
know  him. 


ARTHUR    P.    LYMBURNER. 

It  would  have  been  remarkable  for  a  great 
enterprise,  like  the  Oliver  Typewriter  manufac- 
tory, to  have  had  its  inception,  growth  and  de- 
velopment without  the  great  city  of  the  Middle 
West  taking  a  hand  in  furnishing  not  only  the 
men  of  capital  to  back  it,  but  some  of  the  most 
able  foremen  and  important  agents  connected 
with  its  practical  management.  Thus,  Arthur 
P.  Lymburner,  the  capable  and  proficient  fore- 
man of  the  electro-plating  and  polishing  de- 
partment of  the  "Oliver,"  is  a  native  of  the  city 
of  Chicago,  where  he  was  born  June  29,  1872, 
the  son  of  Ferdinand  J.  Lymburner,  an  expert 
electro-plater,  who,  for  many  years,  conducted 
an  electro-plating  establishment  in  that  city. 
Arthur  P.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  received 
his  education  in  the  King  Grammar  School, 
Chicago,  from  which  he  graduated.  He  then 
learned  the  electro-plating  business  in  his  fa- 
ther's establishment,  entering  upon  his  appren- 


ticeship at  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  has  been 
in  the  employment  of  some  of  the  best  firms 
in  the  country,  and  has  established  a  reputa- 
tion as  a  capable  workman.  Among  these 
firms  is  that  of  Schriber  &  Conchar,  of  Du- 
buque, Iowa,  with  which  he  was  connected  in 
1891.  He  was  afterwards  foreman,  for  a  time, 
of  the  Excelsior  Brass  Works,  at  Dubuque, 
and  still  later  for  two  years  connected  with 
the  Chantloup  Brass  Works  of  Montreal,  Can- 
ada. In  1894  he  became  connected  with  the 
"Oliver  Typewriter  Works,"  then  located  at 
Epworth,  Iowa,  and  has  been  in  the  employ  of 
the  company  ever  since.  He  is  thus  one  of 
the  original  workmen  on  the  "Oliver,"  and 
closely  identified  with  the  enterprise  through- 
out its  history.  He  put  in  the  first  electro- 
plating and  polishing  plant  for  the  company  at 
Epworth,  beginning  this  branch  of  the  work 
in  a  small  way  with  but  one  assistant.  On 
the  removal  of  the  plant  to  Woodstock  in  1896, 
he  came  with  it  as  foreman  of  his  aepartment, 
and  has  proved  himself  master  of  the  situation. 
Probably  no  branch  of  the  business  has  in- 
creased more  rapidly  in  effectiveness  and 
power  of  production  than  that  under  the  charge 
of  Mr.  Lymburner.  He  now  has  seventeen 
men  under  his  direction,  and  here  all  the  elec- 
tro-plating and  polishing  work  in  finishing  the 
machines  is  done,  making  them  the  embodi- 
ment of  perfection  in  this  branch  of  work.  The 
machine  is  first  plated  with  copper  and  then 
with  nickel,  with  a  view  not  only  to  beautify- 
ing its  appearance  but  to  prevent  rust.  Mr. 
Lymburner  was  married  in  Woodstock,  Feb. 
22,  1898,  to  Matilda  Kappler,  daughter  of  Louis 
and  Magdalene  (Retterer)  Kappler,  and  a  na- 
tive of  that  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Lymbur- 
ner have  one  child,  Eleanor  Cecilia.  Frater- 
nally Mr.  Lymburner  is  a  member  of  the  Iowa 
Lodge,  No.  324,  I.  O.  O.  F. 

Ferdinand  J.  Lymburner,  the  father  of  Ar- 
thur P.  Lymburner.was  born  in  St.  Stanislaus, 
County  of  Champlain,  Province  of  Quebec,  Can- 
ada. His  grandfather,  the  first  of  the  family 
to  emigrate  to  America,  was  a  native  of  Scot 
land,  who  settled  in  the  Province  of  Quebec  at 
an  early  day.  He  had  a  son  named  Ferdi- 
nand, who  was  a  farmer  and  had  a  family  of 
fourteen  children,  of  whom  the  oldest  was 
named  Ferdinand  J.  The  latter  was  an  elec- 
tro-plater, and  worked  at  his  trade  in  different 
parts  of  Canada  and  the  United  States— includ- 


876 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing,  among  other  places,  Philadelphia,  New 
York  City  and  Chicago — in  the  latter  city  con- 
ducting a  shop.  At  present  he  is  a  resident 
of  North  Yakima,  Yakima  County,  Wash., 
where  he  is  engaged  in  fruit  culture.  Ferdi- 
nand J.  Lymburner  married  Angeline  Lyard, 
the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Angeline  Lyard, 
and  a  native  of  L'Assomption,  Province  of 
Quebec.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  namely:  Lydia,  Ferdinand,  Ce- 
cilia, Joseph,  Ida,  Ferreol,  Arthur  P.  (subject 
of  this  sketch),  Hilda  and  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. Lydia  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Rutter, 
and  lives  in  North  Yakima,  Wash.;  Ferdinand 
(deceased)  died  in  Chicago;  Cecilia,  now  Mrs. 
Burt  Storr,  has  three  children — Minnie,  Ar- 
thur and  Myrtle;  Joseph  married  Anna  Ox- 
ford, lives  in  Chicago,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren— Ruth  and  Joseph;  Ida,  wife  of  Charles 
F.  Jaeger,  a  wholesale  liquor-dealer  of  Du- 
buque, Iowa — they  have  had  nine  children,  of 
whom  six  are  living,  viz.:  Carl,  Victor,  Mer- 
cedes, Arthur,  Lester  and  Elden;  Ferreol,  mar- 
ried Viola  Dockstader,  lives  in  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
and  they  have  four  children — Ferreol,  Ovid, 
Viola  and  Lucille;  Hilda,  wife  of  James  P. 
Brink,  lives  in  Woodstock  and  they  have  one 
son  named  Millard. 


TIMOTHY    LAWLOR. 

Timothy  Lawlor  is  a  representative  citizen 
of  Hartland  Township  and  son  of  one  of  the  re- 
spected Irish  settlers  who  was  a  true  descend- 
ant of  the  Celtic  race.  The  father,  John  Law- 
lor, was  born  in  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  Oct. 
8,  1801,  the  son  of  Timothy  and  Bridget  (Bol- 
ton) Lawlor.  Bridget  Bolton  was  of  English 
ancestry,  the  daughter  of  Captain  Lucius  Bol- 
ton, a  sailor.  John  Lawlor  was  a  ship  carpen- 
ter by  trade,  and  married  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Michael  and  Mary  (Dillon)  Lawlor,  who  was 
of  the  same  original  ancestry,  but  not  a  near 
relative.  Mr.  Lawlor  came  to  America  in  1852 
and  settled  in  Hartland  Township,  where  he 
bought  forty  acres  of  woodland,  upon'  which  he 
built  a  log  cabin  and,  in  1854,  sent  for  his  fam- 
ily. His  children  were  all  born  in  Ireland  and 
were  named  Bridget  (who  died  a  married  wom- 
an), Timothy,  Michael  and  Bessie.  Mr.  Law- 
lor and  his  family  sailed  from  Sanpin,  County 
Kerry,  Ireland,  in  the  good  ship  "Jennie  John- 
son," which  was  an  old-fashioned  sailing  ves- 


sel, and  they  were  eight  weeks  and  three  days 
on  the  voyage  to  Quebec,  where  they  arrived 
in  the  fall  of  the  year,  reaching  Hartland 
Township  in  November  of  the  same  year,  by 
way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago.  Mr.  Lawlor  was 
an  industrious  man  and  had  a  good  share  of 
the  thriftiness  of  the  best  class  of  Irish  Celts. 
He  cleared  up  his  farm,  to  which  he  made  sub- 
sequent additions  until  he  owned  180  acres. 
It  is  quite  natural  for  an  Irishman  to  be  a 
Democrat,  as  their  forefathers  have  suffered 
for  generations  from  the  oppressions  of  the 
aristocratic  ruling  classes  of  England,  and  Mr. 
Lawlor  had  in  his  heart  an  intense  hatred  for 
any  form  of  government  not  founded  on  the 
principles  of  freedom  and  rights  of  the  indi- 
vidual, and  was  therefore  a  firm  believer  in  de- 
mocracy as  taught  by  the  great  founders.  He 
taught  his  sons  the  doctrine  of  the  greatest 
good  to  the  greatest  number.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lawlor  were  members  of  the  Catholic 
church,  of  which  they  were  devout  and  loyal 
supporters,  and  their  church  in  Hartland  Town- 
ship was  the  first  erected  in  this  section  of  the 
country.  In  Ireland  Mr.  Lawlor  owned  an  old 
"freehold"  on  which  he  paid  but  a  nominal 
rent.  His  independence  of  character  cost  him 
the  property,  as  he  insisted  upon  voting  for  the 
great  Daniel  O'Connell,  the  Irish  agitator,  in 
opposition  to  the  wishes  of  the  landed  proprie- 
tors, and,  when  the  next  heir  to  the  old  estate 
came  into  power,  he  was  dispossessed.  Dur- 
ing our  Civil  War  Mr.  Lawlor  was  a  strong 
Union  man  and  had  one  son,  Michael  Lawlor, 
who  served  two  years  as  Second  Lieutenant  in 
the  Second  Illinois  Engineer  Corps  and  was  a 
good  soldier.  He  was  killed  in  Hartland 
Township  in  1862.  John  Lawlor  died  Oct.  8, 
1880. 

Timothy  Lawlor,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  article,  was  born  in  County  Kerry,  Ire- 
land, near  Tralee,  April  4,  1847.  There  is  a 
tradition  in  the  family  that,  in  remote  times, 
the  family  came  from  Queens  County.  Timothy 
Lawlor  was  about  seven  years  old  when  he 
crossed  the  ocean  with  his  mother  and  her  fam- 
ily, and,  after  his  family  reached  McHenry 
County,  attended  the  district  school  in  Hart- 
land Township,  where  he  gained  a  fair  com- 
mon-school education.  He  was  reared  to 
habits  of  industry  on  the  farm,  and.  when  a 
young  man,  went  to  Montana,  where  he  en- 
gaged in   railroad   work.     Later  he   became  a 


^ 


tsiO,U(  /  (LcrtJOusiwii^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


877 


contractor  and  spent  several  years  at  contract 
work  in  Montana  and  Dakota.  In  1883  he  re- 
turned to  Hartland  Township  and  settled  on 
the  old  homestead,  consisting  of  180  acres, 
which  he  inherited,  and  later  bought  more  land 
until  now  he  owns  over  400  acres.  From  his 
Celtic  ancestors  Mr.  Lawlor  inherited  a  san- 
guine temperament  and  an  active  mind,  and 
had  he  been  born  amid  other  environments 
and  reared  under  more  favorable  circum- 
stances, his  retentive  memory  and  natural  love 
of  literature  would  have  enabled  him  to  fill  a 
more  prominent  position.  He  is  a  great  lover 
of  history,  and  is  well  read  in  this  important 
branch  of  study,  as  well  as  a  wide  reader  of 
the  general  press,  thus  keeping  himself  weil 
informed  on  all  important  subjects.  He  is  a 
lover  of  liberty  and  the  rights  of  man,  and  is  a 
stanch  defender  of  Democratic  principles. 
Like  his  parents  he  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
church. 


HIRAM    J.    LOCKWOOD. 

Hiram  J.  Lockwood  (deceased),  pioneer  set- 
tler of  Grafton  Township,  McHenry  County, 
was  born  in  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  20,  1818, 
the  son  of  Joshua  and  Polly  (Pierce)  Lockwood 
— the  Pierce  branch  of  the  family  being  of  the 
same  general  stock  as  President  Pierce,  of 
New  Hampshire.  The  father,  Joshua  Lock- 
wood,  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  of  New 
England  Puritan  ancestry,  and  while  a  young 
man  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812. 
In  early  life  he  settled  in  Yates  County,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
millwright,  and  was  also  a  farmer  and  owner 
of  a  small  farm.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
first  wife  bearing  him  one  son  named  Willam. 
His  second  wife,  who  was  Miss  Polly  Pierce, 
already  mentioned,  was  the  mother  of  children 
named  Jesse,  Sarah,  Mary,  Calvin,  Hiram  J., 
Betsy  and  Melida.  Joshua  Lockwood  was  a 
Baptist  in  religious  belief  and  died  in  New 
York  State  between  sixty  and  seventy  years 
of  age. 

The  son,  Hiram  J.  Lockwood,  received  an 
ordinary  common-school  education  in  his 
native  county  and,  while  a  young  man,  was 
employed  in  the  lumber  business,  afterwards 
removed  to  Michigan,  where  he  worked  in  the 
lumber    mills    near    Grand    Rapids.      He    also 


bought  200  acres  of  Government  land  in  that 
vicinity,  but  on  account  of  the  prevalence  of 
fever  and  ague  in  that  region  did  not  long  re- 
main. In  the  fall  of  1840,  he  came  to  Mc- 
Henry county,  111.,  and  there  bought  160  acres 
of  land  in  Dorr  Township,  now  owned  by 
George  K.  Bunker.  This  land  he  partly  im- 
proved, but  two  years  later  removed  to  Graf- 
ton Township,  where  he  entered  160  acres  on 
Section  8.  In  March,  1846,  he  married  in  Mc- 
Henry County,  Mary  Barber,  the  widow  of 
Ichabod  Barber  (nee  Haffey),  born  in  New 
York  State  in  1822,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Ann  Haffey.  His  wife  having  died  six  months 
after  marriage,  on  June  14,  1849,  he  married, 
as  his  second  wife,  Louisa  Fox,  of  Grafton 
Township,  McHenry  County,  born  in  Bllicotts- 
ville,  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  25,  1828, 
the  daughter  of  Pliny  and  Polly  (Fellows) 
Fox.  Pliny  L.  Fox  was  a  native  of  Tolland 
County,  Conn.,  born  May  8,  1799,  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Chloe  (Bradley)  Fox.  Thomas 
Fox  was  a  clothier  in  Tolland  County,  nearly 
all  his  life,  but  moved  to  Kingston,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  settled  on  new  land  and 
where,  some  eighteen  months  later,  he 
died  a  comparatively  young  man.  He  and 
his  wife,  Chloe  (Bradley)  Fox,  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  W.  B., 
Chauncy  D.,  Pliny  L.,  Mary,  Eliza  and  Harriet. 
The  family  were  Presbyterians.  Pliny  L.  Fox 
received  the  usual  common-school  education  of 
his  time  in  Tolland  County,  Conn.,  and,  at 
seventeen  years  of  age,  in  company  with  his 
brother  Chauncy  D,  then  nineteen  years  old, 
went  on  foot  to  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y., 
where  they  were  the  earliest  settlers  and 
founders  of  the  town  of  Ellicottsville.  Here 
they  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  working 
in  the  woods  and  rafting  logs  down  the  Alle- 
gheny River.  Later  the  two  brothers  read 
law  and  became  well-known  and  prominent 
lawyers  of  Ellicottsville.  About  1827  Pliny  L. 
Fox  married  Polly  Fellows,  daughter  of  John 
and  Eunice  (Hurd)  Fellows.  The  Hurds  and 
the  Fellows  both  came  from  Connecticut  to 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  where  they  were 
pioneers.  His  first  wife  having  died,  in 
October,  1840,  Mr.  Fox  married  at  New  Albion, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  had  sometime  previously 
located,  Laura  Hungerford.  The  children  by 
his   first   wife   were:      Louisa,   born    Sept.    25, 


878 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1828;  Mary,  born  Dec.  9,  1831;  Bronson,  born 
March  24,  1834;  and  by  his  second  wife:  Ann 
C,  born  July  2,  1842;  Ellen  A.,  born  May  14, 
1844;  Charles  J.,  born  June  24,  1846;  Laura  U., 
born  February,  1853;  and  William  J.,  born 
February,  1855.  In  1852  Pliny  L.  Fox  came  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  but  soon  after  removed 
to  DeKalb  County,  111.,  where  he  practiced  his 
profession  up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil  War. 
He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  took  an 
active  interest  in  political  and  national  affairs, 
being  a  frequent  speaker  on  the  stump.  A 
strong  Union  man,  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War,  he  assisted  in  raising  several  com- 
panies of  volunteers,  and  although  over  sixty 
years  of  age.  served  for  six  months  as  Captain 
of  a  company,  but  was  compelled  to  resign  on 
account  of  failing  health.  He  was  a  Universal- 
ist  in  religious  belief  and  a  man  of  liberal 
views  and  patriotic  impulses,  as  shown  by  his 
service  during  the  war.  He  died  in  DeKalb, 
111.,  about  1885,  aged  about  eighty-six  years. 

After  marriage  Hiram  J.  Lockwood  settled 
on  his  farm  in  Grafton  Township,  McHenry 
County,  which  he  had  already  somewhat  im- 
proved. Here  he  lived  about  fourteen  years, 
still  further  improving  his  farm,  which  he 
then  sold  and  bought  240  acres  on  Section  1, 
Coral  Township,  also  buying  forty  acres  addi- 
tional in  Dorr  Township.  Mr.  Lockwood  was 
a  Democrat  in  politics,  a  Universalist  in  re- 
ligion and  a  Union  man  during  the  war.  He 
held  the  office  of  Road  Commissioner  and,  at 
various  times,  other  township  offices.  His 
children — all  borne  by  his  second  wife — were: 
Pliny  F.,  born  May  19,  1850;  and  Mary  M., 
born  Dec.  18,  1851.  Three  others — William, 
Charles  F.,  and  Ellen  J. — all  died  in  infancy. 

Since  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Lock- 
wood  has  resided  in  Union,  McHenry  County. 
In  her  youth  she  received  a  good  common- 
school  education  and,  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years,  began  teaching  at  Leon,  Cattaraugus 
County,  N.  Y.  She  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  in  March,  1847,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
Huntley — the  latter  being  a  sister  of  her 
father.  After  coming  to  McHenry  County,  she 
taught  school  the  following  summer  in  Grafton 
Township,  and  during  the  summer  and  winter 
of  1848  at  Crystal  Lake,  in  June,  1849,  being 
married  to  Mr.  Lockwood.  Mrs.  Lockwood  is 
one  of  the  few  pioneer  teachers  of  McHenry 


County  still  surviving,  and,  endowed  with  a 
well-stored  mind  and  a  retentive  memory, 
possesses  a  rare  fund  of  reminiscence.  She 
and  her  husband  were  active  participants  in 
founding  the  Universalist  church  at  Union. 

Pliny  F.,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hiram  J. 
Lockwood,  married  in  Oregon,  Belle  McLean, 
who  died  in  that  State  in  1887.  He  then  re- 
turned with  his  two  children — Claude  M.  and 
Hattie  B. — to  Union,  McHenry  County,  where 
he  died  April  6,  1897. 

Mary  M.  Lockwood,  the  only  surviving  child 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hiram  J.  Lockwood,  married 
in  Coral  Township,  Feb.  22,  1872,  Joseph  E. 
Goodrick,  a  farmer,  and  they  have  had  two 
children:  Minnie  E.,  born  May  18,  1875,  and 
Mary  L.,  born  Oct.  31,  1877.  Minnie  E.  mar- 
ried Charles  B.  Rogers,  and  they  are  residents 
of  Knoxville,  Tenn..  and  have  two  chil- 
dren— Howard  A.  and  Helen.  Mary  L.  mar- 
ried John  W.  Clark,  a  resident  of  Chicago,  and 
they  have  three  children — Frances  G.,  Marguer- 
ite and  Norma  R. 

Both  Hiram  J.  Lockwood  and  his  father-in- 
law,  Pliny  L.  Fox,  were  members  of  the  Mason- 
ic fraternity,  and  Mrs.  Lockwood  and  her 
daughter,  Mary  M.  Goodrick,  are  members  of 
the  Star  Chapter  branch  of  the  same  order, 
and  of  the  Laurel  Rebecca  Lodge  affiliated  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


THOMAS    LINDSAY. 

Thomas  Lindsay  (deceased),  is  of  Scotch 
ancestry,  being  third  in  line  of  descent  of  the 
same  name,  all  being  natives  of  Scotland,  and 
both  he  and  his  father  among  the  pioneers  of 
McHenry  County.  His  grandfather,  Thomas 
Lindsay  (1),  was  a  brewer  at  Strathaven, 
Scotland,  and  a  member  of  the  Scotch  Presby- 
terian Church,  who  died  at  Strathaven  aged 
about  sixty  years.  His  wife's  name  was  Isabel, 
and  they  left  a  number  of  children,  those 
remembered  being  Alexander,  Thomas  and 
Isabel.  The  second  of  these,  Thomas  (2),  was 
born  in  1808,  received  an  ordinary  education 
and,  in  his  youth,  learned  the  trade  of  a  stone- 
cutter and  builder.  In  the  early  '30s  he  was 
married  at  Strathaven  to  Marion  Marshall  of 
the  same  place,  born  March  20,  1807,  the 
daughter  of  Archibald  Marshall,  who  was  a 
weaver  by  trade  and  died  in  his  native  Scot- 


^-  ^^f.tdUu^L. 


1 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


879 


land  at  an  advanced  age.  Among  his  children 
who  are  remembered  were  Andrew,  John  and 
Marion.  Mr.  Lindsay  emigrated  to  America 
in  1838,  making  the  voyage  of  eight  weeks 
from  Glasgow  in  a  sailing  vessel,  and  arriving 
in  New  York  in  July  of  that  year.  He  found 
employment  on  the  Erie  Canal,  cutting  stone 
for  the  locks,  and  living  for  about  two  years 
at  Syracuse  and  Little  Brails.  In  1840  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois,  settling  in  Dorr  Township, 
McHenry  County,  where  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  Government  land  to  which  he  after- 
wards added  eighty  acres  more.  He  built  a 
log-cabin  on  the  tract  first  entered,  in  which  he 
lived  some  fifteen  years,  when  he  erected  a 
small  frame  house,  meanwhile  improving  his 
land  and  building  up  a  comfortable  pioneer 
home.  He  and  his  wife  were  parents  of  seven 
children — the  two  oldest  born  in  Scotland  and 
the  others  in  America,  viz.:  Jeannette,  born 
March,  1834;  Thomas,  born  July  23,  1836; 
Christina  M.,  born  Oct.  1,  1838;  Archibald, 
born  Nov.  3d,  1840;  Isabel,  born  November, 
1842;  Mary  A.,  born  Oct.  15,  1844;  and  Maggie, 
born  Feb.  12,  1847.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lindsay 
were  Presbyterians,  were  among  the  founders 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Woodstock — 
also  assisted  in  erecting  the  first  church  edifice 
there.  His  sons,  Archibald  and  Thomas,  were 
soldiers  during  the  Civil  War,  the  former  being 
a  private  in  Company  B,  Seventy-first  Illinois, 
a  100-day  regiment  mustered  in  in  October, 
1862.  Thomas  (2)  was  accidentally  killed 
while  blasting  a  log  April  1,  1856. 

Thomas  Lindsay  (3),  the  second  son  of  the 
family  just  mentioned,  was  one  and  one-half 
years  old  at  the  time  of  the  emigration  of  the 
family  to  New  York,  and  about  four  years  old 
at  the  date  of  their  arrival  in  McHenry  County. 
Reared  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that 
region,  he  received  the  education  afforded  by 
the  common  schools  of  that  locality,  meanwhile 
being  inducted  into  the  industrial  life  of  a 
farmer  on  the  home  farm.  In  1864  he  enlisted 
as  a  private  in  Company  F,  Ninety-fifth  Regi- 
ment Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  served  out 
his  time  and  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Mobile  in  November,  1865.  He  was  constantly 
in  active  service  during  the  period  of  his 
enlistment,  but  never  in  hospital  either  on 
account  of  wounds  or  sickness.  After  the  war 
he  returned  to  the  home  farm  where  he  con- 


tinued to  reside.  Here  his  mother  (Mrs 
Marion  Lindsay,  who  was  a  devout  Presbyter- 
ian) died  March  9,  1881. 

On  Feb.  19,  1884,  Mr.  Lindsay  was  married 
to  Margaret  Pope,  born  at  Oak  Park,  Cook 
County,  in  1858,  the  daughter  of  Frederick 
and  Agnes  (Limberger)  Pope.  Mr.  Pope  was 
born  at  Mintz,  Germany,  in  January,  1831,  the 
son  of  Frederick  Pope,  a  German  farmer,  who 
died  in  his  native  country.  His  children  were 
William,  Joseph,  Louisa,  and  Frederick,  Jr. 
The  latter  was  a  farmer  who  was  married  in 
his  native  city,  in  1851,  to  Agnes  Limberger, 
coming  immediately  to  the  United  States  and 
to  Oak  Park,  where  he  engaged  in  farm  work 
and  finally  established  for  himself  and  family 
a  substantial  home.  His  children  were  Eve. 
Margaret,  Anna,  Fredrick,  Gertrude,  and 
Charles.  Mrs.  Pope  died  Dec.  25,  1888.  Both 
she  and  her  husband  were  members  of  the 
German  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr.  Pope 
was  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  an  industrious 
and   thrifty   citizen. 

Having  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other 
heirs  to  his  father's  estate,  Mr.  Lindsay  con- 
tinued to  reside  upon  the  home  place  after 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Pope,  by  his  thrift  and 
industry  adding  to  his  holdings  until  he  was  the 
proprietor  of  200  acres,  upon  which  he  erect- 
ed a  substantial  two-story  frame  dwelling 
In  March,  1893,  he  removed  to  Woodstock, 
where  he  purchased  a  pleasant  residence  in 
which  he  continued  to  reside  up  to  the  date 
of  his  death,  Oct.  21,  1902.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lindsay  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  which  he  was  a  liberal  supporter 
and  an  elder  for  many  years.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  builders  of  the  present  Presbyter- 
ian church  edifice  at  Woodstock.  His  public 
spirit  was  manifested  in  behalf  of  good  roads 
and  good  schools,  and  was  recognized  by  his 
election  to  the  School  Board  in  his  Township, 
while  his  high  personal  integrity  won  for  him 
general  confidence  in  the  community.  Mrs. 
Lindsay  still  survives. 


CHARLES  A.   LEMMERS. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Lemmers,  editor  of  "The 
Woodstock  Sentinel,"  is  a  native  of  McHenry 
County  and  the  son  of  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers. The  Lemmers  family  is  of  Holland-Dutch 


880 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ancestry,  Cornelius  F.  Lemmers,  the  father  of 
Charles  A.,  having  been  born  near  The  Hague 
in  1812.  His  father,  Francis  Lemmers,  was  a 
ship-builder  and  died  in  Holland.  Cornelius  F. 
received  an  excellent  education,  learned  the 
ship-carpenter's  trade  and,  in  1847,  emigrated 
to  New  York  on  board  a  sailing  vessel,  the 
voyage  occupying  between  three  and  four 
months.  From  New  York  he  came  direct  to 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and 
the  lakes,  arriving  at  the  Wisconsin  city  with 
only  fifty  cents  in  his  pocket.  Here  he  found 
employment  in  carpenter  work  until  1848, 
when  he  removed  to  Woodstock,  McHenry 
County,  111.,  where  he  continued  to  work  at 
his  trade  and  finally  engaged  in  contracting 
and  house-building.  In  1850  he  was  married, 
in  McHenry  County,  by  the  Rev.  Joel  Wheler, 
to  Lois  Delina  Wheeler,  born  in  Cortland 
County,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  Merrick  and 
Catherine  (Jones)  Wheeler.  Merrick  Wheeler 
was  a  member  of  an  old  colonial  family  and 
a  native  of  New  York,  who  married  in  that 
State  and  adopted  the  life  of  a  farmer.  His 
children  were:  Almina,  Lois  D.,  Sarah,  Mary, 
Adolphus  and  Francis.  In  1845  Mr.  Wheeler 
moved  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  and,  having  purchased  100  acres  of  land 
in  what  is  now  Dorr  Township,  became  a  sub- 
stantial farmer  and  citizen,  but  died  in  middle 
life.  In  politics  he  was  an  old  line  Whig. 
His  son  Francis  served  through  the  Civil  War 
in  an  Illinois  regiment,  and  took  part  in  a 
number  of  important  battles. 

After  marriage  Cornelius  F.  Lemmers  settled 
in  Woodstock  and  erected  a  house  with  his 
own  hands  on  Tryon  Street,  where  he  reared 
his  excellent  family  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  Mrs.  Lemmers  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  while  her  husband  was  reared 
a  Catholic,  but  did  not  adhere  to  that  faith 
after  coming  to  America.  Their  children  were 
Elizabeth  L.,  Genevieve  H.,  Almina  M.,  Francis 
M.,  Charles  A.,  Catherine  M.,  Sadie  L.,  George 
W.  and  Guy  C.  Mr.  Lemmers  was  a  skillful 
mechanic  and  acquired  considerable  reputa- 
tion as  the  builder  of  fine  stair-cases.  A  monu- 
ment to  his  skill  as  a  designer  and  builder  is 
the  spring-house  in  the  public  park  at  Wood- 
stock, all  of  which  was  worked  out  by  his 
hand.  He  had  a  natural  aptitude  for  mathe- 
matics, had  been  educated  in  the  Latin  classics. 


and  was  able  to  speak  in  French,  German  and 
English,  besides  his  native  tongue. 

Charles  A.  Lemmers,  whose  name  heads 
this  article,  was  born  at  Woodstock,  Illinois, 
May  21,  1864,  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
entered  the  office  of  "The  New  Era"  at  Wood- 
stock, to  learn  the  printer's  trade.  Here  he 
remained  fifteen  months,  when  (in  1880)  he 
went  to  Lake  Geneva  and  was  employed  in 
the  office  of  "The  Herald"  in  that  place  for 
two  years.  In  1882  he  became  connected  with 
"The  Wisconsin  Times,"  the  organ  of  the 
Wisconsin  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
at  Delavan,  Wis.,  of  which  he  was  the  editor 
and  foreman,  and  had  nine  deaf  mutes  under 
his  instruction  in  the  art  of  printing.  This 
compelled  him  to  learn  the  sign-language  in 
order  to  communicate  with  the  pupils.  In 
July,  1883,  he  returned  to  Woodstock  and 
assumed  the  local  editorship  of  "The  McHenry 
County  Democrat,"  remaining  there  until 
Dec.  30,  1890,  when  he  became  editor  and  fore- 
man of  "The  Woodstock  Sentinel."  On  Oct. 
13,  1902,  the  plant  and  subscription  list  of  the 
"McHenry  County  Democrat"  having  been 
purchased  by  the  Republican  Company,  the  two 
papers  were  united,  Mr.  Lemmers  becoming 
part  owner,  editor  and  manager  of  the  con- 
solidated concern  under  the  name  of  the  "Mc- 
Henry County  Republican."  In  politics  he  is 
a  stanch  Republican.  From  1889  to  1893  he 
filled  the  office  of  City  Clerk  of  Woodstock, 
and  also  served  for  a  time  as  one  of  the  Di- 
rectors of  the  Public  Library  of  that  city, 
assisting  in  its  reorganization.  October  6, 
1886,  he  was  married,  at  Lake  Geneva,  to  Alice 
M.  Marlott,  a  native  of  that  place,  born  July 
4,  1861,  the  daughter  of  John  D.  and  Mary 
Ann  (Johnson)  Marlott.  Mr.  Marlott  was  a 
native  of  New  York  State  ana  of  French  de- 
scent; received  a  common-scliool  education 
in  his  native  State,  married  there  and  came 
to  Wisconsin,  along  in  the  '50s,  locating  at 
Lake  Geneva.  The  children  of  the  Marlott 
family  were:  George  D.,  Evaline,  Emma,  Cora 
A.,  Alice  M.,  Harvey  and  Ida  M.,  all  now  de- 
ceased except  George  D.  and  Alice  M.  Mr. 
Marlott  was  an  industrious  and  reliable  citi- 
zen, and  died  in  1896  aged  sixty-six  years. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Lemmers  is  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  of  Progress  Camp,  No.  229, 


X 


*\ 


fl«* 


***** 


M  c  HENRY      COUNTY. 


881 


Woodstock,  of  which  he  has  been  Clerk  six- 
teen years;  also  of  Guardian  Lodge,  No.  60, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  having  passed  all  the  chairs  of 
the  Order,  including  that  of  Noble  Grand,  and 
having  represented  his  local  lodge  in  the 
Grand  Lodge  four  years.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  Sherman  Encampment  N.  56,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  of  Woodstock  Rebekah  Lodge,  No.  205,  of 
the  same  order.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  was  Superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  School  for  a  number  of  years. 
By  his  ability  as  an  editor  and  business  man, 
he  has  not  only  secured  the  success  of  "The 
Sentinel"  under  his  management,  by  extend- 
ing its  subscription  list  and  increasing  its 
influence  among  the  intelligent  citizens  of 
McHenry  County,  but  has  won  a  deservedly 
high  position  for  himself  in  the  community. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lemmers  are  the  parents  of  three 
children — Vinita  Lois,  George  Charles,  and 
Luella  Budora;  the  son,  George,  having  died 
in  1893. 


M.  W.  LAKE. 

M.  W.  Lake,  prominent  politician,  former 
Mayor  of  Harvard,  and  the  present  Sheriff  of 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Montgomery 
County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  14,  1843,  the  son  of  Levi 
and  Lydia  (Winney)  Lake.  Mr.  Lake  received 
his  primary  education  in  the  common  schools, 
and  later  attended  an  academy  at  Ames,  N.  Y. 
In  April,  1867,  when  about  twenty-four  years  o£ 
age,  he  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents,  and 
for  two  years  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness with  his  father  at  Harvard.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1868,  he  was  married  to  Maggie  Lewis, 
daughter  of  Morgan  and  Catherine  (Seeber) 
Lewis,  who  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
June  15,  1847,  and  to  them  one  daughter  has 
been  born — Genevieve — who  is  a  successful 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  at  Harvard. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Lake  was  engaged  in  the 
livery  business  at  Harvard,  where  for  twenty 
years  he  was  much  of  the  time  the  only  livery- 
man in  the  village.  In  political  belief  he  has 
always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  and  cast 
his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  when  elected 
to  the  Presidency  for  the  second  term.  Mr. 
Lake  is  a  public-spirited  man,  and  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics,  and  has 
favorably  supported  every  public  measure  de- 
signed to  benefit  his  community.     During  the 


'80s  he  was  elected  member  of  the  village 
Board  of  Trustees,  Harvard,  111.,  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  a  four-year  term  was  re-elected,  be- 
ing President  of  the  Board  during  his  second 
term  of  service.  At  the  end  of  eight  years  of 
efficient  service  on  the  Village  Board  he  was 
elected  Mayor  of  Harvard,  and  during  his  ad- 
ministration of  two  years,  made  several  im- 
portant improvements  in  the  streets,  built  a 
fire  engine  house  and  installed  a  system  or 
water-works,  and  his  administration  was  es- 
pecially noted  for  good  order  and  an  able 
management  of  public  affairs.  All  through 
Mr.  Lake's  official  career  he  continued  to 
conduct  his  livery  business.  In  1892  he  was 
appointed  Deputy  Sheriff  under  George  Eckert 
and,  in  1898,  under  Henry  Keys,and  in  the 
staine  year  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Sheriff 
by  a  large  majority,  and  is  the  present  in- 
cumbent, having  served  continuously  as 
Deputy  Sheriff  and  Sheriff  since  1892. 

Mr.  Lake  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order, 
and  stands  deservedly  high  in  Harvard  and  Mc- 
Henry County  for  his  straight-forward  prin- 
ciples and  honest  character. 


.■,,■,;  THE  McCONNELL  FAMILY. 

^iiThe  founders  of  the  American  branch  of 
;the  McConnell  family  were  of  Scotch  ancestry 
and  settled  at  an  early  day  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  were  among  the  first  settlers  of 
Lancaster  County.  John  McConnell  married 
Agnes  Scott,  a  resident  and  native  of  Lancas- 
ter County,  Penn.,  and  they  moved  to  Lycom- 
ing County,  settling  at  Williamsport  in  the 
early  days  of  the  settlement  of  that  town. 
Their  children  were:  John,  who  settled  near 
Jackson,  Mich.;  Thomas,  who  lived  and  died  in 
Lycoming  County,  Penn.,  (the  old  stone  res- 
idence in  which  he  lived  is  still  standing,  and 
is  over  one  hundred  years  old) ;  James,  who 
settled  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  where  he  died,  leaving 
no  living  descendants;  and  William  Alexander, 
who  was  born  at  Williamsport,  Penn.,  March 
20,  1810.  William  Alexander  was  a  farmer  and 
married  in  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  18,  1838,  Eliz- 
abeth Bodine,  who  was  born  in  Muncie,  Ly- 
coming County,  Penn.,  Nov.  30,  1811,  daughter 
of  Abraham  and  Mercy  Bodine. 

Abraham  Bodine  was  of  French  Huguenot 
ancestry  and  was  born  at  Readington,  N.  J., 
Sept.  19,  1779,  the  name  formerly  being  writ- 


882 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ten  BoDine.  They  fled  from  France  on  account 
of  religious  persecution  and  settled  at  an  early 
date  in  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Abraham  Bodine 
(Mary  Paxon)  belonged  to  a  Quaker  family, 
and  was  expelled  from  the  church  because  she 
married  an  outsider. 

WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  McCONNELL  re- 
ceived a  good  common-school  education,  and 
by  individual  study,  added  to  his  fund  of  knowl- 
edge until  he  became  a  well-read  and  well-in- 
formed man.  He  left  Hughesville,  Penn.,  in 
September,  1836,  passed  the  winter  in  Jackson, 
Mich.,  and  on  May  10,  1837,  arrived  at  Rich- 
mond, 111.,  and,  the  first  night  after  his  arrival, 
slept  under  an  oak  tree  which  now  stands  a 
little  east  of  the  present  McConnell  residence. 
Here  he  made  his  claim  and  returned  to  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  married  in  1838,  and  with 
his  young  wife  left  Pennsylvania,  Feb.  6,  1838, 
for  Richmond,  111.,  where  he  arrived  March 
6,  1838.  They  made  the  first  part  of  the  jour- 
ney with  a  sleigh,  but  the  snow  having  melted 
away  before  they  completed  the  trip,  the  re- 
mainder was  made  with  a  wagon.  Mr.  McCon- 
nell built  a  log  house,  a  very  comfortable  struc- 
ture of  its  kind,  and  improved  his  homestead 
in  various  other  ways.  The  family  lived  in  the 
log  house  for  many  years,  and  then  he  built  the 
present  residence,  which  is  a.  substantal  struc- 
ture. Mr.  McConnell  prospered,  accumulated 
a  handsome  property,  and  was  a  much  respect- 
ed pioneer  citizen.  He  was  one  of  the  first  As- 
sociate Judges  of  the  county,  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Equalization,  and  the  first  Postmaster 
and  School  Director  of  Richmond,  keeping  the 
postoffice  in  the  old  log  house  before  the  vil- 
lage of  Richmond  was  founded.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  where 
he  was  a  class  leader,  Sunday  School  Superin- 
tendent and  assisted  to  organize  the  church  in 
Richmond.  In  politics  he  was  originally  a 
Democrat,  but  in  the  days  of  Lincoln  became 
a  Republican.  Mr.  McConnell  died  at  his  res 
idence  Oct.  9,  1887,  and  his  wife  died  at  the 
same  place  April  17,  1888.  Mr.  McConnell  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  town  of  Richmond, 
was  active  in  every  good  enterprise,  and  was 
among  the  most  prominent  and  highly  respect- 
ed pioneers  of  McHenry  County.  He  and  his 
wife  were  the  parents  of  children  named 
Abraham  Bodine,  John  and  George. 

ABRAHAM  BODINE  McCONNELL,  son  of 
William  Alexander  McConnell,  was  born  in  the 


old  log  house  in  Richmond,  111.,  Feb.  3,  1839.  He 
received  the  education  afforded  in  the  pioneer 
schools  and  was  raised  a  farmer.  At  Rich- 
mond, Feb.  28,  1861,  he  married  Harriet  Susan 
Potter,  born  at  Ft.  Ann,  Washington  County, 
N.  Y.,  July  12,  1837,  daughter  of  Stephen  Por- 
ter and  Charity  (Barker)  Potter. 

Stephen  P.  Potter  was  of  New  England  an- 
cestry, and  the  early  members  of  the  family 
were  among  the  English  Puritan  immigrants 
who  came  to  New  England  as  early  as  1630-40. 

David  Allen  Potter,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  A.  B. 
McConnell,  was  born  in  New  York  State  and 
married  Polly  Barker,  daughter  of  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier.  He  was  a  deacon  in  the  Bap- 
tist church  and  a  pioneer  farmer  at  Ft.  Ann, 
N.  Y.,  and  lived  on  his  farm  until  his  death  at 
the  age  of  over  eighty  years.  His  children 
were:  James,  Elizabeth,  Stephen  P.,  Mary, 
Benjamin,  Asenath  (who  died  young),  David 
A.  and  Fannie  A. 

Stephen  Porter  Potter  was  born  at  Ft.  Ann, 
in  October,  1803.  He  was  a  carpenter  and 
joiner  by  trade  and  married  at  Ft.  Ann,  to 
Charity  Barker,  born  at  Ft.  Ann,  Washington 
County,  N.  Y.,  March  12,  1809,  daughter  of 
James  and  Susan  (Scripture)  Barker.  James 
Barker  was  a  farmer  and  a  well  educated  man 
for  his  time,  following  the  profession  of  a 
school  teacher  for  some  time.  He  was  the  son 
of  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  passed  all  his 
days  at  Ft.  Ann.  His  children  were  Sallie, 
Charity,  Porter  and  Harriet.  He  lived  to  be 
over  eighty  years  of  age  and  died  at  Ft.  Ann. 
Stephen  P.  Potter  lived  at  Ft.  Ann  for  many 
years  and  in  1855  came  to  Richmond,  111., 
where  he  followed  his  trade.  He  lived  to  be 
seventy-three  years  of  age  and  died  at  Rich- 
mond, May  7,  1876.  Politically  he  was  a 
Republican  and  served  as  Assessor  and  Col- 
lector for  several  years.  His  children  were: 
Edwin  M.,  David  A.,  Harriet  S.  and  Periam  S. 
(who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.) 

Abraham  B.  McConnell,  after  marriage,  set- 
tled one  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of  Wood- 
stock on  350  acres  of  land  belonging  to  his 
father,  and  which  was  afterwards  given  to  him. 
At  the  time  he  first  settled  here  there  were 
very  good  improvements,  but  Mr.  McConnell 
greatly  improved  this  land  and  converted  it 
into  a  fine  farm,  which  is  still  in  the  possession 
of  the  McConnell  family.  Politically  Mr.  Mc- 
Connell   was    a    Republican   and    held    several 


dp/^U^ft     tJ/'Ytn^t/ 


UH1VERS11 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


883 


township  offices.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Methodist.  In  1894  he  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Woodstock,  where  he  built  a  large  and 
attractive  residence  in  modern  style  of  arch- 
itecture, and  here  he  died  Feb.  15,  1895.  His 
children  were:  Elizabeth  (deceased),  Lena  H. 
(deceased),  Ida  L.,  William  Stephen,  Fred  Bo- 
dine  and  Roy  George  (deceased).  Of  these 
children  William  Stephen  was  born  Aug.  1, 
1870,  and  received  a  collegiate  education,  hav- 
ing graduated  from  the  Law  Department  of  the 
University  of  Michigan,  Ann  Arbor,  in  1894. 
He  married  in  Woodstock  June  15,  1897,  Susan 
Mabel  St.  Clair,  born  Sept.  12,  1874,  daughter 
of  Israel  C.  St.  Clair,  a  pioneer  of  McHenry 
County.  They  are  the  parents  of  Harold,  born 
July  21,  1898,  and  Margaret,  born  July  13, 
1900.  Fred  Bodine  was  born  on  the  old  home- 
stead Aug.  9,  1874,  received  a  liberal  education 
and  settled  on  the  McConnell  homestead  iu 
Dorr  Township.  He  was  married  Jan.  20,  1897, 
to  Rosemond  Barden,  daughter  of  John  and 
Bessie  Barden,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
Bessie,  born  Feb.  5,  1898,  and  Abraham  Bo- 
dine, born  March  24,  1901.  Ida  Lillian  was 
Dorn  Dec.  25„  1868,  and  received  a  good  edu- 
cation and  married  Sept.  13,  1893,  Arthur  E. 
Southworth,  who  was  born  in  Algonquin  Town- 
ship, Feb.  11,  1867,  son  of  Gardner  S.  and  Sarah 
(Miller)  Southworth.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Monroe  &  Southworth,  printers,  of  Chi- 
cago. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Southworth  have  one  child, 
Arthur  Bodine,  born  March    4,  1896. 

Mrs.  McConnell  resides  on  the  homestead  in 
Woodstock  and  is  a  lady  of  high  social  stand- 
ing and  greatly  beloved  by  her  family  and 
friends.  She  received  an  excellent  education, 
having  been  a  student  at  Ft.  Ann,  N.  Y.,  and  at 
Mt.  Morris  Seminary,  Ogle  County,  111.,  and 
was  engaged  as  a  teacher  for  several  years  in 
Richmond,  111.  She  possesses  a  natural  talent 
for  and  love  of  history,  and  to  her  investiga- 
tions we  are  indebted  chiefly  for  the  genealogy 
and  facts  of  the  McConnell  family  history. 


JOHN    McCONNELL. 

John  McConnell  (deceased)  was  a  native  of 
Richmond,  and  a  son  of  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  McHenry  County,  a  man  of  exem- 
plary character  and  prominently  identified  with 
the  establishment  of  the  private  bank  of  Mc- 
Connell Brothers  &    Haythorn,    of    Richmond. 


He  was  born  in  the  old  log  house  on  the  Mc- 
Connell homestead,  July  8,  1842.  After  receiv- 
ing a  good  education  for  his  day  in  the  public 
school  and  at  Mt.  Morris  Collegiate  Institute, 
he  engaged  in  farming  on  the  home  farm  and 
became  one  of  the  leading  and  most  progres- 
sive farmers  of  McHenry  County.  November 
5,  1868,  he  married  Mary  Frothingham,  who 
was  born  in  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  June  2,  1842, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Gale)  Frothing- 
ham. 

Samuel  Frothingham,  the  father,  was  born 
in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  Dec.  9,  1807,  received  the 
usual  common  school  education  of  the  New 
England  States,  and  married  in  New  Hamp- 
shire Mary  Gale,  daughter  of  John  and  Abigail 
(Smith)  Gale,  the  latter  a  direct  descendant 
of  Major  Jacob  Gale,  who  was  at  the  surrender 
of  Burgoyne.  Samuel  Frothingham  settled  in 
New  Hampshire  while  engaged  as  a  stage- 
driver  on  the  old  line  of  stage-coaches  be- 
tween Lebanon  and  Boston,  in  the  early  days 
when  traveling  by  the  stage-coach  was  the 
only  means  of  public  conveyance.  Later  he 
moved  to  Franklin,  N.  H.,  where  he  lived  for 
nine  years  and  then  removed  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  in  1856,  settling  on  a  farm  of  200 
acres  two  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Richmond. 
He  improved  his  farm  and  there  passed  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frothing- 
ham were  the  parents  of  three  children, 
Martha  and  Mary  (twins),  and  Charles.  Mr. 
Frothingham  died  May  10,  1881,  and  Mrs. 
Frothingham,  Dec.  14,  1891.  Mr.  Frothingham 
was  an  old  line  Whig  in  politics,  but  later 
adopted  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  McConnell 
settled  on  the  old  McConnell  homestead,  where 
Mr.  McConnell  engaged  in  farming  and  also 
conducted  a  creamery.  Mr.  McConnell's  father 
was  one  of  the  first  to  establish  a  creamery 
in  Richmond  Township,  and  John  bought  the 
factory  of  his  father  and  conducted  it  for  about 
fifteen  years.  It  was  largely  through  Mr.  Mc- 
Connell's influence  that,  in  September,  1890, 
the  Bank  of  Richmond  was  organized,  and  of 
this  institution  he  served  as  Vice-President  and 
was  also  a  Director  of  the  State  Bank  at 
Woodstock,  besides  being  prominently  con- 
nected with  several  other  business  enterprises. 

April  24,  1864,  Mtr.  McConnell  started  on  an 
overland  trip  to  California,  arriving  at   Sacra- 


884 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


mento  City  on  the  20th  of  the  following  Sep- 
tember. He  engaged  in  the  lumber  business 
at  Chico  for  a  considerable  time,  and  was  also 
with  Colonel  Biddle,  a  famous  ranch  owner, 
who  later  became  a  candidate  for  President  of 
the  United  States  on  the  Prohibition  ticket. 
Mr.  McConnell  remained  in  Central  California 
.about  four  years,  and  then  returned  home  by 
way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  New  York. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McConnell  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Bertha  L., 
who  married  Charles  A.  Mather  of  LaGrange, 
111.,  and  they  have  one  son,  Lyman  McConnell; 
Charles  DeWitt,  who  graduated  from  Beloit 
College  in  1898  and,  for  some  time,  represented 
his  father's  interests  in  the  McConnell  Bank. 
He  was  married  Nov.  15,  1901,  to  Caroline 
Fisher  Ward,  and  "they  resided  on  the  old  Mc- 
Connell homestead  at  Richmond.  With  the 
prospects  of  a  most  promising  business  career 
before  him,  he  died  Sept.  3,  1903. 

January  14,  1871,  Mr.  McConnell  united  wUh 
Richmond  Lodge,  No.  143,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
for  several  years  he  was  honored  as  Junior 
Warden.  His  parents  were  members  of  the 
first  class  of  the  Richmond  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  organized  in  1838,  and  on  Oct.  7, 
1877,  Mr.  McConnell  and  wife,  and  his  brother 
George  and  wife  were  admitted  to  full  member- 
ship in  the  same  church.  His  name  appears 
on  the  church  records  in  the  list  of  officers  in 
1885,  and  he  was  either  trustee  or  steward  for 
fifteen  years,  at  times  holding  both  offices, 
and  was  always  recognized  as  a  man  for  of- 
ficial position.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  Treasurer  of  the  church  and  as  such 
proved  to  be  a  faithful  officer.  He  was  always 
anxious  for  the  progress  of  his  church,  and 
gave  liberally  and  cheerfully  for  its  advance- 
ment.    Mr.  McConnell  died  Jan.  1,  1900. 

Mr.  McConnell  was  always  a  public-spirited 
man  and  prominently  identified  with  all  pub- 
lic enterprises  that  would  prove  to  be  a  bene- 
fit to  the  people  of  Richmond  or  McHenry 
County,  and  his  best  epitaph  is  the  reputation 
he  left  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  as  a  man  of  honest  methods  and  firm 
fidelity  to  his  friends. 

Mrs.  McConnell  still  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead. She  is  an  estimable  lady,  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church  of  Richmond,  and 
ready  at  all  times  to  assist  the  church  with 
her  means. 


GEORGE     M'CONNELL. 

A  representative  citizen  and  leading  banker 
and  business  man  of  McHenry  County  is  Mr. 
George  McConnell,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  Mr.  McConnell,  the  son  of  William  A. 
McConnell,  a  pioneer  of  Richmond  Township. 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  his  father's  old 
log-house  west  of  the  village  of  Richmond, 
March  3,  1845,  and  after  receiving  the  usual 
education  afforded  by  the  public  schools  of 
that  locality  and  period,  attended  the  Mount 
Morris  College  for  one  year.  Then,  having 
taught  school  in  Burton  Township  for  a  time, 
he  engaged  in  farming  on  the  old  homesteal 
farm.  November  15,  1865,  he  was  married  in 
Richmond  Township  to  Susan  Cushman,  who 
was  a  native  of  "Vermont,  born  May  26,  1847, 
the  daughter  of  Darius  and  Mary  Cushman. 
Having  received  from  his  father  a  farm  of  220 
acres,  Mr.  McConnell  cultivated  and  improved 
this  industriously,  adding  to  it  until  he  became 
the  owner  of  520  acres,  upon  which  he  erected 
good  farm  buildings  and  made  other  improve- 
ments, making  of  it  one  of  the  most  valuable 
farms  in  his  section  of  the  county. 

A  business  enterprise  with  which  the  Mc- 
Connell family  has  been  prominently  identi- 
fied was  the  McConnell  Cheese  Factory,  which 
was  erected  by  William  A.  McConnell,  in  the 
spring  of  1866,  George  McConnell  hauling  the 
lumber  used  in  the  construction  of  the  build- 
ing from  Hebron  and  Genoa.  This  was  the 
first  cheese  factory  established  in  the  northern 
part  of  McHenry  County,  the  Stewart  Factor;' 
of  Hebron  being  erected  a  few  weeks  later.  It 
consisted  of  a  two-story  building,  30  x  112  feet, 
with  an  addition.  The  factory  was  under  the 
management  of  Dr.  R.  R.  Stone,  and  here  the 
first  cheese  was  manufactured,  May  18,  1866. 
In  1867  the  McConnell  Factory  maae  19,000 
pounds  more  cheese  than  any  other  factory  in 
the  county.  During  six  months  of  that  year 
it  used  1,830,424  pounds  of  milk,  and  manufac- 
tured, wihin  the  same  time,  a  total  of  184,471 
pounds  of  cheese. 

On  September  1,  1890,  Mr.  George  McCon- 
nell, in  partnership  with  his  brother  John,  or- 
ganized the  private  bank  at  Richmond  now 
known  as  the  "McConnell  Brothers  &  Haythorn 
Bank,"  of  which  George  McConnell  is  Presi- 
dent; J.  W.  Haythorn,  Vice-President;  Frank  B. 
McConnell,  Cashier,  and  Charles  D.  McConnell 
(now   deceased),  was  Assistant   Cashier.    Mr. 


^ 


yii-tuL^j  crf<yUz  u*-^^M_ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


885 


McConnell  is  an  active  business  man  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen  of  Richmond,  has  served 
his  township  as  Supervisor  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace  many  years,  and  has  also  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  School  Board  and  of  the  Town  Coun- 
cil, being  President  of  the  latter  for  four  years. 
Fraternally  Mr.  McConnell  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Order  and  has  been  Treasurer  of 
his  lodge  for  many  years.  He  and  his  wife 
united  with  the  Methodist  church  at  Richmond 
at  the  same  date  with  his  brother  John  and 
wife,  Oct.  7,  1877.  A  careful  business  man 
and  banker  of  undoubted  integrity,  he  is  also 
a  sincere  and  active  member  of  his  church,  iu 
which  he  has  held  the  office  of  steward  and  has 
served  as  Treasurer  since  the  death  of  his  fa- 
ther. He  has  been  especially  active  in  rais- 
ing funds  for  the  projected  new  church  edifice 
in  Richmond,  in  conjunction  with  the  estate 
of  his  brother  John,  contributing  one-half  the 
contemplated  cost  therefor. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  McConnell  are  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  named  children,  born  In 
Richmond:  Cora  H.,  born  Nov.  15,  1866; 
Mary  May,  born  June  12,  1869;  Agnes  Leona, 
born  Jan.  24,  1873,  died  Sept.  25,  1874;  Frank 
Bodine,  born  March  29,  1875;  Harry  J.,  born 
July  16,  1879,  died  Dec.  26,  1889;  William  A., 
born  July  25,  1881.  Mr.  McConnell  is  one  of 
those  men  who  have  achieved  success  by  well- 
directed  personal  effort,  careful  management 
and  honest  industry,  furnishing  an  example 
worthy  of  the  emulation  of  others  who  hope 
to  win  in  the  battle  of  life. 

Mrs.  George  McConnell  (nee  Susan  Cush- 
man)  was  born  in  Danby,  Rutland  County,  Vt, 
May  26,  1847,  the  daughter  of  Darius  Fuller 
and  Mary  (Harkins)  Cushman.  Her  father 
was  born  May  15,  1817,  and  descended  from 
Puritan  and  New  England  ancestry.  He  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and,  coming  to  Illinois 
about  1854-5,  settled  in  Richmond,  McHenry 
County,  and  a  short  time  thereafter  on  a  farm 
in  Richmond  Township,  and  still  later  in 
Greenwood  Township.  He  enlisted  as  a  pri- 
vate in  Captain  Tryon's  Company,  Ninety-fifth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  until  dis- 
abled by  illness,  he  was  compelled  to  enter  a 
hospital,  finally  returning  to  his  home  in 
Greenwood  Township.  After  spending  some 
time  in  Northern  Wisconsin  he  bought  land 
near  Woodstock,  but  in  1876  went  to  Minne- 
sota, where  he  took  up  a  soldier's  homestead 


claim  on  Government  land  and  opened  up  a 
farm  of  160  acres.  Mr.  Cushman  was  married 
in  Vermont,  on  Feb.  19,  1836,  to  Mary  Hark- 
ins, who  was  born  in  Vermont,  August  4,  1817. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cushman  were  parents  of  the 
following  named  children:  Myron,  born  Dec. 
16,  1838;  Levi  H.,  born  Oct.  27,  1839;  Judy 
Ann,  born  August  16,  1842;  Mary  E.,  born  July 
26,  1843;  John  F.,  born  April  21,  1845;  Susan 
H.,  born  May  26,  1847;  Noah,  born  April  30, 
1849;  Amos,  born  Sept.  15,  1852;  Ruth,  born 
Nov.  12,  1855;  Rosa,  born  Feb.  28,  1858— all 
born  in  Vermont  except  the  last,  who  was  born 
in  Illinois.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cushman  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  and,  in  politics, 
Mr.  Cushman  is  a  Republican.  He  still  sur- 
vives at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years, 
a  resident  of  Montevideo,  Minn. 


ANDERSON     REID    MURPHEY. 
Anderson  R.  Murphey  is  a  son  of  James  C. 
Murphey,  who  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Patrick 
and  Nancy  (James)   Murphey,  the  founders  of 
this  family  in  America. 

James  G.  Murphey  was  born  in  Braxton 
County,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  15,  1800,  received  a 
limited  common-school  education  in  a  log-cabin 
schoolhouse,  and  like  his  father,  became  a 
hunter  and  farmer.  When  he  was  a  young  man 
it  was  the  custom  of  the  country  to  build  flat- 
boats,  load  them  with  split-oak  staves  and 
freight  them  down  the  Kanawha  River  to 
Charleston,  a  distance  of  eighty  miles..  Ar- 
riving here  they  would  sell  the  staves  and  flat- 
boats,  purchase  supplies  of  groceries,  ammuni- 
tion and  other  necessities  of  pioneer  life,  load 
a  canoe  and  row  back  up  the  river,  which  wa-5 
a  very  irksome  task.  In  his  younger  days  Mr. 
Murphey  engaged  in  this  adventurous  business. 
These  hardy  pioneers  were  men  of  iron  and 
could  endure  an  amount  of  hardship  from 
which  their  sons  would  shrink.  At  this  day 
they  no  doubt  would  be  regarded  as  rough  and 
unsophisticated,  but  they  were '  natural  men, 
living  on  simple  food  and  knowing  but  little  of 
the  use  of  drugs,  except  some  of  the  simple 
forest  remedies  which  the  experience  of  their 
forefathers  had  taught  them  were  useful,  or 
a  little  whisky  made  at  a  neighboring  still. 
They  were  exposed  to  all  kinds  of  hardships 
and  their  toughened  bodies  could  stand  an 
amount  of  exposure  unknown  to  modern  men. 


886 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


They  were  seldom  or  never  sick,  lived  long 
and  enjoyed  nature's  pleasures,  that  never 
cloy.  They  were  descended  from  a  race  who 
had  lived  next  to  nature's  heart  for  genera- 
tions. They  were  early  converts  to  religion, 
and,  like  the  ancient  Spartans,  virtuous  and 
honest.  Hospitality  abounded  and  the  few 
travelers  in  the  wilderness  were  always  made 
welcome  at  the  fireside,  and,  to  use  a  familiar 
expression,  "The  latch-string  was  always  out." 
James  G.  Murphey  married  in  Braxton  Coun- 
ty, Feb.  11,  1819,  Nancy  Given,  born  in  the 
same  county,  Sept.  17,  1798.  Mr.  Murphey 
cleared  up  a  farm  in  Braxton  County  and  lived 
on  it  for  about  twenty-five  years,  and  here  in 
the  log-cabin  home  in  the  wilderness  all  his 
children — nine  stalwart  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters— were 'born.  The  children  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  G.  Murphey  were  named  William 
G.,  Henry  C,  Perry  W.,  Theodore  D.,  Daniel 
L.,  Jane,  Ann,  Samuel  N.,  Franklin  S.,  Anderson 
R.  and  Glorena  S.  Seemingly  not  content  with 
this  goodly  number,  the  kind-hearted  pioneer 
and  his  wife  adopted  another  daughter,  Clara 
Anderson,  thus  completing  the  family  circle 
to  an  even  dozen.  In  1845  Mr.  Murphey 
moved  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
making  the  journey  by  flat-boat  to  Charleston, 
where  they  took  a  steamboat  to  Alton,  111., 
and  thence  to  La  Salle,  111.,  from  whence 
they  journeyed  with  an  ox-team  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  where  Mr.  Murphey  set- 
tled on  a  farm  of  160  acres  on  the  edge  of 
Queen  Ann  Prairie,  about  two  miles  east  of 
Woodstock.  This  farm  was  partly  improved, 
had  a  log-cabin  standing  on  it,  and  here  for 
years  the  family  lived  in  prosperous  content- 
ment and  became  one  of  the  best-known  pio- 
neer families  of  McHenry  County.  Pos- 
sessed of  much  natural  intelligence,  Mr.  Mur- 
phey encouraged  his  children  to  obtain  as  good 
an  education  as  the  schools  of  those  days  af- 
forded. Eight  of  Mr.  Murphey's  sons  were 
over  six  feet  in  height,  two  of  them  being  six 
feet  six  inches,  while  the  shortest  son  of  the 
family  was  five  feet  ten  inches,  but  was  the 
strongest  of  the  brothers.  They  were  all  in- 
telligent boys  and  attended  the  higher  schools 
in  the  vicinity,  some  of  them  at  Mount  Morris 
and  the  academy  at  Greenwood — schools  fa- 
mous in  pioneer  days.  Three  of  the  sons — 
Judge  Theodore  D.,  Samuel  N.  and  Frank  S. — 
became    prominent   lawyers.     Judge   Theodore 


D.  was  for  years  a  well-known  and  able  jurist 
of  McHenry  County,  and  organized  the  first  Ap- 
pellate Court  in  Illinois.  Another  son,  Perry 
W.  Murphey,  was  long  a  prominent  citizen  and 
an  early  dentist  of  Woodstock. 

In  1867  James  G.  Murphey  sold  his  farm  and 
retired  from  active  life,  removing  to  Abingdon, 
Knox  County,  111.,  where,  in  1879,  he  died  at 
the  age  of  eighty  years,  Mrs.  Murphey  dying 
at  the  same  age.  In  his  younger  days  in  West 
Virginia,  Mr.  Murphey  became  a  convert  to  the 
Methodist  faith  under  the  good  old  regime  of 
the  pioneer  itinerant  Methodist  circuit-rider, 
and  thereafter  was  always  a  follower  of  the 
teachings  of  John  Wesley.  He  was  an  exhort- 
er  in  West  Virginia  and  a  class-leader  there  as 
well  as  in  McHenry  County,  where  he  was 
one  of  the  early  Methodists  and  a  prominent 
pillar  in  the  church — his  home  always  being 
the  home  of  the  circuit-rider  in  those  early 
days.  Like  his  father  and  brothers,  Mr.  Mur- 
phey was  a  firm  believer  in  the  old-time  prin- 
ciples of  Democracy  according  to  the  teachings 
of  Thomas  Jefferson.  He  was  a  War  Demo- 
crat, and  voted  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  the 
great  advocate  of  the  rights  of  man  and  the 
common  people,  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Anderson  Reid  Murphey,  the  immediate  sub- 
ject of  this  article,  was  born  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Braxton  County,  W.  Va.,  April  11,  1840, 
and,  when  five  years  of  age,  came  with  his 
parents  to  McHenry  County.  Though  young, 
the  incidents  of  the  journey  were  impressed 
upon  his  mind.  He  attended  the  district 
school,  and  amid  the  happy  surroundings  of  a 
large  pioneer  family,  was  brought  up  to  a  nat- 
ural, healthful  life  in  the  old  log-house  on  the 
farm.  His  brothers  were  of  all  sizes,  from 
boys  to  married  men,  and  he  was  one  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  family.  He  attended 
the  first  select  school  in  Woodstock,  which  was 
kept  by  David  Richardson,  was  then  a  student 
at  an  academy  at  Lawrence,  111.,  and  after- 
wards at  Todd's  Seminary  for  three  years. 
He  taught  school  in  his  home  district  one  win- 
ter and  another  winter  near  Cary  Station,  and 
also  one  at  Ridgefield,  where  he  is  spoken  of 
by  some  of  his  pupils  as  teaching  a  model 
school.  He  then  read  law  with  his  brother, 
Judge  Murphey,  of  Woodstock,  for  one  year, 
and  was  in  the  Woodstock  postoffice  one  year 
with  A.  B.  Smith,  P.  M.,  at  the  time  of  the 
Civil  War.      In  1868  Mr.  Murphey  entered  Dr. 


t 


V 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Richardson's  drug-store  as  a  clerk,  and  two 
years  later  bought  a  one-half  interest;  after- 
wards L.  T.  Hoy  purchased  Dr.  Richardson's 
share  and  the  new  firm  became  Murphey  & 
Hoy.  In  1882  Mr.  Murphey  sold  his  interest 
to  Mr.  Hoy  and  immediately  bought  a  two- 
thirds  interest  in  John  Wheat's  drug-store, 
finally  becoming  the  owner  of  the  entire  estab- 
lishment, where,  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  he 
has  conducted  a  successful  business  alono, 
and  carries  a  large  stock  of  drugs  and  jewelry. 
He  is  well  known  in  McHenry  County,  and  as 
a  proprietor  has  been  engaged  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness for  a  longer  period  than  any  other  drug- 
gist in  Woodstock.  At  Silver  Lake,  McHenry 
County,  Feb.  14,  1867,  Mr.  Murphey  was  mar- 
ried to  Emma  Thomas,  born  in  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, the  daughter  of  Blias  and  Hester  (Snow) 
Thomas,  pioneers  of  Algonquin  Township. 
She  was  of  English-Puritan  ancestry,  which 
could  be  traced  to  Plymouth  Rock,  and  in  one 
line  to  John  and  Priscilla  Aiden.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Murphey  were  born  the  i'ollowing  chil- 
dren: Lura  B.,  Walter  H.,  Gracie,  Elmer  R.. 
Cora  B.  and  Clara  J.  (twins). 

Mrs.  Murphey  died  Nov.  25.  1880,  and  Mr. 
Murphey  was  married  a  second  time,  in  Wood- 
stock, May  26,  1884,  this  time  to  Julia  Parrish, 
born  in  Hebron,  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Louise  (Collins)  Par- 
rish. Daniel  Parrish  was  the  son  of  John  Par- 
rish, a  patriot  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  the  family  are  of  English  ancestry 
and  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  old  colo- 
nial Massachusetts.  The  Collinses  are  of  an 
English-Puritan  family  from  Connecticut.  Mrs. 
Murphey  was  educated  at  the  Brattleboro  Sem- 
inary, Vt.,  and  at  the  Greenville  Ladies'  Semi- 
nary, and  is  a  member  of  the  Disciple  church. 
Politically  Mr.  Murphey  is  a  man  of  broad 
views  and  a  supporter  of  the  principles  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Fraternally  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Woodstock  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar, in  which  he  holds  the  office  of  Eminent 
Commander. 

The  strong  blood  of  the  Celt  has  held  its  own 
in  the  Murphey  family.  Mr.  Murphey  has  some 
of  the  prominent  race  characteristics,  but  the 
long  residence  of  the  family  in  America,  with 
numerous  intermarriages,  has  entirely  Ameri- 
canized these  children  of  the  Gael.  Iu  manner 
Mr.  Murphey  has  the  suave,  easy  address  of 
the  Celt,  and   his  genial,   whole-souled   mirth- 


fulness  springs  from  no  other  source.  He  is 
one  of  those  men  whom  everybody  likes.  No 
man  in  McHenry  County  has  more  friends,  and 
his  character  as  a  man  of  kindly  heart,  strong 
sympathies  and  of  sturdy  honesty,  is  known 
to  all. 

Walter  H.  Murphey,  one  of  the  sons  of  Ander- 
son R.,  was  educated  at  the  Woodstock  High 
School.  He  is  a  self-made  man,  having  left 
home  at  seventeen  years  of  age  to  prepare  him- 
self as  an  electrician.  When  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age,  he  took  charge  of  the  electrical 
plant  at  Coronado  Beach  Hotel,  Cal.,  and  man- 
aged for  an  English  syndicate  the  construction 
of  500  miles  of  telegraph  in  Old  Mexico.  He 
was  afterwards  with  F.  G.  Logan,  of  the  Chi- 
cago Board  of  Trade,  one  of  the  largest  owners 
of  telegraph  lines  in  the  country.  He  married 
in  California,  and  now  resides  in  Seattle, 
Wash.,  being  connected  with  a  Board  of  Trade 
firm. 

Elmer  R.  Murphey,  another  son,  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Woodstock  High  School.  He  is 
married  and  resides  in  Chicago,  where  he  is  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  J.  H.  Rhodes  &  Co., 
dealers  in  wholesale  drugs,  42  and  44  Michigan 
Avenue. 

The  daughter,  Jessie,  married  W.  T.  Charles, 
a  merchant  of  Woodstock.  Miss  C.  Bessie  Mur- 
phey is  a  young  lady  at  home,  who  teaches  mu- 
sic— piano  and  violin. 


EDWIN     R.    MORRIS. 

Among  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  War  still 
surviving  in  McHenry  County,  stands  the  name 
of  Edwin  R.  Morris,  of  Marengo,  who  left  his 
home  and  a  young  family  in  1862,  unselfishly  to 
risk  his  life  for  freedom  and  the  integrity  of 
the  Union  in  one  of  the  greatest  struggles  in 
all  history,  and  who,  having  served  his  country 
faithfully  on  many  a  hard-fought  battlefield, 
returned  to  resume  the  life  of  the  private  citi- 
zen in  his  old  home  and  at  the  head  of  his  fam- 
ily. The  Morris  family  is  of  old  Colonial  Con- 
necticut and  Puritan  stock,  probably  of  Eng- 
lish origin,  and  Edwin  R.  Morris's  branch  of 
the  family  was  of  the  same  general  stock  as 
that  of  Robert  Morris,  of  Pennsylvania,  the 
celebrated  financier  of  the  Revolutionary 
period.  The  New  England  Morrises  were 
Revolutionary  patriots,  and     the     great-grand- 


888 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  of 
those  who  sacrificed  his  life  on  the  field  at 
Bunker  Hill  in  1775. 

Samuel  Morris,  the  grandfather  of  Edwin  R. 
Morris,  of  McHenry  County,  was  horn  in  Con- 
necticut, and  became  a  pioneer  farmer  of  Caze- 
novia,  N.  Y.  His  children  were:  Decatur,  Ja- 
son, Levi,  Orrin,  Nelson  and  a  daughter  who 
married  a  Mr.  Stannard.  The  father  was  a 
successful  farmer  and  a  reliable  citizen,  and 
died  on  his  farm  aged  eighty-five  years.  Sam- 
uel R.  Morris,  the  son  of  the  preceding,  was 
born  in  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  March  27,  1804,  began 
life  on  a  farm  and  married,  in  Madison  County, 
N.  Y.,  Sally  Bowley,  who  was  a  native  of  that 
State.  In  1840  he  moved  with  his  family  by- 
way of  the  Brie  Canal  and  the  lakes,  to  Chi- 
cago, and  settled  in  Coral  Township,  McHenry 
County,  where  he  entered  about  500  acres  of 
Government  land  and  opened  up  an  extensive 
farm,  becoming  one  of  the  most  substantial 
citizens  of  his  township.  He  was  an  old-line 
Whig  and  early  Republican,  and  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  township.  He  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  of 
which  he  was  a  liberal  supporter  and,  for  forty 
years,  a  class-leader.  He  died  December  £-, 
1884,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  and  his  wife — 
who  was  born  in  1800 — died  in  1886,  aged  eigh- 
ty-six. Their  children  were:  Charlotte  M., 
Sarah  E.,  Martha  E.,  Edwin  R.,  Wilber  F.,  Sam- 
uel J.  and  Charles  W.  Charles  W.  lost  his  life 
May  24,  1861,  while  bathing  in  the  Pecatonica 
River  at  Freeport,  111.,  on  the  day  of  his  enlist- 
ment in  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers, for  the  Civil  War — being,  as  believed, 
the  first  soldier  of  the  war  to  die  in  Northern 
Illinois.  Wilber  F.  enlisted  for  three  years  as 
a  private  in  Company  A,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois, 
and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Guntown, 
Miss.  He  carried  a  musket-ball  in  his  side 
for  twenty-eight  years,  from  the  effects  of 
which  he  finally  died  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
where,  in  the  meantime,  he  had  settled. 

Edwin  R.  Morris,  of  this  family  and  imme- 
diate subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Caze- 
novia, N.  Y.,  Jan.  14,  1833,  and  at  seven  years 
of  age  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  McHenry 
County.  Here  he  received  the  ordinary  com- 
mon-school education  and  later  attended  the 
Elgin  Academy  for  two  winters.  September 
12,  1854,  he  was  married,  in  Coral  Township. 
McHenry  County,  to  Sarah  Ann  Eddy,  who  was 


a  native  of  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  born  Feb.  4,  1835, 
the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Susan  (Pengilly) 
Eddy.  Her  parents  were  both  natives  of  Dev- 
onshire, England,  who  came  to  America  in  1830 
and  settled  in  Cazenovia,  whence,  seven  years 
later,  they  moved  to  Coral  Township,  McHenry 
County.  Robert  Eddy  entered  Government 
land  in  Coral  Township  in  1842,  but  finally 
went  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  where  he  died.  His 
wife,  who  was  a  devout  membei  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  nine- 
ty-two years,  dying  at  Marengo,  McHenry 
County,  in  1888.  Their  children  were:  John, 
William,  Robert,  Joseph,  Thomas,  Henry,  Sa- 
rah, Mary  and  Susan.  John  Eddy,  the  oldest 
son  of  this  family,  born  in  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land, in  1821,  came  with  his  parents  and  four 
brothers  to  the  United  States  when  he  was  nine 
years  of  age,  and,  in  1837,  to  McHenry  County. 
The  first  school-house  in  McHenry  County  was 
built  on  the  elder  Eddy's  land  and  John  helped 
cut  the  logs  for  the  same,  The  first  well  in 
Cora]  Township  was  dug  on  the  Eddy  farm. 
John  Eddy  served  for  a  time  as  one  of  the 
early  sheriffs  of  McHenry  County;  was  also 
Captain  of  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois'  Vol- 
unteer Infantry  during  the  Civil  War,  serving 
three  years  and  taking  part  in  a  number  of  im- 
portant battles.  Returning  to  his  home  in  Co- 
ral Township  after  the  war,  he  finally  became 
the  owner  of  340  acres  of  valuable  farming 
land,  but  died  at  Marengo,  Sept.  4,  1886,  after 
making  a  spirited  speech  before  the  veterans 
of  his  regiment  at  their  reunion.  Henry  Eddy, 
the  youngest  brother  of  Capt.  John  Eddy,  was 
also  a  soldier  in  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illi- 
nois, serving  as  a  private  for  one  year. 

After  marriage  Edwin  R.  Morris  settled  on 
eighty  acres  of  new  prairie  land  which  had 
been  entered  by  his  father.  This  he  improved 
and  was  prospering  as  a  farmer — two  daugh- 
ters (Mary  R.  and  Lillie  J.)  having,  in  the 
meantime,  been  born  to  him — when  President 
Lincoln  having  issued  his  call  for  600,000  vol- 
unteers for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  on 
August  9,  1862,  he  enlisted  at  Marengo  as  a 
private  in  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois 
Volunteers,  under  Capt.  John  Eddy.  Having 
served  his  full  term  of  enlistment  for  three 
years,  he  was  mustered  out  at  Springfield,  Aug. 
17,  1865,  receiving  an  honorable  discharge.  His 
service  included  the  campaign  and  siege  of 
Vicksburg  under  Grant;    the  Red   River  cam- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


889 


paign  under  Gen.  Banks;  the  disastrous  fight 
at  Guntown,  Miss.;  the  battle  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  of  December,  1864,  and  the  operations 
which  ended  with  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort 
and  Fort  Blakely  and  the  fall  of  Mobile,  Ala., 
during  the  last  days  of  the  war,  besides  nu- 
merous skirmishes  and  minor  engagements. 
Mr.  Morris  was  not  wounded  nor  a  prisoner 
during  his  term  of  service,  and  spent  but  little 
time  in  hospital  on  account  of  sickness,  but 
was  absent  from  duty  about  three  months 
on  account  of  an  affection  of  the  eyes. 
He  became  a  corporal  on  his  enlistment 
and,  at  the  time  of  his  muster-out,  was 
Second  Sergeant.  After  the  war  he  returned 
to  his  family  and  the  cultivation  of  his 
farm,  and  by  industrious,  thrifty  management, 
has  prospered,  adding  to  his  land  until  he  is 
now  the  owner  of  137  well-improved  acres,  with 
good  buildings. 

In  the  spring  of  1886  Mr.  Morris  took  up  his 
residence  in  Marengo,  where  he  is  a  member  of 
Harley  Wayne  Post,  No.  169,  G.  A.  R.,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  Commander  for  eleven  years. 
He  is  one  of  the  original  Republicans  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  casting  his  vote  for  John  C. 
Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1856  and 
1860,  and  has  been  a  loyal  supporter  of  every 
Republican  candidate  for  President  since.  For 
two  years  he  held  the  office  of  Road  Commis- 
sioner, and  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the 
Globe,  in  which  he  has  held  the  office  of  En- 
sign. The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ivlorris  are: 
Mary  R.,  Lillie  J.,  Eddy  L.  and  Alice  M. 

When  Mr.  Morris  entered  the  army  he  left 
at  his  home  his  wife  and  two  daughters,  the 
younger  of  the  latter  being  but  five  years  old. 
In  the  next  three  years  his  wife  passed  many 
anxious  days  and  nights,  but  she  met  her  priva- 
tions with  true  courage  and  patriotism.  At 
times  she  was  compelled  to  do  much  work  upon 
the  farm  herself,  as  hired  help  was  scarce  on 
account  of  the  absence  of  so  large  a  proportion 
of  the  able-bodied  men  in  the  army.  Depend- 
ence was  largely  necessary,  therefore,  on  old 
men  and  half-grown  boys.  After  his  enlist- 
ment Mr.  Morris's  daughter  Rosa  (Mary  R.), 
then  a  girl  of  seven  years,  made  for  him  a 
"soldier's  housewife,"  which  he  carried  during 
the  war  and  still  preserves  as  a  precious  me- 
mento of  war  times.  She  married  J.  W.  Us- 
borne  of  Marengo. 


JOHN  S.  MEDLAR. 

John  S.  Medlar  (deceased),  one  of  he  earliest 
daguerreotype  artists  and  photographers  ot 
Woodstock,  111.,  was  born  in  Sullivan  County, 
N.  Y.,  Oct.  23,  1831,  the  son  of  John  and  Adelia 
(Rexford)  Medlar.  On  the  paternal  side  the 
Medlar  family  was  of  Holland-Dutch  stock  and, 
on  the  maternal,  English-Puritan,  and  among 
the  early  settlers  of  New  York  State.  The  first 
resident  in  America  of  this  name,  so  far  as 
known,  was  Zacharias  Medlar,  born  on  Staten 
Island,  in  1770,  and  died  in  1856.  He  was  the 
father  of  nine  children:  Samuel,  Charles,  Peter, 
Maria,  Elizabeth,  Sally,  Harriet,  John  and 
Julia.  John  Medlar,  the  father  of  John  S., 
born  in  1797,  was  a  native  of  Dutchess  County, 
N.  Y.,  while  his  wife,  AJelia  Rexford,  was  born 
in  Hartford,  Conn.  They  were  the  parents  of 
twelve  children  of  whom  eleven  were  living  in 
1885,  ten  of  them  as  follows:  Elizabeth,  in 
Sullivan  County,  N.  Y. ;  Mary  A.,  in  Middletown, 
N.  Y. ;  Louisa,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  John  S.,  in 
Woodstock,  111.;  Jeanette,  in  Rockford,  111.; 
Effie,  in  Parkville,  N.  Y. ;  James  B.,  in  Rock- 
ford,  111.;  Charles,  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  Wil- 
liam O.,  in  Glen  wood,  Penn.;  George  S.,  in 
Peakville,  N.  Y.  John  S.  received  a  fair  com- 
mon-school education  in  his  native  State, 
worked  for  a  while  in  a  saw-mill  belonging  to 
his  father,  but,  being  dependent  upon  his  own 
resources,  in  early  manhood  came  to  Rockford 
111.,  where  he  found  employment  in  the  reaper 
works  at  that  place.  He  then  learned  the 
business  of  a  daguerreotypist,  or  ambrotype 
artist,  in  Rockford,  and,  in  September,  1858, 
came  to  Woodstock,  and  opened  a  studio  in 
what  is  known  as  the  Hoy  Block,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  the  period  of  thirty-eight  years. 
He  was  skillful  in  his  profession  and  took  the 
portraits  of  many  of  the  leading  pioneers  and 
other  notable  characters  of  McHenry  County. 
Among  those  who  sat  for  their  pictures  in 
his  studio  was  the  celebrated  Col.  Ephraim  E. 
Ellsworth,  of  the  Chicago  Zouaves,  who  became 
the  first  victim  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
being  killed  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  May  24,  1861. 
The  negatives  of  many  of  these  pictures  were 
preserved  in  Mr.  Medlar's  studio,  and  are  now 
regarded  as  of  great  historic  value,  which  will 
be  increased  with  the  lapse  of  time.  Mr. 
Medlar  was  married,  in  Woodstock,  June  16, 
1862,  to  Maria  Louise  Dake,  the  daughter  of 


' 


890 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Gilbert  and  Julia  A.  (Sheldon)  Dake.  Mr. 
Medlar  continued  to  reside  in  Woodstock  after 
his  marriage  and,  at  an  early  day,  was  the 
only  artist  in  his  line  in  McHenry  County  and 
for  a  large  extent  of  country  in  that  section  of 
the  State.  He  was  skillful  and  won  a  wide 
reputation.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Med- 
lar were:  Frank  Wilson,  who  married  Kather- 
ine  Brooks,  and  is  an  artist  at  Spencer,  Iowa, 
and  has  a  son  Winton  B.;  Frederick  B.,  who 
died  in  infancy;  Mabelle  Claire,  married  Rev. 
H.  H.  Hurley,  a  Baptist  minister  at  Barry. 
111.,  and  has  one  daughter,  Helen  H.;  Herbert 
Benson;  Julia  Louise,  and  Adele  Bishop.  In 
1896  Mr.  Medlar  built  the  photograph  gallery 
in  Woodstock  now  occupied  by  H.  B.  Medlar. 
Politically  Mr.  Medlar  was  a  Republican,  in 
religious  belief  a  Baptist,  and  fraternally  a 
charter  member  of  the  Woodstock  Command- 
ery  Knights  Templar,  of  which,  at  the  date  of 
his  death,  Sept.  28,  1898,  he  was  the  last  sur- 
viving original  member. 

Mrs.  John  S.  Medlar  (nee  Marie  L.  Dake), 
was  born  at  Fort  Ann,  Washington  County, 
N.  Y.,  Feb.  22,  1840,  the  daughter  of  Gilbert 
and  Julia  A.  (Sheldon)  Dake,  and,  at  four  years 
of  age,  was  brought  by  her  parents  to  McHenry 
County,  111.  She  received  a  common-school 
education  at  Greenwood,  and  at  fourteen  years 
old  removed  with  her  parents  to  Woodstock, 
where  she  was  a  pupil  in  the  select  school  kept 
by  John  Parish;  later  attended  the  first  high 
school  in  Woodstock  and,  at  seventeen  years 
of  age,  entered  the  Northwestern  Female  Col- 
lege at  Evanston,  now  a  part  of  the  North- 
western University.  The  names  of  the  grad- 
uates from  the  Female  College  of  that  time 
are  now  included  in  the  catalogue  of  Alumnae 
of  the  University.  Mrs.  Medlar  was  a  class- 
mate of  the  late  Frances  E.  Willard  in  the 
class  of  1860,  of  whom  she  was  a  close  friend 
and  correspondent.  Mrs.  Medlar  received  a 
second  degree  from  her  Alma  Mater  in  1869 
as  "Laureate  of  Literature."  She  is  a  lady 
of  much  literary  ability  and  a  frequent  con- 
tributor to  the  press,  both  in  the  form  of 
poetry  and  prose  fiction.  She  is  also  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  Woodstock  W.  C.  T.  U., 
which  was  organized  personally  by  Miss  Wil- 
lard, and  has  filled  all  the  offices  in  the 
Union,  including  that  of  President.  She  has 
been  an  extensive  traveler,  visiting  many  dif- 


ferent States,  and  has  been  a  frequent  speaker 
before  W.  C.  T.  U.  organizations  in  this  and 
other  States  as  far  west  as  California. 

HERBERT  B.  MEDLAR,  the  son  of  John  S. 
and  Maria  L.  (Dake)  Medlar,  was  born  in 
Woodstock,  Oct.  10,  1869,  and  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  place. 
In  his  youth  he  learned  the  printer's  trade  in 
the  office  of  the  "Woodstock  Sentinel,"  which 
he  followed  for  three  years.  He  then  spent 
five  years  as  an  employe  of  the  Watch  Fac- 
tory at  Rockford,  but  later  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacturing  business  about  ten  years.  Then 
returning  to  Woodstock,  he  entered  the  photo- 
graph gallery  of  his  father,  and  soon  estab- 
lished a  successful  business.  Accustomed,  as 
he  had  been  in  his  youth,  to  assist  his  father 
in  the  photographic  business,  he  soon  acquired 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  art,  and  is  now 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  photog- 
raphers of  Northern  Illinois.  Mr.  Medlar  has 
true  artistic  taste  and  is  well  posted  in  ref- 
erence to  later  improvements  and  modern  ap- 
pliances of  the  art.  His  work  will  compare 
favorably  with  that  of  the  most  advanced 
photographers  in  the  larger  cities.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and,  for  eight  years,  was  a  member  of  the 
Illinois  National  Guard,  holding  the  position 
of  Sergeant  of  his  company.  His  regiment 
was  called  into  service  for  a  short  time  dur- 
ing the  strike  of  1892.  In  politics  Mr.  Med- 
lar is  a  Republican  and  is  well  and  favorably 
known  as  a  citizen. 

GILBERT  B.  DAKE,  the  father  of  Mrs.  John 
S.  Medlar,  referred  to  in  the  preceding  sketch, 
was  a  pioneer  of  McHenry  County,  who  came 
to  the  county  in  1844,  settling  near  the  village 
of  Greenwood.  Mr.  Dake  was  born  in  Wind- 
sor, Vt.,  the  son  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Mary 
Dake.  The  genealogy  of  the  Dake  family  in 
lineal  descent  is  as  follows:  George  Dake, 
who  was  born  some  time  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  was  of  Puritan 
stock  and  was  the  first  to  come  from  England 
to  America.  His  son  John  was  born  in  Amer- 
ica in  1724,  and  the  latter  had  a  son  named 
Benjamin,  who  was  born  in  1853,  and  was  a 
silver-smith  by  trade.  Benjamin  F.,  the  son  of 
Benjamin  just  named,  and  father  of  Gilbert 
B.,  was  born  in  Vermont,  Nov.  18,  1789,  died 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


891 


Jan.  19,  1816.  He  was  a  silver-smith,  and 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  taking 
part  in  a  number  of  battles,  and  the  musket 
which  he  carried  is  still  preserved  as  an  heir- 
loom in  the  family.  He  came  to  McHenry 
County  some  time  after  his  son  Gilbert,  from 
whom  he  bought  land  in  Greenwood  Town- 
ship, and  spent  there  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  dying  at  the  age  of  about  ninety  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  in 
which  he  held  the  office  of  deacon,  and  he  and 
his  wife  were  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Mary,  Henry,  and  Gilbert.  Gilbert 
Dake  grew  up  on  a  farm  and,  having  received 
a  fair  education  in  select  schools,  became  a 
teacher.  He  removed  in  boyhood  with  his 
parents  to  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  and  be- 
fore reaching  his  twenty-first  year,  was  mar- 
ried at  Fort  Ann,  N.  Y.,  to  Julia  Ann  Sheldon, 
who  was  his  junior  by  about  a  year.  Miss 
Sheldon  was  born  at  Sheldon's  Point  on  Lake 
George,  noar  Ft.  Ann,  the  daughter  of  Horace 
and  Abigail  (Bishop)  Sheldon.  Her  father  was 
a  pioneer  farmer  of  Washington  County,  N. 
Y.,  living  on  the  shore  of  Lake  George,  and 
has  descendants  still  living  on  the  home  farm. 
He  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  and  lost 
his  life  at  middle  age  by  drowning  in  Lake 
George.  The  accident  occurred  by  the  cap- 
sizing of  a  boat  upon  which  he  was  carrying 
two  men  across  the  lake.  He  had  succeeded  in 
getting  the  men  back  into  the  boat,  but  be- 
came exhausted  and  sank  near  the  shore.  He 
was  twice  married,  the  children  of  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Abigail  (Bishop)  Sheldon,  being 
Julia  Ann,  Tallmadge,  Marietta  and  Viola.  Af- 
ter the  death  of  Mr.  Sheldon,  his  second  wife 
married  a  Mr.  Freeman,  and  they  had  children 
named  Ira  and  Carrie. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilbert 
Dake  settled  at  Fort  Ann,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business,  and  also  kept  an 
old-fashioned  inn  or  "tavern."  Here  he  owned 
some  land.  In  the  spring  of  1844,  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  McHenry  County,  traveling 
by  packet  on  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  and 
thence  by  steamer  to  Southport,  Wis.,  and  by 
wagon  to  Greenwood  Township.  Here  he 
bought  land  of  Luther  Finch,  upon  which  but 
little  improvement  had  been  made,  but  finally 
became  the  owner  of  300  acres,  upon  which 
he  had  a  pleasant  home  and  was  a  prosperous 


farmer.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  church,  in  which  he  held  the  office  of 
deacon  and  was  one  of  the  principal  pillars. 
In  early  times  his  house  was  the  hospitable 
home  of  the  Baptist  ministers.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gilbert  Dake  were  parents  of  children  named: 
Gilbert,  who  died  in  infancy;  Frank,  Celia, 
Louisa,  Mary,  and  Abbie.  Mr.  Dake  was  orig- 
inally a  Democrat  and  served  at  one  time  as 
Treasurer  of  McHenry  County,  but  voted  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  his  sceond  election.  In 
1854,  he  moved  to  Woodstock,  and,  during  the 
following  year,  bought  the  property  where  the 
Medlar  family  now  reside.  At  that  time,  he 
was  the  owner  of  four  lots  on  the  corner  where 
his  home  was  located,  and  also  bought  two 
farms  two  miles  from  Woodstock.  He  built 
and  conducted  the  Dake  &  Quinlan  mill,  the 
ruins  of  which  are  still  standing.  Mr.  Dake 
was  an  enterprising  business  man,  and  at 
one  time  owned  the  Frame  &  Slocum  Ware- 
house, and  was,  for  a  time,  in  company  with 
John  J.  Murphy,  in  the  commission  business. 
Mr.  Dake  finally  removed  to  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business,  dying  there  about  sixty-nine  years 
of  age.  His  wife  also  died  at  the  same 
place. 


DR.  CHARLES  C.  MILLER. 

Dr.  Charles  C.  Miller,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
best  authorities  on  bee  culture  in  Illinois,  if 
not  in  the  Western  States,  and  for  many  years 
a  contributor  to  many  of  the  leading  bee  journ- 
als, was  born  at  Ligonier,  Westmoreland 
County,  Penn.,  June  10,  1831,  the  son  of  Dr. 
Johnson  J.  and  Phebe  (Roadman)  Miller.  His 
father,  Dr.  Johnson  J.  Miller,  was  born  in 
New  Jersey,  and,  at  an  early  day,  removed  with 
his  father  (Charles  Miller)  and  family  to 
Armstrong  County,  Penn.,  where  he  studied 
medicine  and  afterwards  practiced  for  several 
years  at  Ligonier,  dying  at  the  latter  place  in 
1841.  His  childjren  were:  Elizabeth,  Dr. 
Charles  C,  Harriet  Lemmon,  Mrs.  Henrietta 
Davis  and  Mrs.  Emma  R.  Jones.  The  Millers 
are  of  English  descent  and  came  of  a  colonial 
New  Jersey  family  of  tory  proclivities.  The 
Roadmans  were  of  German  extraction.  Mrs. 
Johnson  J.  Miller  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
County,  Penn. 

Dr.   Charles  C.  Miller  received   his  primary 


892 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


education  in  the  common  scnools.  Losing  his 
father  when  ten  years  of  age,  he  was  then 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  but  with  a 
spirit  of  self-denial  occasionally  bordering  upon 
hardship,  young  Miller  worked  his  way  through 
school,  first  attending  Jefferson  College  in 
Pennsylvania  and  then  Union  College,  Schen- 
ectady, N.  Y.,  graduating  from  the  latter  when 
twenty-two  years  of  age  Unlike  most  self- 
supported  college  boys,  when  he  completed 
his  course  of  study  he  still  had  left  about 
eighty  dollars  of  his  earnings  for  current  ex- 
penses. Mr.  Miller  began  the  study  of  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Sheridan  Johnston  as  preceptor, 
later  attending  a  course  of  lectures  at  Ann 
Arbor  (Michigan)  University,  which  he  com- 
pleted in  1855,  when  twenty-four  years  of  age. 
In  early  youth  young  Miller  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  hard  manual  labor,  but  as  soon  as 
his  educational  qualifications  would  permit,  he 
engaged  in  teaching,  hisi  first  experience  being 
at  Shelsbury  and  later  at  Johnstown,  Penn. 
Being  possessed  of  an  excellent  voice,  he  also 
taught  vocal  music  at  Johnstown  and  many 
other  places.  After  completing  his  course  in 
medicine,  Dr.  Miller  engaged  in  practice  at 
Earlville,  LaSalle  County,  111.,  but  in  July, 
1856,  came  to  Marengo,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  for  about 
one  year.  A  long  and  strenuous  effort  in  ac- 
quiring an  education  had  greatly  impaired 
his  health,  and  thus  being  obliged  to  abandon 
his  profession,  he  was  engaged  at  different 
times  as  clerk,  traveling  salesman,  and  later 
taught  school,  being  principal  of  the  public 
schools  at  Marengo  for  three  years,  and  then, 
for  a  time,  a  teacher  of  instrumental  music. 
For  several  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  office 
of  the  Mason  &  Hamlin  Organ  Company,  and 
in  the  preface  to  "Root's  Curriculum  for  the 
Pianoforte,"  a  work  well  known  in  almost 
every  household  where  music  is  studied,  Dr. 
Miller  is  given  credit  for  "much  important 
aid"  to  the  author  in  the  preparation  of  this 
work.  He  prepared  mfuch  of  the  department 
of  this  work  devoted  to  fingering,  and  before 
the  manuscript  for  the  entire  volume  was  given 
to  the  printers  for  the  last  time,  Mr.  Root 
submitted  the  revised  proofs  to  Dr.  Miller  for 
final  correction.  Dr.  Miller's  musical  composi- 
tions are  simple  and  delightful,  and  several 
of    his     songs     became     very     popular.       Dr. 


George  F.  Root  (an  able  musical  critic)  refers 
to  his  selections  as  "characteristic  and  good." 
In  1872  Dr.  Miller  was  the  official  agent  of 
the  Cincinnati  Musical  Festival,  conducted  by 
Theodore  Thomas,  and  rendered  valuable  as- 
sistance in  organizing  and  making  a  success 
of  the  undertaking. 

In  1861  Dr.  Miller  became  interested  in  *ee 
culture,  his  wife  about  that  time  having  cap- 
tured a  run-away  swarm  of  bees  in  a  sugar 
barrel.  He  soon  began  to  make  a  study  of 
bees  and  their  habits,  and  in  1870  began  writing 
articles  on  bee-keeping  for  the  "American  Bee 
Journal,"  and  several  years  later  became  a 
regular  contributor  to  this  and  other  period- 
icals. In  1878  Dr.  Miller  began  to  devote  his 
entire  attention  to  bee-keeping,  and  for  many 
years  kept  from  200  to  400  colonies  in  four 
apiaries,  all  of  which  were  run  for  comb-honey. 
In  1897  the  product  of  Dr.  Miller's  apiaries 
amounted  to  17,150  pounds.  At  the  present 
time  (1903)  he  does  not  keep  so  many  colo- 
nies, but  still  devotes  his  full  time  and  at- 
tention to  bee-keeping  and  contributing  articles 
for  different  bee  journals.  The  Doctor  has 
made  a  life  study  of  bees  and  is  enthusiastic 
in  all  that  pertains  to  his  chosen  pursuit.  He 
is  the  inventor  of  the  "Miller  Feeder,"  the 
"Miller  Tent  Escape"  and  "Miller's  Introduc- 
ing Cage,"  all  of  which  are  extensively  used. 
He  found  bee-keeping  both  pleasant  and  profit- 
able for  many  years,  but  for  some  unknown 
reason,  which  has  baffled  the  knowledge, 
skill  and  experience  of  the  best  informed 
apiarists,  honey-bees  have  not  produced  nearly 
so   much   honey   in   recent  years   as   formerly. 

In  1857  Dr.  Miller  was  married  at  Marengo, 
McHenry  County,  to  Mrs.  Helen  White,  widow 
of  Thomas  White,  and  they  were  the  parents 
of  one  son,  Charles  C,  who  enlisted  in  the 
Regular  United  States  Infantry  and  served 
through  the  Spanish-American  War.  He  is 
now  a  clerk  in  the  Adjutant  General's  Office, 
Washington,  D.  C.  Mrs.  Miller  died  in  tha 
spring  of  1880,  and  the  Doctor  married  for 
his  second  wife  Miss  Sidney  Wilson,  daughter 
of  John  and  Margaret  Wilson.  (See  sketch 
of  John  Wilson  in  this  volume).  In  religious 
belief  he  is  a  Presbyterian,  having  joined 
the  Presbyterian  church  at  Delhi,  N.  Y.,  in 
1853,  being  then  twenty-two  years  of  age.  He 
is    Chairman    of    the    Presbyterian    Committee 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


893 


on  Sunday  School  work,  Chairman  of  Young 
People's  work,  and  President  of  the  Second 
District  of  the  State  Sunday  School  Associa- 
tion. In  political  opinions  he  is  one  of  the 
original  Prohibitionsts  of  McHenry  County, 
heing  at  the  present  time  a  firm  adherent 
of  that  party  and  a  strong  advocate  of  the 
temperance  cause.  He  hap  always  been  a 
friend  of  education  and  has  served  at  dif- 
ferent times  on  the-  Marengo  School  Board. 


THE  MOSES  FAMILY. 

This  family  traces  its  lineage  In  direct  line 
of  descent  from  John  Moses,  who  came  from 
England  to  America  and  settled  in  Plymouth 
Colony  between  1630  and  1640.  Being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  of  England,  he  was  not  in 
sympathy  with  the  religious  views  of  the 
Puritans  of  that  period.  As  early  as  1639 
he  had  established  a  ship-yard  at  Duxbury, 
Mass.,  for  the  building  of  boats  and  small 
sea-going  vessels.  He  had  some  capital  be- 
sides tools  for  working  both  iron  and  wood, 
and  his  old  anvil,  brought  with  him  from 
England,  has  been  handed  down  in  the  family 
to  the  present  day,  and  was  on  exhibition  at 
Philadelphia  in  1876. 

John  Moses,  the  second  of  the  name  and  son 
of  the  preceding,  of  Windsor  and  Simsbury, 
Conn.,  was  a  man  of  property  and  prominent 
in  the  making  of  treaties  and  the  transaction 
of  other  matters  of  business  with  the  Indians 
of  that  day.  He  settled  at  Windsor,  Conn., 
in  1647  and,  on  May  18,  1653,  was  married  to 
Mary  Brown.  Like  his  father  before  him,  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England. 
He  was  a  man  of  bold  and  adventurous  spirit 
and,  four  years  after  his  marriage,  was  en- 
rolled  under  Capt.  John  Mason  of  Windsor,  the 
idol  of  that  part  of  New  England  at  that  day. 
He  was  for  a  time,  also,  captain  of  a  troop 
of  thirty  mounted  cavalry,  and  was  subject  to 
frequent  calls  to  suppress  disturbances  and 
fight  Indians,  who  greatly  outnumbered  the 
whites  in  the  vicinity  of  Windsor.  His  prop- 
erty at  Simsbury  was  swept  away  by  the  burn- 
ing of  that  town  by  the  Indians,  on  March 
26,  1676.  This  occurred  on  the  Sabbath  'Jay, 
when  the  people  were  absent  from  their 
homes  attending  church.  A  band  of  King 
Philip's  warriors  suddenly  made  their  appear- 


ance, and  rushing  through  the  deserted  town, 
applied  the  torch  as  they  went  to  the  thatched 
roofs  of  the  pioneer  homes,  and  forty  houses, 
together  with  barns  and  other  buildings,  were 
destroyed.  Fences,  farming  utensils,  farm  pro- 
duce and  provisions  were  gathered  into  heaps 
and  burned  by  the  marauders,  the  destruction 
being  so  complete  that  not  a  single  building 
was  left.  John  Moses,  with  his  two  sons, 
Thomas  and  William,  were  in  the  "swamp 
fight"  in  1675,  against  King  Philip,  who  died 
a  year  afterwards  from  the  effect  of  wounds 
then  received.  When  not  engaged  in  fighting 
Indians,  John  Moses  was  employed  in  build- 
ing grist,   saw  and   cider-mills.     He  died  Oct. 

14,  1683.      His  children  were:  John,  born  June 

15,  1654,  died  August  31,  1714;  William,  born 
Sept.  1,  1656,  died  Nov.  27,  1681;  Thomas, 
born  Jan.  14,  1658,  died  July  29,  1681;  Mary, 
born  May  13,  1661;  Sarah,  born  February  2. 
1662;  Nathaniel;  Dorcas;  Margaret,  born  Dec. 
2,  1666;  Timothy,  born  in  February,  1670; 
Martha,  born  March  8,  1672,  died  Jan.  30,  1689; 
Mindwell,  born  Dec.  13,  1676,  died  Jan.  6,  1677. 

John  Moses  (3),  son  of  John  (2),  settled  on 
his  father's  farm  in  Simsbury,  Conn.,  near 
Mt.  Philip,  and  married  Debora  Thrall,  July 
14,  1680,  and  they  had  children  as  follows: 
John,  born  April  26,  1681;  Debora  (1),  bora 
Oct.  1,  1682,  died  in  1683;  William,  born  March 
25,  1684,  died  July  14,  1745;  Thomas,  bora  May 
8,  1685;  Joshua,  born  Oct.  3,  1689,  died  Feb. 
6,  1773;  Debora  (2),  born  Jan.  12,  1691;  Caleb 
(1),  born  Aug.  1,  1694,  died  Nov.  23,  1697; 
Othniel,  born  Jan.  10,  1696,  died  March  18, 
1697;  Moses,  son  of  John,  baptized  Nov.  14, 
1697;  Caleb  (2),  born  Jan.  4,  1698,  died  M^rch 
21,  1787;  Othniel  (2),  born  Sept.  6,  1701,  bap- 
tized Sept.  7,  died  Sept.  11,  1701;  Mary,  born 
Sept.  1,  1702;   Martha,  born  in  1705. 

Caleb  Moses,  of  the  fourth  genration,  the 
son  of  John  (3),  lived  at  I.undburg  to  a  great 
age.  dying  according  to  the  family  record 
March  21,  1787.  He  was  married  Sept.  15, 
1726,  to  Hannah  Beaman.  He  was  a  man  of 
note  in  the  community  and,  among  the  family 
papers,  is  a  commission  showing  that  he  held 
the  offices  of  Constable  and  Collector  by  ap- 
pointment under  the  British  crown.  He 
owned  the  old  home  farm  of  his  grandfather 
on  Mt.  Philip,  to  which  he  had  made  additions 
l"-   "--"base  Jn  the  valley.       The  children  of 


894 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Caleb  and  Hannah  (Beaman)  Moses  were  born 
as  follows:  Caleb,  Feb.  18,  1728,  died  Feb.  18, 
1773;  Daniel,  June  22,  1729,  died,  'Sept.  8,  1776, 
while  serving  in  the  Revolutionary  army;  Abel, 
June  24,  1733;  Ashbel,  Dec.  6,  1735;  Michael, 
Sept.  12,  1737,  died  March  14,  1797;  Lucy,  May 
9,  1740. 

Daniel  Moses,  the  son  of  Caleb,  and  belonging 
to  the  fifth  generation  of  the  family,  married 
Mary  Wilcox,  who  was  born  in  1732  and  died 
in  1816.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Azariah 
Wilcox.  Daniel  removed  from  the  old  parish 
to  West  Simsbury  about  the  year  1756,  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and  died  in  New  York 
while  in  the  service,  Sept.  8,  1776.  His 
children  were:  Roger,  born  Feb.  13,  1767, 
died  1828;  Zebina,  born  April  15,  1764,  died 
Nov.  23,  1815;  Lois;  Hannah;  Charlotte;  Sybil, 
and   Mary. 

Zebina  Moses,  the  son  of  Daniel,  and  rep- 
resentative of  the  sixth  generation,  lived  in 
Simsbury,  Conn.,  and  married  Theodosia  Curtis, 
daughter  of  Eliphalet  Curtis,  who  represented 
Simsbury  in  the  General  Assembly  of  1780. 
The  wife  of  Zebina  Moses  was  a  woman  of  rare 
energy  and  ability.  She  died  at  Marcellus, 
N.  Y.,  Aug.  29,  1850.  Brown,  in  his  history, 
states  that  "the  families  which  have  borne 
the  name  of  Curtis  were  among  tne  most  prom- 
inent in  West  Simsbury  the  latter  part  of  the 
last  century."  The  children  of  this  family 
were:  Zebina,  born  Feb.  13,  1786,  died  Dec. 
30,  1843;  Linus,  born  Feb.  18,  1789,  died  March 
24,  1834;  Pliny,  born  April  23,  1791,  died  Feb. 
19,  1792;  Curtis,  born  Dec.  27,  1792,  died  April 
21,  1862;  Theodosia,  born  July  14,  1795,  died 
Sept.  27,  1863;  Charlotte,  born  July  19,  1797, 
died  July  8,  1844;  Chester,  born  Sept.  16,  1800; 
died  May  3,  1870;  Horace,  born  July  3,  1803, 
died  January  3,  1840;  Myron  ,born  May  11, 
1805,  date  of  death  unknown;  Pluma,  born 
Nov.  8,  1807,  died  Jan.  7,  1851;  Elvira,  born 
Oct.  18,  1810,  died  Nov.  27,  1883. 

Zebina  Moses  (2),  son  of  Zebina,  and  repre- 
sentative of  the  seventh  generation  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  family,  removed  from 
Simsbury,  Conn.,  to  Marcellus,  N.  Y.,  about 
1816.  He  had  been  a  blacksmith  and,  in  part- 
nership with  his  uncle,  Israel  Curtis,  estab- 
lished a  shop  in  Marcellus  for  forging  plow- 
irons.      In  1827  he  owned  450  acres  of  farming 


lands.  His  house  became  the  temporary 
home  of  his  brothers,  sisters  and  other  rel- 
atives as  they  came  from  Connecticut  until 
they  could  find  a  satisfactory  location.  He 
was  noted  for  his  great  strength,  was  a  good 
liver,  and.  supplied  his  table  generously  with 
early  vegetables  and  game,  and  had  arrange- 
ments for  obtaining  shell-fish  from  Connect- 
icut. His  farming  operations  required  the  em- 
ployment of  many  men.  Cider  was  the  com- 
mon drink  of  that  period,  and  the  story  goes 
that  fifty  barrels  of  this  beverage  were  some- 
times consumed  annually  at  his  table.  He 
was  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school  and  dressed 
in  the  fashion  of  the  day,  in  a  blue  coat  with 
brass  buttons,  and  drove  with  his  family  in 
his  carriage  to  the  Episcopal  church,  of  which 
he  was  a  warden.  Fraternally  he  was  identi- 
fied with  the  order  of  Free  Masons.  He  was 
married  in  November,  1808,  to  Jane  Grimes, 
who  was  born  March  22,  1791,  the  daughter 
of  Capt.  Moses  Grimes,  of  (Salisbury,  Conn. 
Her  mother  was  a  Judson  and  her  grand- 
mother a  Clark.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Zebina  Moses  were:  Cynthia,  born  March  11, 
1810,  died  April  22,  1811;  Gad,  born  in  Sims- 
bury, Conn.,  May  3,  1812,  died  March  9,  1890; 
Guy,  born  in  Simsbury,  Nov.  18,  1813;  Job, 
born  in  Simsbury,  Aug.  30,  1815,  died  July  26, 
1887;  Dan,  born  in  Marcellus,  N.  Y.,  March 
17,  1819,  died  Aug.  27,  1889;  Amoret,  born 
Sept.  22,  1825;  Rebecca  Jane,  born  July  23, 
1828;   Pluma  Elvira,  born  Dec.  2,  1830. 

Gad  Moses  (deceased),  born  in  Simsbury, 
Conn.,  May  3,  1812,  the  son  of  Zebina  and 
Jane  (Grimes)  Moses,  removed  with  his  par- 
ents while  still  a  child  to  Marcellus,  N.  Y., 
where  he  received  a  comimon  New  England 
education  and  grew  up  to  the  life  of  a  farmer. 
He  was  twice  married;  first,  on  Nov.  26,  1836, 
to  Delana  Hovey,  who  died  at  Marcellus,  N. 
Y.,  May  5,  1843.  His  second  marriage  occur- 
red May  14,  1844,  to  Catharine  Fury,  born  in 
Ireland,  Aug.  26,  1822,  the  daughter  of  Richard 
and  Margaret  (Berry)  Fury.  Her  father  came 
with  his  family  from  Ireland  to  America  on 
account  of  his  health,  and  died  aged  about 
fifty  years.  His  children  were:  Henry,  Rich- 
ard, John  W.,  Margaret,  Jane,  Catharine  and 
William.  Mr.  Fury  was  a  bookkeeper  and 
came  of  a  good  family. 

After  marriage   Gad   Moses   settled   at   Mar- 


^^^%^^^7 


^hpc. 


J»  ^^U^^     sT^^z^^p 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


895 


cellus,  N.  Y.,  on  a  farm  given  him  by  his 
father,  who  was  a  man  of  wealth  for  that 
period.  His  first  wife  having  died,  as  already 
stated,  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  in 
1843,  and  bought  land  in  Greenwood  Town- 
ship, where  he  finally  owned  several  hundred 
acres.  Mrs.  Moses  (then  Miss  Furyj.  came  to 
McHenry  County  in  1836  with  Bela  H.  Tryon 
and  family.  Dr.  W.  Hale,  who  married  her 
sister  Margaret,  came  west  with  the  party, 
bringing  his  family  with  him,  and  settled  nine 
miles  from  Milwaukee,  where  he  practiced 
his  profession  for  many  years.  He  died  re- 
cently in  Iowa  at  an  advanced  age.  Mrs. 
Moses  resided  with  the  family  of  Dr.  Hale, 
but  made  occasional  visits  to  the  Tryon  family 
in  Hebron  Township,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tryon 
called  her  "daughter,"  while  she  called  them 
"Uncle  Bela"  and  "Aunt  Harriet."  She  had 
received  a  common-school  education  before 
coming  west.  While  at  church  at  Hebron  dur- 
ing a  visit  upon  the  Tryon  family,  she  met  Mr. 
Moses  for  the  first  time.  He  had  driven  from 
New  York  State  with  his  team  and  carriage, 
which  was  the  first  fine  carriage  furnished 
with  cushions,  in  that  part  of  McHenry  County. 
The  second  time  Mrs.  Moses  rode  with  her 
future  husband,  the  horses  ran  away.  After 
their  marriage  they  settled  in  Greenwood 
Township,  where  they  had  a  fine  home  near 
the  church.  In  his  younger  days  Mr.  Moses 
was  an  Episcopalian — the  faith  of  his  fore- 
fathers— but  later  in  life,  through  his  associa- 
tion with  Mr.  Bela  Tryon,  he  became  a  Uni- 
versalist.  Mrs.  Moses  attends  the  Presbyterian 
church.  In  politics  Mr.  Moses  was  a  Repub- 
lican. He  had  one  son,  Grove,  who  served  in 
the  Civil  War,  a  member  of  Company  K,  One 
Hundred  Forty-first  Regiment  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  and  who  died  at  his  home  in 
consequence  of  exposure  during  his  army  life. 
Late  in  life  Mr.  Moses  suffered  from  a  long 
and  distressing  illness  extending  over  a  period 
of  more  than  five  years,  during  which  he  was 
tenderly  cared  for  by  his  faithful  and  devoted 
wife.  His  decease  occurred  March  9,  1890. 
In  his  younger  days  Mr.  Moses  was  an  ener- 
getic and  successful  business  man,  and  added 
to  the  property  given  to  him,  by  his  father,  in 
spite  of  some  reverses  in  later  life  becoming 
a  wealthy  man.  He  was  just  and  honest  in 
his   business   transactions,    a   kind    father,    an 


affectionate  and  devoted  husband,  and,  as  a 
citizen,  had  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
best  people  in  the  community  in  which  he  had 
resided  over  forty  years. 

By  his  first  marriage,  Mr.  Moses  had  two 
children:  Mary  A.,  born  in  Marcellus,  N.  Y., 
Sept.  26,  1837,  and  Grove,  who  died  in  infancy. 
The  children  of  the  second  marriage  were: 
Delana,  born  in  Greenwood,  111.,  May  15,  1845; 
Grove  (2),  born  June  21,  1847,  became  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  War  and  died  Oct.  24,  1869; 
William  H.,  born  Jan.  1,  1851;  Frances  A., 
born  Dec.  25,  1853,  died  March  5,  1855;  Jennie 
Belle,  born  May  25,  1857,  died  1890.  Mary  A. 
married  at  Marengo,  111.,  Aug.  29,  1854,  Wil- 
lard  D.  Paine.  Delana  married  at  Buffalo,  N. 
Y.,  Feb.  26,  1863,  Charles  H.  Rathbon.  Both 
are  now  deceased.  Jennie  Belle  married  June 
12,  1883,  Harry  H.  Chittenden,  but  died,  as  al- 
ready stated,  in  1880.  William  H.  married 
July  5,  1887,  Maude  Mason,  and  is  now  a  suc- 
cessful merchant  at  Russell,  Kans.  He  has 
one  daughter,  Marguerite. 

Mrs.  Moses  is  one  of  the  very  few  pioneers 
still  surviving  who  came  to  McHenry  County 
as  early  as  1836,  and  she  relates  many  inter- 
esting incidents  connected  with  that  period 
and  of  the  kind  of  life  which  the  scattered 
families  in  that  section  then  lived.  She  re- 
members some  of  the  Indians  who  were  ac- 
customed to  visit  that  region  for  some  years 
after  the  country  had  been  occupied  by  the 
whites.  She  has  been  an  effectionate  mother 
to  her  children,  and  was  a  faithful  and  de- 
voted wife  to  her  husband.  At  an  advanced 
age,  although  enfeebled  by  impaired  health, 
she  retains  her  mental  faculties  in  a  surpris- 
ing degree  to  the  gratification  of  a  large  circle 
of  friends. 


HENRY    W.    MEAD. 

Henry  W.  Mead  (deceased)  was  the  first  set 
tier  in  Hebron  Township,  and,  assisted  by  his 
brother,  Cyrus  L.,  platted  Hebron  Village 
Born  on  a  farm  in  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  May 
10,  1823,  he  was  the  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Anna 
(Cline)  Mead.  His  educational  advantages 
consisted  of  several  years'  attendance  at  the 
district  school  and  one  term  in  an  academy  at 
Belleville,  N.  Y.  Being  raised  on  a  farm, 
he    was    early    initiated    into    the    routine    of 


896 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


farm-labor,  and,  while  still  a  youth,  engaged 
to  work  on  a  farm  for  nine  dollars  a  month. 
In  addition  to  his  regular  farm-work  Mr.  Mead 
milked  nine  cows  every  night  and  morning. 
In  1844,  when  about  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
he  came  west,  arriving  at  Kenosha  (then 
Southport),  Wis.,  Oct.  30,  of  the  same  year, 
whence  he  came  direct  to  Richmond,  McHenry 
County,  having  then  a  capital  of  $96  in  gold 
and  silver.  The  following  winter  he  engaged 
to  teach  school  at  Bloomfield,  Wis.,  and  the 
next  summer  broke  prairie  land  in  company 
with  Barney  Burdick,  using  for  this  purpose 
seven  to  nine  yoke  of  oxen.  Mr.  Mead's  first 
purchase  of  land  was  in  the  fall  of  1845,  near 
Sheboygan,  Wis.,  but  in  1848  he  made  a  sec- 
ond purchase  near  Bloomfield,  in  the  same 
State.  In  the  spring  of  1850,  after  recovering 
from  a  severe  spell  of  sickness,  he  started  for 
California  in  company  with  Barney  Burdick, 
Edward  Purdy  and  Charles  McConnell,  making 
an  overland  journey  from  Richmond  with  two 
teams  of  horses  and  two  wagons.  They 
crossed  the  Mississippi  River  at  Savannah, 
passed  near  DeWitt,  Iowa,  and  on  May  10 
crossed  the  Missouri  River  at  Council  Bluffs, 
Iowa,  arriving  at  Fort  Larimie,  June  6;  Salt 
Lake  City,  July  4,  and  at  Hangtown  (now 
Placerville),  Cal.,  August  14,  where  he  engaged 
in  placer-mining  for  eighteen  months  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Burdick,  meeting  with  good 
success.  On  his  return  to  Illinois  he  walked 
across  the  Isthmus  from  Panama  to  Gorgona, 
and  then  proceeded  in  a  bungalow  to  Chagres, 
where  he  boarded  a  steamer.  He  stopped  at 
Acapulco  and  arrived  at  Havana,  Jan.  1,  1852, 
remaining  there  four  days,  then  he  proceeded 
to  New  Orleans,  and  up  the  Mississippi  River 
to  Memphis,  arriving  at  his  New  York  home 
May  6,  1852,  where  he  remained  until  the  fol- 
lowing autumn.  In  1853,  in  company  with 
his  brother  Cyrus  L.  Mead,  he  purchased  350 
acres  of  land  where  the  village  of  Hebron  is 
now  located,  and,  in  1860,  had  it  surveyed  and 
platted  into  village  lots.  Mr.  M.  S.  Goodsell 
erected  the  first  house  and  store  on  the  sur- 
veyed tract.  After  the  completion  of  the  rail- 
road through  that  section,  Mr.  Mead  built  the 
present  depot,  and  for  eighteen  years  acted 
as  station  agent,  at  the  same  time  attending 
to  his  own  business  as  a  dealer  in  genera! 
merchandise  and  lumber,  in  which  he  estab- 


lished a  large  trade,  for  a  time  his  sales  aver- 
aging $45,000  annually.  In  political  views 
Mr.  Mead  was  a  stanch  Republican.  In  1858 
he  was  elected  Town  Clerk  and  served  contin- 
uously in  that  office  until  1881.  He  also  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Town  Treas- 
urer, Township  Supervisor  and  Notary  Pub- 
lic, serving  in  each  official  capacity  for  many 
years.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  Hebron 
Lodge  No.  604,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  a  member  of 
Woodstock  Chapter  No.  36  R.  A.  M.,  and  Cal- 
vary Commandery  No.  25,  K.  T.  In  1868  Mr. 
Mead  built  a  factory  for  the  benefit  of  the 
dairy  farmers  in  his  community  and,  at  one 
time,  this  factory  produced  an  average  of  1300 
pounds  of  cheese  per  day. 

January  22,  1862,  Mr.  Mead  was  married  to 
Ann  M.  Turner,  who  was  born  in  Hamburg, 
Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  7,  1828,  and  they  were 
the  parents  of  three  children — Frank,  Minnie, 
and  Emma  C. — all  of  whom,  except  Emma  C, 
are  deceased.  Mrs.  Mead  died  August  22.  1884, 
after  a  lingering  illness,  during  which  she  was 
an  uncomplaining  sufferer.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Ira  and  Catherine  Maria  (Parme- 
lee)  Turner.  Ira  Turner  was  born  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  Nov.  24,  1800,  and  his  wife, 
Catherine  Parmelee,  at  Fairfax,  Vt,  Feb.  23, 
1801.  They  came  west  in  1842,  and  settled  in 
Walworth  County,  Wis.  After  the  death  of  his 
first  wife,  Mr.  Mead  was  married  on  May  3, 
1886,  to  her  sister,  Eliza  Turner,  who  was  born 
July  3,  1833.  In  1884  Mr.  Mead  united  with  the 
Methodist  church  and  was  ever  afterwards  a 
liberal  contributor  to  the  support  of  the  church 
in  his  community,  and  held  the  office  of  stew- 
ard and  trustee.  He  donated  the  land  and 
built  upon  it  the  present  parsonage,  which 
is  one  of  the  best  in  the  conference.  Mr. 
Mead  was  always  ready  to  aid  every  good 
cause  and  his  life  was  in  every  respect  exem- 
plary. 

Emma  C.  (Mead)  Merry,  the  only  surviving 
child  of  Henry  W.  and  Ann  M.  (Turner)  Mead, 
was  born  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Hebron. 
111.,  Sept.  20,  1869.  She  attended  the  public 
school  and  graduated  from  the  high  school  in 
June,  1887.  August  14,  1888,  she  was  married 
in  Hebron,  111.,  to  M.  W.  Merry,  who  was  born 
in  Chemung  Township,  McHenry  County,  Jan. 
6,  1862,  the  son  of  Waterman  and  Pleiades 
(Wilkinson)   Merry.     Mr.  Merry  remained  un- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


897 


der  the  parental  roof  until  twelve  years  ago, 
when  he  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  his  uncle's 
store — firm  of  Groesbeck  &  Williams,  Harvard, 
111.,  where  he  remained  until  1884,  in  the  mean- 
time attending  the  Harvard  city  schools  and  the 
high  school  at  Aurora,  111.  In  the  fall  of 
1885,  Mr.  Merry  established  a  drug  store  of 
his  own  in  Hebron,  111.,  where  he  still  con- 
tinues in  business.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican and  is  serving  his  second  term  as 
Postmaster  at  Hebron,  having  received  his 
first  appointment  in  1897.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order  and  I.  O.  O. 
F.  of  Hebron.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merry  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Nina  Ann,  born  July  25,  1889;  Clifton  Henry, 
born  Feb.  13,  1892,  and  Celia  Florence,  born 
March  21,  1897. 


ANDREW    WILSON    MURPHY. 

Andrew  Wilson  Murphy,  pioneer  settler  and 
farmer,  Greenwood,  McHenry  County,  111.,  is 
descended  from  Gaelic  ancestry,  dating  back 
in  its  American  history  to  the  pre-revolution- 
ary  period.  Patrick  Murphy,  the  founder  of 
the  family  in  America,  and  grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  County 
Cork,  Ireland,  and  is  believed  to  have  come  to 
America  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  before 
the  Revolution,  although  the  exact  date  is  not 
known.  He  was  married  in  Virginia  to  Nancy 
James,  who  was  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion, 
but  of  Welsh  ancestry.  They  settled  in  Brax- 
ton County,  now  in  West  Virginia,  before  the 
Revolutionary  War,  in  what  was  then  a  wilder- 
ness region  with  a  few  hunters  as  the  only 
settlers.  Patrick  Murphy  became  a  hunter, 
but  improved  a  farm  and  erected  upon  it  sub- 
stantial log-buildings.  The  country  was 
mountainous  and  still  occupied  by  Indians, 
while  bear  and  other  wild  game  made  it  a 
hunter's  paradise.  Mr.  Murphy  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Indian  wars,  and  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tle at  Point  Pleasant,  fought  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Kanawha  and  Ohio  Rivers,  Oct.  10,  1774, 
in  which  1,100  Virginians  and  nearly  1,000  In- 
dians were  engaged,  resulting  in  the  defeat  of 
the  latter.  The  historian  Bancroft  speaks  of 
this  battle  as  the  most  bloody  and  best  contest 
in  the  annals  of  Indian  warfare. 

Patrick  Murphy  and  wife  were  the  parents 
of   children   named:  William,   David,   Thomas 


John,  James,  Rebecca,  Nancy,  Polly  and 
Peggy.  The  father  reared  his  family  there  in 
the  primitive  simplicity  of  pioneer  life,  and 
died  on  his  farm  about  1821,  aged  seventy 
years,  his  funeral  being  yet  remembered  by 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  John  J.  Murphy, 
of  this  family,  who  became  the  father  of 
Andrew  W.,  grew  up  on  the  frontier  at  a  time 
when,  as  the  old  hunters  expressed  it,  the 
country  was  "all  woods,  Indians  and  other 
varmints,"  but  somehow  learned  to  read.  Like 
his  father,  he  was  a  hunter  and  a  farmer,  and 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  time,  carried 
his  rifle  with  him  at  all  times,  not  excepting 
Avhen  going  to  church.  At  the  time  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  he  was  too  young  to  be- 
come a  soldier  but,  in  his  time,  killed  many  a 
bear,  panther  and  wolf,  and  often  made  in- 
cursions into  the  forest  for  deer.  John  J. 
Murphy  married  Lovica  Wilson,  who  was  born 
in  Greenbrier  County,  Va.,  (now  West  Vir- 
ginia), a  year  or  two  after  her  husband,  and 
was  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Susan  Wilson. 
Robert  Wilson  was  of  a  colonial  family  ot 
Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  born  in  Southern 
Virginia.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mur- 
phy settled  on  Elk  River  in  Braxton  County, 
two  miles  from  his  father's  home.  Here  he 
opened  up  a  farm  and,  by  industry  and 
prudent  management,  became  the  owner  of  a 
farm  of  300  acres.  He  enlisted  for  the  War  of 
1812,  but  saw  no  actual  service,  as  the  war 
soon  closed.  In  political  opinion  he  was  a 
Whig.  His  children  were:  Owen  J..  Andrew 
Wilson,  Felicity,  George  W.,  Robert  W.,  Jane, 
Nancy,  Melvina,  Susie  and  Fannie.  John  J. 
Murphy  died  on  his  farm  aged  about  sixty- 
three  years. 

Andrew  Wilson  Murphy,  the  second  son  of 
this  family  and  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  April  3,  1816,  on  the  Braxton 
County  farm  in  West  Virginia,  and  received  a 
meager  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
that  region  and  period,  working  on  the  farm 
in  the  summer  and  attending  school  during 
three  months  in  the  winter  for  a  few  terms. 
He  also  obtained  an  inkling  of  the  blacksmith 
trade,  working  in  his  father's  shop,  and  fol- 
lowed this  business  for  some  years.  October 
10,  1839,  he  was  married  in  his  native  State  to 
Caroline  Squires,  who  was  born  in  Braxton 
County,  two  years  his  junior,  the  daughter  of 
Elijah    and    Betsy    (Gibson)    Squires.       Elijah 


398 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Squires  was  of  an  old  Virginia  family  from 
whom  lie  had  inherited  slaves;  but  having 
embraced  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  church 
(in  which  he  became  a  class-reader),  he  dis- 
posed of  all  but  two  of  his  slaves.  These  he 
would  have  freed  but  for  a  State  law  which 
required  him  to  give  bond,  making  him  re- 
sponsible for  their  conduct  and  their  main- 
tenance if  they  should  become  a  public  charge. 
Consequently  he  was  gratified  when  they  were 
freed  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  Presi- 
dent  Lincoln's    Emancipation    Proclamation. 

In  183S  previous  to  his  marriage  Andrew  W. 
Murphy,  in  company  with  his  brother  Owen 
J.,  made  a  visit  to  Iowa.  Leaving  home  on 
Oct.  3,  they  made  the  journey  on  horseback, 
crossing  the  Mississippi  River  at  Fort  Madi- 
son, and  reaching  a  point  fourteen  miles  west, 
where  they  spent  ten  days  visiting  friends  who 
had  emigrated  from  the  vicinity  of  their  home 
in  West  Virginia,  one  of  these  being  a  Mr. 
George  Berry.  Then  returning  eastward  they 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  reaching  the 
site  of  Mr.  Murphy's  present  farm  on  Nov.  19, 
1838.  This  land  had  been  taken  up  under 
"Squatters'  Rights'  by  Almon  Stone,  who  sold 
his  claim  assumed  to  cover  two  sections,  to 
the  Murphy  brothers  for  $150.  There  was  a 
log  building  on  the  claim,  one  end  of  which 
was  set  in  a  hill-side  and  having  a  wooden 
chimney.  About  ten  acres  of  the  land  had 
been  broken.  When  the  land  came  into  mar- 
ket the  brothers  were  able  to  purchase  only 
240  acres,  in  order  to  do  so  being  compelled, 
in  addition  to  $100  which  they  procured  in 
West  Virginia,  to  obtain  a  loan  of  $240  at  the 
rate  of  25  per  cent  per  annum.  The  Murphy 
brothers  being  then  single,  spent  their  first 
winter  in  McHenry  County  with  Nathan  Du- 
field,  who  had  been  a  neighbor  of  theirs  in 
West  Virginia.  In  June  of  the  next  year,  An- 
drew W.  Murphy  returned  to  West  Virginia 
in  Company  with  Cottle  and  Alan  Dufield,  the 
party  making  the  journey  of  500  miles  with 
two  horses  and  a  "carry-all"  in  a  period  of 
three  weeks. 

In  the  early  spring  after  their  marriage  in 
October,  1839,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  W.  Murphy 
started  by  wagon  for  McHenry  County,  arriv- 
ing March  28,  1840.  Settling  in  the  log-house 
on  the  claim  which  the  brothers  had  bought, 
they  began  life  as  farmers,  some  years  after- 
wards erecting  a   frame   house  which   is   still 


standing.  The  brothers  managed  the  farm  for 
five  years  in  partnership,  when  they  divided  it. 
Andrew  W.  added  to  his  portion  until  he  was 
the  owner  of  268  acres  in  the  home  farm,  be- 
sides forty  acres  near  Woodstock  and  a  tract 
of  the  same  size  near  Harvard.  At  different 
times  he  has  been  the  owner  of  120  acres  in 
Minnesota,  640  acres  in  Missouri  and  400 
acres  in  West  Virginia,  but  has  now  disposed 
of  all  his  real  estate  except  his  home  farm, 
consisting  of  188  acres. 

Mr.  Murphy  began  his  political  life  as  an 
old-line  Whig,  casting  his  first  Presidential 
vote  for  William  Henry  Harrison  in  1840,  but 
on  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party, 
allied  himself  with  Abraham  Lincoln  in  sup- 
port of  the  principles  of  that  party.  Having 
joined  the  Methodist  church  in  his  native 
State  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  after  com- 
ing to  McHenry  County,  he  became  one  of  the 
founders  and  builders  of  the  Methodist  church 
at  Queen  Anne,  and  has  also  been  a  liberal 
supporter  of  the  church  at  Greenwood,  of 
which  he  has  been  one  of  the  chief  pillars.  He 
has  filled  the  office  of  class-leader  and,  for  sev- 
eral years,  has  been  a  Steward  of  the  church. 
Mr.  Murphy's  children  are:  John  W.,  Elijah 
B.,  Norton,  Asa,  Robert  F.,  Perry,  Charles, 
Mary,  Caroline  and  Etta.  Of  kindly  heart  and 
consistent  Christian  character,  he  has  carried 
his  religion  into  his  daily  life.  He  is 
emphatically  what  may  be  called  a  "self-made 
man,"  who  has  gained  a  competency  by  in- 
dustrious habits,  frugality  and  strictly  honest 
methods,  and  enjoys  the  respect  which  right- 
fully belongs  to  the  sturdy  pioneer  and  the 
consistent  Christian  citizen. 


HENRY  B.  MINIER. 
Henry  B.  Minier  is  one  of  the  pioneers  and 
early  merchants  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County, 
who  has  passed  many  years  of  his  life  as  pro- 
prietor of  a  hotel,  having  been  reared  to  that 
pursuit  by  his  father,  who  was  an  old-time 
hotel-keeper.  The  Miniers  were  originally  of 
mixed  French  and  German  ancestry,  the  an- 
cient home  of  the  family  being  on  the  border 
line  between  the  two  nationalities.  The  name 
was  well  known  in  colonial  times  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  there  were  also  Miniers  in  Virginia 
and  in  New  York.  The  great-grandfather  of 
Henry  B.  Minier  was  Abraham  Minier,  who  is 


/■ 


l^^^^x^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


899 


believed  to  have  removed  from  Pennsylvania 
to  New  York  before  the  Revolutionary  War. 
The  son  of  Abraham  Minier  named  Henry, 
was  born  in  Central  New  York,  about  1778, 
and  died  in  Steuben  County  near  the  Pennsyl- 
vania State  line,  where  he  opened  a  farm  in 
the  woods.  His  children  were:  John,  Nancy, 
Sally  and  Ann.  John  Minier,  the  father  of 
Henry  B.,  was  born  Aug.  21,  1808,  in  Steuben 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  inherited  land  from 
his  father  and  became  a  farmer.  He  married 
in  Chemung  County,  Emily  Beard,  who  was 
born  Jan.  26,  1811,  in  Connecticut,  daughter  of 
Solomon  and  Sabra  (Pritchard)  Beard.  Mr. 
Minier  sold  his  farm  about  1835  to  1837,  and 
engaged  in  the  hotel  business  at  Big  Flats, 
Chemung  County,  N.  Y.,  conducting  the  Big 
Flats  Hotel  for  a  number  of  years.  He  bought 
a  farm  here  passing  the  remainder  of  his  days, 
dying  in  1890.  His  children  were:  Henry  B., 
Sarah  F.,  Emma  J.,  Adelaide,  Mary,  Ophelia, 
John  R.  and  Samuel  A.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  a  respected  citizen 
and  served  as  Postmaster  of  Big  Flats  for  sev- 
eral years,  was  Supervisor  of  his  township 
and  a  charter  member  of  the  Big  Flats  Ma- 
sonic Lodge. 

Henry  B.  Minier  was  born  on  the  farm,  June 
27.  1833,  received  a  common-school  education 
and  grew  up  in  the  hotel  at  Big  Flats  which 
his  father  had  taken  in  charge  when  the  son 
was  three  or  four  years  old.  Here  he  assisted 
in  the  hotel  business  and  learned  the  duties  of 
caring  for  guests.  At  eighteen  years  of  age 
he  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  mercantile  estab- 
lishment at  Big  Flats,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1858, 
removed  to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  he  entered  into  the  same  line  of  busi- 
ness in  partnership  with  Charles  R.  Brown, 
one  of  the  pioneer  citizens  and  business  men 
of  Harvard,  their  partnership  continuing  for 
three  years.  August  9,  1860,  he  was  married 
in  Harvard  to  Julia  Ayer,  born  in  Kenosha, 
Wis.,  Sept.  29,  1843,  the  daughter  of  Judge  El 
bridge  Gerry  and  Mary  (Titcomb)  Ayer.  In 
1861  Mr.  Minier  took  charge  of  the  Ayer's 
Hotel  at  Harvard,  and  in  1863,  bought  out  the 
mercantile  business  of  Charles  R.  Brown, 
which  he  conducted  until  1867.  He  then  went 
to  Boone,  Iowa,  where  he  opened  a  railroad 
eating  house,  which  he  conducted  successfully 
several  years,  but  selling  out  this  in  1881,  re- 
turned to  Harvard   and  again  took  charge  of 


the  Ayer's  Hotel,  which  he  operated  for  six 
years.  In  1875  Mr.  Minier  started  the  Harv- 
ard Camp  at  Lake  Geneva,  which  was  con- 
ducted as  a  first-class  eating  house,  but  tn 
1885  he  built  the  Hotel  Minier  at  Geneva  Lake, 
which  is  a'  model  establishment  of  its  kind, 
and  where  he  has  won  a  reputation  as  an  ideal 
host.  By  long  experience,  as  well  as  natural 
adaptation,  Mr.  Minier  is  well  fitted  for  the 
care  of  guests.  Sir  John  Falstaff's  question, 
"Shall  I  not  take  mine  ease  in  mine  inn?" 
would  be  superfluous  in  Hotel  Minier.  In  1896 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minier  built  a  handsome  resi- 
dence in  the  modern  style  of  architecture  in 
Harvard,  which  they  have  furnished  in  excel- 
lent taste,  and  which  bears  all  the  evidence  of 
culture  and  refinement.  In  early  life  he  was 
a  Jacksouian  Democrat  in  political  belief,  but 
in  view  of  the  issues  which  culminated  in  the 
Civil  War,  became  an  adherent  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  Abraham  Lincoln  and  the  Republican 
party.  His  contact  with  men  in  public  life 
has  made  him  a  man  of  broad  views,  and  he 
is  a  believer  in  liberal  principles  and  the  rights 
of  the  common  people.  Fraternally  he  is 
prominently  identified  with  the  Masonic 
Order,  being  now  the  only  surviving  charter 
member  of  Harvard  Lodge,  No.  309,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.;  a  member  of  Harvard  Chapter  No.  91, 
R.  A.  M.;  of  Calvary  Commandery  No.  25,  K. 
T.,  Woodstock,  and  of  Medinah  Temple  An- 
cient Arabic  Order  of  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  Chicago.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
High  Priest  of  the  Harvard  Chapter  for  over 
twenty  consecutive  years.  At  Boone,  Iowa, 
he  Avas  Grand  Standard  Bearer  of  the  Grand 
Commandery  for  two  years.  Among  the  trav- 
eling public  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  for  his 
courtesy  and  consideration,  while  his  natural 
kindness  of  heart  and  genial  temperament 
and  his  devotion  to  what  is  just  and  right,  have 
won  for  him  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
entire  community. 


EDWIN    L.   McAULIFFE,   M.   D. 

Dr.  Edwin  Louis  McAuliffe,  M.  D.,  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  a  leading  physician  of  McHenry 
County,  was  born  in  Seneca  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  Sept.  20,  1855,  the  son  of  Jere- 
miah and  Mary  (O'Brien)  McAuliffe.  Jere- 
miah McAuliffe  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Limerick,    Ireland,    became    a  school  teacher, 


900 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


was  married  in  his  native  country  to 
Mary  O'Brien,  and  came  to  America  in 
the  early  '40s.  Coming  to  McHenry  County 
he  bought  unimproved  land  in  Seneca  Town- 
ship, which  he  improved  from  a  state  of  nature 
and  became  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  of  120 
acres.  He  reared  a  family  of  seven  children 
named  as  follows:  Michael,  William  Henry, 
Edwin  Louis,  Alfred  James,  Francis  George, 
Winfleld  John  and  Mary  Louisa.  The  father, 
Jeremiah  McAuliffe,  was  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  church,  a  great  reader  of  standard 
literature  and  especially  well-versed  in  his- 
tory. Of  broad  views  and  superior  ability,  he 
was,  withal,  a  lover  of  liberty  and  a  patriotic 
citizen  of  the  American  Republic.  He  died 
on  his  farm  in  McHenry  County,  May  30,  1895, 
seventy-five  years  of  age.  Michael,  the  oldest 
son  of  this  family,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Eighth 
Illinois  Cavalry  during  the  Civil  War,  enlisting 
at  eighteen  years  of  age,  was  wounded  in  bat- 
tle and,  for  a  period  of  six  months,  was  a  pris- 
oner in  Libby  Prison. 

Dr.  Edwin  L.  McAuliffe  received  his  early 
training  in  the  public  schools',  supplemented 
by  instruction  received  from  his  father,  who 
was  an  able  teacher,  and  from  other  private 
instructors,  thus  laying  the  foundation  of  a 
good  education.  In  the  meantime,  by  working 
upon  the  farm,  he  acquired  habits  of  practical 
industry  which  have  since  aided  him  in  his 
profession.  In  1879  he  entered  Rush  Medical 
College,  Chicago,  from  which  he  graduated 
and  received  his  diploma  in  1882,  at  the  same 
time  receiving  a  certificate  of  honor  for  strict 
attention  and  efficiency  in  his  studies  ii. 
clinical  and  didactic  lines.  He  then  spent  two 
years  as  a  resident  physician  and  surgeon  in 
the  Michael  Reese  Hospital,  Chicago,  and  in 
1889  received  a  certificate  of  honor  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  service  in  that  institution.  During 
his  last  year  in  Rush  Medical  College,  he  also 
took  a  special  course  in  diseases  of  the  eye 
and  ear  under  the  late  Dr.  Edward  L.  Holmes, 
who  was  an  acknowledged  master  in  that  de- 
partment. He  also  took  a  special  course  un- 
der the  private  instruction  of  E.  Fletcher  In- 
galls,  M.  D.,  in  the  treatment  of  diseases  of 
the  throat  and  chest.  After  retiring  from  the 
Michael  Reese  Hospital,  Dr.  McAuliffe  estab- 
lished an  office  at  the  corner  of  Michigan 
Avenue  and  Twenty-second  Street,  Chicago, 
where  he  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  prac- 


tice. He  remained  here  ten  years,  in  the 
meantime  establishing  for  himself  a  wide 
reputation  as  an  able  and  successful  physician. 

Becoming  worn  out  by  constant  and  arduous 
application  to  his  profession,  Dr.  McAuliffe 
turned  his  attention  to  the  oil  business,  and 
going  to  Sarnia,  Ontario,  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  the  Sarnia  Oil  Company,  which 
was  engaged  in  the  oil-refining  business,  and 
which  he  served  about  two  years  as  Secretary. 
Returning  to  his  old  home  in  Seneca  Township 
at  the  end  of  this  period,  he  bought  260  acres 
of  land  constituting  one  of  the  best  farms  in 
McHenry  County,  which  he  leased  for  some 
years,  but  for  the  past  three  years,  has  man- 
aged in  person  and,  as  a  consequence,  has 
found  his  health  much  improved  by  healthful 
out-door  pursuits.  While  Dr.  McAuliffe  has  not 
sought  practice  in  his  present  location,  it  has 
naturally  come  to  him,  and  he  now  has  all  he 
can  well  attend  to.  He  is  a  life  member  of 
the  American  Medical  Association,  and  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Association  when  it  held  its 
annual  meeting  at  St.  Louis  in  1886.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Medical  Society. 

Dr.  McAuliffe  was  married  at  Sarnia.  On- 
tario, Jan.  10,  1895,  to  Lilian  Maddin,  who  was 
born  at  Towanda,  Pa.,  Oct.  13,  1874,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Davenport  and  Mary  Agnes 
(Norton)  Maddin,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  the 
parents  of  three  beautiful  children:  Edwin 
Louis  Maddin  McAuliffe,  born  Aug.  12,  1897; 
Winfleld  Davenport  Maddin  McAuliffe,  born 
Jan.  1,  1900,  and  Elmo  Norton,  born  Aug.  2, 
1902. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  McAuliffe  are  residing  on  their 
farm  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  simple  pleasures 
of  rural  life,  and  are  bringing  up  their  chil- 
dren in  a  perfectly  natural  manner.  He  be- 
lieves that  healthy  bodies  are  a  product  of 
Nature,  and  that  the  nearer  children  live  in 
accordance  with  natural  laws,  the  more  health- 
ful they  will  be.  His  children  are  clothed  in 
the  lightest  of  cotton  garments,  and  go  bare- 
foot the  year  round,  no  matter  how  cold  the 
weather.  He  does  not  permit  the  use  of  con- 
fections, and  living  natural  lives  on  plain  food, 
his  children  have  enjoyed  perfect  health.  The 
Doctor  has  had  the  advantage  of  the  best 
schools  of  medicine,  with  the  added  experience 
of  hospital  and  general  practice  in  a  large 
city,  and  his  conclusions  are  the  result  of  pro- 
found reasoning  and  careful  observation.    H« 


?k-^^^^^£_ 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


901 


enjoys  in  an  eminent  degree  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

The  Maddin  family,  to  which  Mrs.  McAuliffe 
belongs,  is  of  Irish  descent,  Nathan  Maddin, 
her  grandfather  on  the  paternal  side,  having 
been  a  pioneer  settler  of  Tioga  County,  Pa., 
where  he  was  the  owner  of  mills  and  water- 
power.  He  was  also  a  civil  engineer  and  as 
such  surveyed  the  line  for  one  of  the  first  rail- 
roads constructed  in  that  part  of  the  State, 
and  in  recognition  of  his  service  in  this  enter- 
prise, he  was  presented  with  a  gold  watch 
which  is  still  preserved  in  the  family.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  was  widely  known, 
and  at  one  time  was  a  candidate  for  Congress 
on  the  Democratic  ticket.  He  married  a  Miss 
Davenport,  who  was  of  colonial  New  England 
stock.  Samuel  Davenport  Maddin,  who  is  still 
living,  is  an  inventor  of  considerable  reputa- 
tion, among  the  products  of  his  genius  in  this 
line  being  the  "Maddin  two-wheel  pony- 
binder."  He  also  invented  a  wheat-binder, 
which  was  awarded  the  first  prize  at  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition  at  Philadelphia  in  1876.  He 
now  resides  at  Detroit,  Mich.  His  children 
are:  Lilian.  Samuel,  Leo,  John  and  Helen — 
all  well  educated.  Mrs.  McAuliffe  was  a  pupil 
in  the  Convent  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake  at 
Sarnia,  Ontario,  and  also  at  the  Ursuline  Con- 
vent at  Toledo,  Ohio,  as  well  as  the  high 
school  in  Chicago.  She  is  a  lady  of  culture 
and  has  a  rare  talent  for  music,  being  able  to 
read  at  sight  some  of  the  most  difficult  piecer, 
in  the  repertories  of  the  masters,  including 
such  productions  as  Liszt's  "Rhapsodies"  and 
the  "Hungarian  Fantasie."  She  began  her 
musical  education  at  six  years  of  age  and  has 
enjoyed  the  advantage  of  training  by  some  of 
the  most  eminent  masters.  She  is  an  ac- 
complished performer  on  the  piano. 

Mrs.  McAtuliffe's  mother,  before  marriage, 
was  a  Miss  Mary  Norton,  and  her  father  bailt 
the  first  house  at  Montrose,  Pa. 


HENRY  M.  McOMBER. 
The  family  of  McOmber  in  America  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  extraction  and  was  represented 
in  the  colonies  in  pre-Revolutionary  days.  The 
more  immediate  ancestors  of  Henry  M.  MoOm- 
ber,  of  McHenry,  McHenry  County,  111.,  were 
members  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  John  Mc- 
Omber, father  of    Henry    M.    McOmber,    was 


born  in  Massachusetts,  Nov.  7,  1794,  and  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade.  He  went  with  his  fath- 
er's family  to  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  and  was  there 
married  Jan.  10,  1817,  to  Betsy  Monroe,  born 
Nov.  15,  1800,  a  daughter  of  George  Monroe 
and  of  Scotch  extraction.  After  his  marriage 
he  settled  at  Colesville,  Broome  County,  N.  Y., 
where  his  children  were  born  at  the  dates 
given  below:  Matilda,  Dec.  14,  1818;  Arminda, 
Aug.  12,  1820;  Betsy,  May  2,  1822;  Henry  M., 
Feb.  27,  1825;  John  M.,  April  9,  1828;  Alfred 
E.,  Oct.  11,  1833,  and  Warren  M.,  July  9,  1836. 
In  May,  1837,  he  came  to  Illinois,  bringing  his 
family,  making  his  journey  with  one  two-horse 
team.  He  learned  from  William  Holcomb, 
who  had  returned  to  New  York  from  McHenry 
County,  that  one  Barnum  wanted  a  saw-mill 
built  at  McHenry,  and  crossing  the  Niagara 
River,  he  came  through  Canada  to  Detroit  and 
made  his  way  across  Michigan,  thence 
through  Indiana  and  into  Illinois,  arriving  at 
his  destination  in  June,  1837.  There  was  no 
road  from  Wheeling,  111.,  to  McHenry,  but 
trees  were  marked  with  a  large  "H"  to  desig- 
nate the  line  of  a  little  frequented  highway, 
and  the  cabins  of  the  pioneers  were  far  apart. 
At  McHenry  was  the  little  log  cabin  of  Dr. 
Cristy  G.  Wheeler,  and  Barnum  had  a  log 
shanty  near  where  the  south  end  of  the  mill- 
dam  now  is,  and  owned  the  water  power. 
Brown's  early  tavern  had  not  been  built.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river 'lived  one  Har- 
vey, who  had  settled  there  in  the  spring  of 
1837.  Mr.  McOmber  built  a  log  cabin  near 
Barnum's  and  entered  into  contract  with  Bar- 
num to  build  the  saw-mill.  Salisbury  and 
Owen  built  the  dam.  This  saw-mill,  com- 
pleted in  the  fall  of  1837,  was  the  first  one  in 
McHenry  County.  Mr.  McOmber  worked  at 
his  trade  for  several  years,  during  which  time 
he  built  the  first  frame  house  there  (now  a 
portion  of  the  hotel  of  James  J.  Buck),  the 
Universalist  church  (the  first  house  of  worship 
built  in  the  settlement)  and  many  other  build- 
ings at  and  near  McHenry.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Universalist  church  and 
was  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  township. 
It  having  become  known  that  he  had  been  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  New  York,  he  was 
called  "Squire"  McOmber.  He  died  May  27, 
1824,  in  his  ninetieth  year,  at  the  home  of  his 
son,   Henry   M.   McOmber.     Well  read   in  his- 


902 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tory  and  in  the  Bible,  a  man  of  strong  mind 
and  broad  views,  an  interesting  talker  and  a 
forceful  debater,  he  retained  his  faculties  until 
the  end  of  his  life. 

Henry  M.  McOmber  was  twelve  years  old 
when  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  from  New 
York  State  to  McHenry,  111.  He  attended  the 
first  school  in  McHenry  County,  taught  in 
Brown's  log-tavern  building.  His  text-books 
were  the  English  Reader  and  the  Columbian 
Speller,  and  be  has  kept,  them  to  the  present 
time.  He  states  that  only  one-half  of  the 
building  was  used  as  a  school-house,  and  that 
Brown  kept  a  bar  in  the  other  half.  Later  the 
boy  attended  a  school  kept  by  Rev.  Joel 
Wheeler  in  his  residence,  which  stood  on  the 
site  of  the  house  of  Jacob  Justin.  The  pupils 
at  this  school  were  Emma  Thomas  and  Eliza 
A.  Carr,  who  boarded  with  Mr.  Wheeler,  the 
future  Dr.  H.  T.  Brown,  Webster  and  Allen 
Colby,  and  John  and  Henry  M.  McOmber. 
Early  in  life  Mr.  McOmber  worked  a  leased 
farm,  hut  later  settled  on  eighty  acres  two 
miles  south  of  McHenry,  which  he  improved, 
and  upon  which  he  built  a  good  farm  house. 
In  1855  he  became  a  merchant  at  McHenry. 
He  was  a  Deputy  Sheriff  of  McHenry  County 
under  Sheriffs  Thomas  and  Ellsworth,  was  for 
many  years  Police  Magistrate  at  McHenry, 
and  is  at  this  time  Collector  of  Taxes  for  his 
village.  His  first  Presidential  vote  was  cast 
for  James  K.  Polk.  In  1860,  he  voted  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  and  is  now  an  independent  voter, 
and  has  always  been  an  independent  thinker. 
His  retentive  memory  is  stored  with  many 
reminiscences  of  pioneer  clays.  In  the  fall  of 
1837  he  saw  five  hundred  Indians  camped  in  a 
beautiful  white-oak  grove,  which  then  covered 
the  present  site  of  McHenry.  He  and  other 
boys  of  the  settlement  played  with  the  Indian 
boys,  who  at  first  Avere  amused  at  the  failure 
of  the  white  boys  to  manage  the  unstable 
birch-bark  canoes  of  the  red  men,  but  soon 
many  of  the  white  boys  became  more  expert 
than  the  Indian  lads  themselves.  The  Indians 
were  friendly  when  without  whisky,  but  when 
drunk  some  of 'them  made  hostile  demonstra- 
tions. Once  a  party  of  squaws  were  firing  off 
all  the  guns  they  could  lay  their  hands  on, 
though  they  aimed  at  nothing  in  particular. 
One  Indian,  known  as  Captain  Morgan,  was 
left  behind  by  the  party  and  Mr.  McOmber,  a.3 
a  hoy,  often  went  hunting  with  him.     On  one 


occasion,  when  the  river  was  covered  with 
thin  ice,  they  tracked  seven  deer  to  a  point  a 
short  distance  north  of  McHenry,  where  the 
animals  attempted  to  cross  the  river,  but 
broke  through  the  ice  and  tried  to  regain  the 
shore.  Captain  Morgan  and  the  boy,  walking 
in  Indian  file  with  the  Captain  ahead,  stole 
within  range  and  when  the  deer  in  advance  of 
the  others  looked  up  over  the  bank,  the  Indian 
fired  quickly  and  it  fell  back  out  of  sight.  Re- 
straining the  ardor  of  young  McOmber,  who 
attempted  to  rush  forward,  the  Indian  re- 
loaded his  gun  and  had  not  long  to  wait  before 
he  brought  down  a  second  deer  whose  curi- 
osity had  led  it  to  its  death.  He  kept  loading 
and  waiting  and  firing  until  he  shot  the  last 
of  the  seven,  and  the  two  hunters  found  them 
all  lying  dead  within  a  few  feet  of  each  other. 
There  were  so  many  deer  in  McHenry  County 
that  only  the  choicest  portions  of  their  car- 
casses were  used  for  food  and  the  remainder 
could  not  be  sold  at  any  price.  They  frequent- 
ly appeared  in  large  droves  and,  in  summer 
time,  waded  into  the  river  to  cool  themselves 
and  escape  the  flies.  Captain  Morgan  was  a 
familiar  figure  at  McHenry  in  the  pioneer  days 
and,  always  friendly,  was  welcomed  by  the 
settlers.  The  McOmber  cabin  had  only  a  par- 
tial floor,  the  space  before  the  fire-place  being 
left  open,  and  Captain  Morgan  often  slept  on 
that  little  patch  of  his  mother  earth. 

In  December,  1847,  Mr.  McOmber  married 
Emma  E.  Thomas,  who  was  born  Aug.  14, 
1829,  at  Weathersfield,  Wyoming  County,  N.  Y., 
daughter  of  Gaius  and  Eliza  (Stanton)  Thom- 
as, who  has  borne  him  children  named:  Ella 
L.,  Julia  E.,  Cora  B.,  Casper  H,  Frank  I.  and 
Alfred  M. 


CYRUS    L.    MEAD. 

Cyrus  L.  Mead,  farmer  and  early  settler  of 
Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County,  is 
descended  from  an  old  colonial  family  of 
Massachusetts,  of  English-Puritan  ancestry. 
It  is  believed  that  the  founder  of  the  family  in 
America  came  from  England  in  the  Mayflower. 
James  Mead,  the  grandfather  of  Cyrus  L.,  was 
born  in  Massachusetts,  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  owned  a  farm  in  Salisbury  in  that 
State.  He  had  sons  named:  David,  James, 
Levi,  Stephen,  Daniel,  Jesse  and  Jeremiah. 
Two   daughters  are   also  remembered,  one  of 


c&.  ^>,/%t£>*^ 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


90c 


whom  married  a  Mr.  Merritt,  and  the  other  a 
Mr.  Wright.  Late  in  life  he  went  to  Galen, 
Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  where  his  three  sons, 
David,  James  and  Levi,  were  already  living. 
Three  other  sons  had  settled  in  Ohio,  Daniel 
settling  near  Dayton,  and  Stephen  and  Jesse 
settling  in  Huron  County.  The  father  died  be- 
tween sixty  and  seventy  years  of  age.  The 
son  Jeremiah,  of  this  family,  was  born  in 
Salisbury,  Mass.,  Sept.  14,  1790,  received  a 
common-school  education,  became  a  farmer 
and  was  married  near  his  birthplace  on  Feb. 
13,  1814,  to  Anna  Cline.  His  wife,  born  in 
Massachusetts,  July  29,  1796,  was  an  orphan, 
who  had  been  brought  up  by  relatives.  After 
marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mead  removed  to  New 
York  State  and  settled  on  Sandy  Creek,  in 
Oswego  County.  Here  he  cleared  up  a  large 
farm  in  a  heavily  timbered  region,  where  he 
made  for  his  family  a  good  home,  becoming 
the  owner  of  150  acres  of  land  on  which  he 
erected  good  farm  buildings.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Mead  were:  Diadamia, 
born  June  21,  1816;  Emily,  born  Jan.  19,  1818; 
Frederick  J.,  born  Aug.  7,  1819;  Daniel  P., 
born  May  23,  1821;  Henry  W.,  born  May  10, 
1823;  Jesse  H.,  born  April  4,  1825;  Cyrus  L., 
born  Aug.  13,  1827;  Jeremiah  C,  born  June  16, 
1829;  Stephen  P.,  born  Aug.  28,  1831;  George, 
born  Aug.  25,  1836.  Jeremiah  Mead,  the  father 
of  this  family,  was  an  industrious  citizen  of 
high  moral  character  and  genial  disposition, 
who  believed  in  paying  his  honest  debts,  had 
no  enemies  and  was  never  engaged  in  a  law- 
suit in  his  life. 

Cyrus  L.  Mead,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  born  at  Sandy  Creek,  Oswego  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  received  his  education  in  the  district 
schools,  in  common  with  the  boys  of  that 
period  in  the  rural  districts,  attending  school 
in  winter  while  working  on  the  farm  during 
the  summer  months.  This  he  continued  until 
he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  Having  been 
reared  to  farm-work,  when  grown  up  he 
naturally  adopted  that  vocation.  In  October, 
1844,  his  brother  Henry  W.,  came  to  Rich- 
mond, McHenry  County,  111.,  taught  school  for 
a  time  and  bought  land  in  Wisconsin.  In 
April,  1850,  he  started  across  the  plains  to 
California,  to  engage  in  gold-mining,  returning 
to  Richmond  in  the  fall  of  1852.  March  17, 
1853,  he  was  joined  at  Richmond  by  his 
brother  Cyrus  L.,  and,  soon  after,  the  brothers 


bought  the  land  on  which  the  village  of  Heb- 
ron now  stands.  The  tract  embraced  over 
400  acres,  on  which  the  only  building  then 
standing  was  a  small  frame  house.  Their  sis- 
ter, Emily  (Mead)  Conkling,  came  west  in  the 
fall  of  1853,  and  kept  house  for  them  for  the 
next  two  years.  The  virgin  prairie  extended 
without  a  habitation  for  miles,  the  houses  of 
the  early  pioneers  being  widely  scattered  over 
the  township. 

Cyrus  L.  Mead  was  married  Jan.  27,  1855,  at 
Galen,  Wayne  County,  N.  ■  Y.,  to  Finette  A. 
Carman,  who  was  born  at  Blue  Mound,  Wis., 
the  daughter  of  Sidney  and  Mary  (Harring- 
ton) Carman.  Her  father,  Sidney  Carman, 
was  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  the  son 
of  Adam  and  Hannah  (Dean)  Carman.  Adam 
Carman  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  or  Quakers,  and  a  pioneer  farmer  in 
Seneca  and  Tompkins  Counties,  N.  Y.  His 
children  were:  Israel,  Anna,  Sidney,  Mahala, 
Solomon,  David,  Stephen  and  Finette.  Adam 
Carman,  the  father  of  this  family,  died  in 
Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  at  the  age  of  about 
sixty-three  years.  Sidney  Carman,  his  son, 
and  the  father  of  Mrs.  Cyrus  L.  Mead,  received 
a  common-school  education  for  that  time,  was 
reared  as  a  farmer,  but  coming  west  in  1832  or 
1833,  became  a  lead-miner  in  the  vicinity  of 
Galena.  Later  he  became  associated  with 
John  Brink,  a  Government  Surveyor  of  that 
time,  whom  he  assisted  in  surveys  in  Southern 
Wisconsin.  Mr.  Brink  made  the  Government 
Survey  of  what  had  previously  been  known  as 
"Big  Foot  Lake,"  but  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Lake  Geneva,  by  which  it  has  since 
become  widely  known.  The  party  had  many 
exciting  adventures  during  the  time  they  were 
employed  in  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin. 

Sidney  Carman  married  in  Sauk  County, 
Wis.,  about  1835,  Mary  Harrington,  who  was 
born  in  that  region,  the  daughter  of  Zenas  and 
Susannah  (Ball)  Harrington,  and  they  settled 
in  the  same  locality,  where  Mr.  Carman  en- 
gaged in  lead-mining.  In  1845  he  returned  to 
the  State  of  New  York,  but  in  1849,  crossed 
the  plains  to  California,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  mining  for  gold  for  three  years,  when  he 
again  returned  to  New  York.  After  having 
made  two  trips  to  California,  he  bought  a  farm 
in  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  but  later  removed  to 
Sheboygan  County,  Wis.,  and  bought  a  farm 
there.     He  finally  went  to  Kansas,  where  he 


904 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


improved  a  farm,  and  where  he  died.  His 
wife,  Susannah,  having  died  leaving  two 
daughters — Finette  and  Martha — he  married 
her  sister,  Julia  Harrington,  who  bore  him 
four  children — Francis,  Gertrude,  Hattie  and 
Orrin.  Mr.  Carman,  as  shown  by  his  record, 
was  a  man  of  many  sturdy  traits  of  character; 
adventurous,  energetic  and  a  great  traveler. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years. 

After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Carman,  Cyrus 
L.  Mead  settled  on  the  land  in  Hebron  Town- 
ship, which  he  owned  in  partnership  with  his 
brother.  The  latter  having  married,  they  di- 
vided their  land,  Cyrus  L.  settling  in  a  little 
box  of  a  house  which  stood  upon  the  site  of 
his  present  residence,  since  erected,  and  which 
furnishes  a  pleasant  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mead's  children  were:  Anna  C;  Harry  J.; 
Darwin  G.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years,  and  Luella  A.,  who  died  in  infancy. 

In  politics  Mr.  Mead  is  an  original  Republi- 
can, casting  his  votes  for  John  C.  Fremont  and 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  early  days  of  that 
party.  He  is  an  independent  thinker  and  has 
established  a  reputation  as  an  upright  and 
public-spirited  citizen.  He  is  an  earnest  friend 
of  education,  having  served  as  a  member  of 
the  School  Board  for  twenty-two  years;  has 
also  served  as  Road  Commissioner  five  years 
and  the  same  length  of  time  as  Thistle  Com- 
missioner. He  is  a  non-affiliated  Mason,  and 
possesses  a  high  character  coupled  with  a 
large  fund  of  information  acquired  by  careful 
observation  and  extensive  reading. 

Anna  C,  the  daughter  and  oldest  child  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  L.  Mead,  was  married  in 
Hebron,  April  10,  1879,  to  George  P.  Goddard, 
who  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  March  24, 
1851,  the  son  of  Lewis  W.  and  Eunice  (Wil- 
lard)  Goddard.  When  seventeen  years  of  age 
Mr.  Goddard  came  to  Hebron  and,  after  ac- 
quiring a  common-school  education,  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade  and  became  a  contractor. 
He  and  his  family  reside  in  Hebron.  Of  the 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goddard,  Henry  Al- 
bert is  a  graduate  of  the  Hebron  High  School 
and  of  the  Milwaukee  School  of  Pharmacy, 
and  is  now  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Rowe  & 
Goddard,  druggists  of  Hebron.  Henry  J. 
Mead,  the  son  of  Cyrus  L.  Mead  and  wife,  mar- 
ried in  Nebraska,  Mary  McCawley,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Luella  A. 


HENRY  CLAY  MEAD. 

Mr.  Henry  Clay  Mead,  one  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty's pioneer  settlers  and  prominent  citizen  of 
the  town  of  McHenry,  descends  from  a  Puritan 
family  that  emigrated  from  England  and  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Vermont.  His 
great-grandfather,  Samuel  Mead,  served  in  the 
patriot  army  throughout  the  "War  of  the  Rev- 
olution, and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of 
Lord  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown.  His  grandfather 
was  born  in  Pittsford,  Rutland  County,  Vt.,  and 
was  engaged  in  felling,  hewing  and  sawing 
lumber  and  lost  his  life  through  an  accident 
in  a  log  pit,  about  1830.  He  married  Roxana 
Bigelow,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  children 
named  Lucinda,  Sabrina,  Harriet,  William, 
George  and  Charles.  William  Mead,  the  father 
of  Henry  C,  was  born  April  30,  1809.  In  his 
early  days  the  country  schools  afforded  very 
limited  advantages,  and  William  was  largely 
self-educated,  although  he  early  manifested 
decided  business  ability.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen he  "bought  his  time"  of  his  father  and 
began  business  as  a  butcher  on  his  own  ac- 
count, but  after  his  father's  death,  returned 
liome  and  for  several  years  devoted  himself 
to  the  care  and  management  of  the  farm  until 
his  mother  married  a  second  time  to  a  Mr. 
Mossman.  Of  this  union  there  were  no  chil- 
dren. Mr.  William  Mead  emigrated  from  Ver- 
mont to  Illinois  in  1844,  bringing  with  him  his 
wife  and  three  children,  Harriet  S.,  Henry  G. 
and  Frank  W.  Another  daughter,  Ada  C,  was 
born  in  McHenry,  but  died  in  infancy.  The 
family  journeyed  to  Chicago  by  way  of  the  Erie 
Canal  and  the  lakes,  and  then  by  wagon  to 
McHenry  County,  where  Mr.  Mead  pre-empted 
240  acres  of  land  lying  three  miles  west  of 
what  is  now  McHenry  village.  This  land  he 
improved  and  increased  his  holdings  by  the 
purchase  of  204  acres  of  farm  and  forty  acres 
of  wood-land.  Mr.  Mead  was  a  relentless  foe 
of  intemperance  and  was  the  first  man  in 
McHenry  County  who  refused  to  furnish  liquor 
at  a  barn-raising,  substituting  therefor  a  boun- 
tifully ordered  supper.  He  was  an  old  line 
Whig  until  the  formation  of  the  Republican 
party,  when  he  espoused  the  principles  of  that 
organization.  Mr.  Mead  was  widely  known 
and  highly  esteemed,  and  for  many  years  held 
the  office  of  Road   Commissioner.     He  was  a 


|    V 

■■/ 

■-*'. 

)^^  S&C&    Tifz.^^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


90; 


Deacon  in  the  Congregational  Church,  contrib- 
uted two-thirds  of  the  funds  needed  for  the 
erection  of  a  church  edifice  in  Ringwood,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  were  worshippers,  and 
was  also  active  in  Sunday  School  work  in 
both  Ringwood  and  McHenry.  In  his  younger 
days  he  was  Captain  in  the  militia,  and  was 
at  one  time  called  into  active  service.  He  died 
on  his  farm  April  17,  1876,  aged  sixty-seven 
years. 

Henry  Clay  Mead  was  born  in  Pittsford,  Vt„ 
July  31,  1839,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his 
parents  at  four  or  five  years  of  age,  yet  many 
incidents  of  the  journey  are  indelibly  impressed 
upon  his  memory.  His  primary  education  was 
received  in  a  log  school  house,  the  dimensions 
of  which  were  ten  by  twelve  feet,  his  preceptor 
being  Asahel  C.  Thompson,  now  a  venerable 
resident  of  Greenwood,  and  among  his  fellow 
pupils  were  the  Thompsons,  Richardsons,  Sul- 
livans  and  others  of  the  early  pioneer  families 
who  have  helped  to  make  McHenry  County 
what  it  is  today.  Later  he  attended  the  Mc- 
Henry High  School  and  Todd's  Seminary  at 
Woodstock.  On  May  24,  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a 
private  in  Company  A,  of  the  Fifteenth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  first  known  as  the  Wood- 
stock Light  Guards.  His  service  was  an  ardu- 
ous one,  and  his  record  for  gallantry  is  un- 
surpassed. Besides  taking  part  in  many  forced 
marches  and  skirmishes,  he  fought  with  his 
regiment  at  Wilson's  Creek,  Haines'  Bluff.  Fort 
Henry,  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Holly  Springs,  Natchez, 
Vicksburg  and  Champion  Hills,  as  well  as  in 
many  less  important  engagements.  The  ma- 
laria rising  in  the  marshes  of  the  southwest, 
impregnated  his  system  with  the  deadly  typhus 
and  he  became  a  victim  of  typhoid  fever.  A 
Southern  matron,  whose  womanly  instincts 
were  stronger  than  her  Confederate  loyalty, 
cared  for  him  for  one  month,  when  his  father 
arrived  at  the  front  and  carried  him  to  his 
Northern  home.  Upon  recovery,  he  rejoined 
his  regiment,  and  on  Jan.  1,  1864,  his  knee  was 
crushed  while  unloading  supplies  at  Camp 
Cowen,  near  Vicksburg,  but  he  remained  in 
the  service  until  mustered  out  at  Springfield, 
111.,  the  following  July,  this  accident,  how- 
ever, preventing  his  re-enlistment  as  a  veteran. 
After  quitting  the  service,  he  returned  to  Mc- 
Henry County  and  began  farming  on  a  tract 
of  204  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased  from 


his  father.  This  property  he  has  improved  ex- 
tensively and  converted  into  one  of  the  best 
dairy  farms  in  the  county.  An  artesian  well 
of  three-inch  bore  affords  a  constant  supply 
of  pure  water,  and  an  excellent  system  of  tile 
drainage  renders  the  soil  dry  and  arable.  In 
1892  he  took  up  his  residence  in  McHenry, 
where  he  has  since  lived,  and  having  at  one 
time  read  law,  practices  considerably  in  the 
Justices'  and  Probate  courts.  Mr.  Mead  is  a 
man  of  enlightened  public  spirit,  politically  an 
ardent  Republican,  and  has  filled  the  offices  of 
Secretary  of  the  County  Committee  of  his 
party  continuously  since  1892;  is  also  Justice  of 
the  Peace.  At  Omro  Junction,  Wis.,  Sept.  27, 
1864,  he  married  Amy  Loyett  Kennedy,  daugh- 
ter of  Andrew  J.  and  Laura  (Bostwick)  Ken- 
nedy, who  first  settled  on  a  farm  of  160  acres 
near  Richmond,  and  then  removed  north  of 
Genoa  Junction,  and  later  to  Clay  County,  Neb. 
They  are  both  still  living,  aged  respectively 
eighty-six  and  eighty-five  years,  and  reside  with 
their  children  in  McHenry  County.  Mr.  Ken- 
nedy was  born  in  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  in  1833,  settling  in  Rich- 
mond Township.  Mrs.  Kennedy  was  born  in 
Wyoming  County,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to  McHenry 
County  when  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Mr 
and  Mrs.  Kennedy  were  married  on  Nov.  24, 
1841,  and  are  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  living,  nineteen  grand- 
children  and   six  great-grandchildren. 

Mrs.  Mead  was  born  Sept.  23,  1842.  She  is 
a  lady  of  education,  refinement  and  cultivated 
taste,  a  graduate  of  the  Seminary  at  Genoa 
Junction,  Wis.,  and  of  the  McHenry  High 
School.  To  her  and  her  husband  have  been 
born  seven  children:  William  H.,  Earl  L.,  Hat- 
tie  L.,  Lillian  and  Leon  (twins  who  died  in 
infancy),  Carl  E.  and  Iva  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mead  were  formerly  Congregationalists,  but 
are  now  members  of  the  Universalist  Church. 


EDWIN   E.  MEAD. 

Edwin  E.  Mead,  foreman  of  the  enameling  de- 
partment, Oliver  Typewriter  Company,  Wood- 
stock, 11!.,  fills  a  highly  responsible  position 
in  connection  with  this  important  industry. 
While  many  of  the  arts  and  sciences  are 
called  into  use  to  render  the  Oliver  Typewriter 
not  only  of  the  highest  utility,  but  a  "thing  of 


906 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


beauty  and  a  joy  forever,"  among  them  none 
is  more  essential  to  perfection  in  these  re- 
spects than  the  enameling.  This  art  is  con- 
ceded to  have  originated  with  the  Japanese, 
and  there  is  nothing  produced  in  any  country 
to  be  compared  in  perfection  of  finish  with 
some  of  their  ancient  lacquer  work.  The  "01- 
liver,"  however,  is  one  of  the  most  perfectly 
enameled  and  beautifully  ornamented  machines 
of  any  kind  produced  in  any  country.  The 
management  of  this  department,  as  already 
indicated,  is  in  charge  of  Edwin  E.  Mead,  who 
possesses  much  artistic  talent.  Mr.  Mead  was 
born  in  Woodstock,  111.,  Feb.  9,  1868,  the  son 
of  Charles  and1  Rosina  P.  (Woodard)  Mead. 

Charles  Mead,  the  father  of  Edwin  E.  Mead, 
was  born  in  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  25, 
1837.  His  father,  also  named  Charles,  was  a 
farmer  who  settled  in  New  York  at  an  early 
day.  Charles  (1)  married  Phoebe  Rogers 
and  they  had  seven  children — four  sons  and 
three  daughters — who  came  west  with  their 
parents  when  Charles  (2)  was  about  ten  years 
old,  the  family  settling  on  a  farm  in  Kishwau- 
kee  Prairie,  four  miles  southwest  of  Wood- 
stock. The  names  of  the  children  of  this  fam- 
ily were:  Roxana,  Elias,  Elizabeth  Orson,  Os- 
car, Charles  (father  of  Edwin  E.)  and  Dian- 
tha.  At  twenty  Charles  (2)  went  to  work  on 
a  farm,  but  five  years  later  began  learning  the 
carpenter's  trade  with  Lewis  M.  Woodard  of 
Woodstock.  On  January  1,  1857,  he  married 
Rosina  Woodard,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Se- 
viah  (Bisbee)  Woodard — the  Woodard  family 
then  being  residents  of  Dover,  Bureau  County, 
111.  Charles  Mead  and  wife  remained  in  Bu 
reau  County  one  year,  when  they  removed  to 
Woodstock,  and,  in  February,  1864,  he  enlist- 
ed as  an  artillery-man  in  the  Elgin  Battery  for 
the  Civil  War,  serving  until  July,  1865,  when 
he  was  honorably  discharged.  While  in  the 
service  he  was  in  hospital  for  some  time  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  later,  being  disqualified 
for  active  service  in  the  field,  was  on  duty  as 
a  nurse.  During  his  period  of  service  he  was 
stationed  at  Corinth  and  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  and 
at  New  Albany,  Ind.  Returning  to  Woodstock 
after  his  discharge,  Mr.  Mead  worked  at  his 
trade  until  1887,  when  he  removed  to  Clay 
County,  Neb.,  carrying  on  his  trade  there,  but 
again  coming  to  Illinois,  spent  two1  years  at 
Elgin  and  also  worked  at  his  trade  in  Wood- 


stock, where  he  died  Nov.  8,  1893.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Frank  E.,  now  living  in  Elroy, 
Wis.;  Owen  G.  and  Edwin  E.,  of  Woodstock; 
Bertha  A.,  wife  of  Frank  Hewitt,  Cuyler,  111., 
and  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  Charles  Williams,  Ken- 
osha, Wis. 

Lewis  M.  Woodard,  father  of  Mrs.  Charles 
Mead,  and  grandfather  on  the  maternal  side 
of  Edwin  E.  Mead,  was  a  native  of  Steuben 
County,  N.  Y.,  born  Sept.  15,  1813.  In  1843  he 
settled  at  Crystal  Lake,  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  he  remained  two  years,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Seneca  Township,  and  there  en- 
tered Government  land.  In  1861  he  removed 
to  Woodstock,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  prosecuting  his  business  as  a  car- 
penter and  contractor,  erecting  many  buildings 
in  various  parts  of  McHenry  County.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  he  filled  a  number  of  local  offices,  includ- 
ing those  of  Assessor  and  Collector  and  School 
Director.  He  had  received  only  three  months 
schooling  in  his  early  life,  but  his  innate  abil- 
ity enabled  him  to  keep  well  abreast  of  others 
who  had  enjoyed  superior  educational  advant- 
ages. His  death  occurred  at  Woodstock,  March 
16,  1891. 

Mrs.  Lewis  M.  Woodard  (nee  Seviah  Bisbee), 
daughter  of  Ezra  and  Abigail  (Hibbard)  Bisbee. 
was  born  in  Middlebury,  Vt,  May  19,  1815,  and 
died  July  18,  1898.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
and  had  one  other  daughter  named  Sarah,  who 
married  Edwin  Powell  and  lived  mostly  in  Mc- 
Henry and  Peoria  Counties.  In  1832  Miss  Bis- 
bee came  to  Chautauqua,  N.  Y.,  where,  on  Sept. 
14,  1837,  she  married  Lewis  M.  Woodard,  and, 
in  1843,  they  came  west,  locating  at  Crystal 
Lake,  111.,  as  already  explained.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Rosina  (became  Mrs.  Charles 
Mead);  Martha,  who  married  Josiah  Hill; 
Philander,  and  Dora,  wife  of  William  Borden. 

Edwin  E.  Mead  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Woodstock,  and,  beginning  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years,  learned  the  trade 
of  a  painter  and  decorator  in  that  city.  He 
then  located  in  Elgin,  where  he  remained  three 
years,  and  in  the  meantime  learned  the  art 
of  enameling.  Returning  to  Woodstock  in  1893. 
he  there  resumed  his  business  as  decorator, 
but  in  1896  became  associated  with  the  Oliver 
Typewriter  works  as  foreman  of  the  enameling 
department.     Great  care  is  taken  in  this  de- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


907 


partment,  not  only  to  see  that  the  ornamenta- 
tion shall  be  in  good  taste,  but  to  have  the 
enameling  artistic  and  perfect,  and  to  secure 
these  results,  neat  and  tasteful  workmen  are 
absolutely  essential.  Mr.  Mead  has  under  his 
direction  a  number  of  experienced  workmen,  all 
of  whom  have  been  specially  educated  for  this 
branch  of  work.  As  a  rule  all  the  employes 
of  the  Oliver  Company  have  been  carefully  se- 
lected and  well  trained  in  their  branches  of 
occupation,  and  frequently  remain  in  the  same 
line  for  years.  Thus,  each  part  of  the  work  is 
completed  under  the  eye  of  experienced  spe- 
cialists. 

Mr.  Mead  was  married  at  Elgin,  111.,  April 
27,  1893,  to  Lydia  M.  Clifford,  daughter  of 
George  W.  and  Mary  Moore  (Hibbard)  Clifford. 
The  father  was  born  in  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  April 
6,  1838,  and  the  mother  near  Plattsburg,  Feb. 
5,  1833.  They  were  married  Jan.  1,  1863,  and 
had  five  children:  John  C,  Prudie  Almena, 
George  W.,  Charles  M.  and  Lydia  M.  George 
W.  Clifford  came  west  about  1861,  and  his 
wife  about  the  same  time;  he  settled  at  Serena, 
111.,  and  has  spent  most  of  his  life  as  an  arte- 
sian well  borer.  His  present,  home  is  at  Leland, 
LaSalle  County.  Mrs.  Clifford  died  'Sept.  18, 
1880. 

Mr.  Clifford's  father  was  John  Clifford,  a 
native  of  New  York  or  Vermont,  and  his  wife 
was  Almena  Wheelock.  They  came  west  with 
their  son,  George  W.  John  Clifford  lived  to  a 
very  old  age,  and  his  wife  also  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

Mrs.  George  W.  Clifford's  parents  were 
Timothy  and  Lydia  (Moore)  Hibbard,  who 
came  west  from  New  York  in  the  '60's  and 
settled  on  a  farm  near  Harding,  111.,  where 
they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  He 
died  about  forty-five  years  ago,  but  his  wife, 
who  was  born  May  6,  1810,  lived  to  be  ninety- 
one  years  old,  dying  in  1901. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwin  E.  Mead  now  reside  in 
their  own  home  at  Woodstock.  They  have 
three  children,  viz.:  Harold  Clifford,  born 
July  16,  1895;  Bernice  Evelyn,  born  Feb.  17, 
1897,  and  Irma  Minnie,  born  Feb.  11,  1900. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Mead  is  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  takes  a 
great  interest  in  music  and  has  been  connect- 
ed with  different  Woodstock  bands  since  1885; 
is  now  a  member  of  the  Oliver  Typewriter 
Band,  of  Woodstock. 


JOHN    MULLEN. 

John  Mullen,  one  of  the  venerable  pioneers 
of  Hartland  Township,  McHenry  County,  is  a 
man  possessing  the  best  characteristics  of  the 
Celtic  race  and  has  retained,  to  his  present 
advanced  age,  a  remarkably  active  mind. 
Born  at  Queenstown,  County  Cork,  Ireland,  in 
June,  1815,  he  is  the  only  child  of  Bartholomew 
and  Johanna  (Buckley)  Mullen.  In  early 
childhood  he  was  left  an  orphan,  his  father 
dying  when  he  was  two  and  a  half  years  old 
and  his  mother  some  years  later.  At 
an  early  age  he  learned  the  tailor's  trade 
in  the  city  of  Cork,  and  there  he  worked 
at  his  trade  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  when  '  he  came  to  America.  Sailing 
from  Cork,  Ireland,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  April  13,  1836,  in  the  good  ship 
"Tally-ho,"  he  landed  at  Castle  Garden,  New 
York,  at  noon,  June  20.  After  working  at  his 
trade  in  New  York  City  for  two  years,  he 
came  west,  locating  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  still  followed  the  tailor's  trade.  In 
1884  Mr.  Mullen  moved  to  Chicago,  and  the 
same  year  visited  Hartland  Township,  where 
he  purchased  200  acres  of  heavily  timbered 
land  from  the  United  States  Government.  He 
worked  at  his  trade  in  Chicago  until  1847,  and 
then  settled  on  his  land  in  Hartland  Township. 
Being  entirely  unaccustomed  to  the  use  of  an 
ax  and  farming  utensils,  Mr.  Mullen  had  a  hard 
experience  in  becoming  inured  to  farm  life, 
but  by  perseverance  and  an  indomitable  will, 
he  built  a  log  cabin,  cleared  up  his  land,  and 
finally  had  a  good  farm  and  a  comfortable 
home.  He  afterwards  bought  240  acres  of 
land  on  Kishwaukee  Prairie,  where  his  son 
Edward  now  lives.  In  1902  the  sons  added 
eighty  acres  to  the  homestead,  which  now  con- 
tains 280  acres. 

In  1839  Mr.  Mullen  was  married  in  New 
York  City  to  Mary  Murphy,  who  was  born  in 
County  Cork,  Ireland,  about  1815,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Bartholomew,  born  in  New  York; 
John  M.  and  Edward  F.,  born  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio;  Mary,  born  in  Chicago;  Dennis  J., 
Michael  W.,  Johanna  and  Julia,  born  in  Hart- 
land Township.  Of  their  children  John  M.  is 
one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  Woodstock; 
Edward  owns  and  carries  on  a  large  stock- 
farm  in  Hartland  Township;  Dennis  and 
Michael  conduct  the  home  farm;  Bartholomew 


908 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


is  a  resident  of  Elgin,  111.;  Johanna  married 
William  H.  Burns,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa;  Julia 
married  George  Howard,  of  Hartland  Town- 
ship. One  of  the  excellent  characteristics  of 
the  Irish  Celt  is  his  extreme  loyality  to  his 
parents.  The  aged  sire  is  always  well  and 
kindly  cared  for  and  maintains  his  influence 
and  authority  as  long  as  he  lives. 

From  a  small  beginning  Mr.  Mullen  became 
one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Tiis  township. 
While  a  resident  of  Chicago,  he  lived  on  the 
corner  of  Dearborn  and  North  Water  Streets, 
owning  the  house  in  which  he  resided,  but  not 
the  lot  on  which  it  stood.  Mr.  Mullen  was 
well  acquainted  with  many  of  the  Chicago 
pioneers,  and  attended  several  meetings  which 
were  held  for  the  purpose  of  raising  recruits 
for  the  Mexican  War.  During  a  time  of  in- 
tense excitement,  when  an  attempt  was  made 
to  burn  the  city  of  Chicago,  Mr.  Mullen  and 
several  other  tax-payers  were  called  upon  to 
serve  as  night  watchmen.  While  a  resident 
of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
first  fire  department  organized  in  that  city, 
and,  in  1844,  in  the  same  city,  he  had  the 
honor  of  seeing  that  great  representative 
Democrat,  Andrew  Jackson,  and  also  Martin 
Van  Buren  and  General  Cass.  The  great 
crowd  passed  on  by  General  Jackson's  car- 
riage, and  were  greeted  by  him  with  a  hand 
shake,  which  Mr.  Mullen  remembers  with 
great  pleasure.  The  General  invited  the  Irish 
to  have  dinner  at  his  cost,  but  though  his 
loyal  supporters,  they  declined  to  do  this. 
Another  thing  Mr.  Mullen  remembers  of  this 
meeting  was  the  scar  exhibited  by  the  General 
where  he  was  shot  in  the  hand  in  the  war  of 
1812.  When  Mr.  Mullen  came  to  Hartland 
Township  there  were  a  few  settlers  there 
living  in  log  cabins,  and  all  kinds  of  native 
game  abounded.  He  brought  with  him  from 
Chicago  an  iron  stove,  which  was  the  first  one 
ever  brought  into  the  township.  While  Mr. 
Mullen  has  reached  the  venerable  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years,  he  has  had  but  very  little  sick- 
ness and  is  a  remarkably  well-preserved  man. 
both  physically  and  mentally,  being  able  to 
read  and  write  without  the  aid  of  glasses.  Tn 
religious  belief  he  a  devout  member  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  which  he  has  always  liberally 
supported,  and  in  political  views  is  a  stanch 
Democrat. 

Mrs.  Mullen  died  in  1885,  aged  seventy 
years  and  nine  months. 


THE  MORTON   FAMILY. 

Robert  Morton,  the  father  of  Edward  Mor- 
ton, Sr.,  was  born  in  County  Cavan,  Ireland, 
Nov.  14,  1791,  the  son  of  a  farmer  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  country,  held  a 
life-lease  on  the  farm  which  he  occupied.  The 
family  were  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  although 
they  had  lived  for  many  generations  in  the 
part  of  Ireland  just  named.  The  father  of  this 
Robert  Morton  was  one  of  the  first  to  espouse 
the  Methodist  faith  in  Ireland,  and  was  a  class- 
leader  of  that  denomination  soon  after  the 
separation  of  its  founders  from  the  Church  of 
England.  The  children  of  the  latter,  whose 
names  are  remembered,  were  Robert  and 
Charles  S.  Robert  Morton  received  a  good 
education  for  that  period  and  country,  and  was 
an  expert  accountant.  He  became  a  quarry- 
man  and  married  in  his  native  county 
Margaret  Fee,  who  was  born  Dec.  9,  1798,  and 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  Robert  Morton 
came  to  America  soon  after  the  War  of  1812, 
arriving  at  New  York  after  a  voyage  of  four 
weeks.  He  engaged  in  the  grocery  business 
near  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  and  a  year  later  sent  for 
his  wife,  who  had  remained  in  Ireland  to  look 
after  some  property  inherited  from  her  fath- 
er's estate.  Having  finally  settled  in  West- 
chester County,  N.  Y.,  he  resumed  his  occupa- 
tion as  a  quarryman,  and  assisted  in  quarrying 
the  stone  at  Sing  Sing  and  Watertown  used  in 
constructing  locks  on  the  Erie  Canal.  He  was 
an  expert  in  this  line  and  quarried  the  four 
large  columns  for  the  custom  house  in  New 
York  City.  He  pursued  this  business  for  many 
years  and  prospered  in  it.  His  children,  all 
born  in  Westchester  County,  were:  Rachel, 
born  Oct.  18,  1819;  Edward,  born  Aug.  18, 
1821;  Charles,  born  Dec.  3,  1823;  David,  born 
March  27,  1825;  Margaret,  born  Dec.  15,  1826; 
Mary  J.,  born  Oct.  14,  1829;  Elizabeth,  born 
Feb.  21,  1833;  Eleanor,  born  Aug.  14,  1835; 
Robert,  born  Sept.  17,  1837;  John,  born  June  2. 
1839;  William,  born  July  28,  1843.  In  1847  Mr. 
Morton  came  to  Illinois  by  steamer  to  Albany, 
by  railway  to  Buffalo  and  lake  steamer  to  Chi- 
cago; going  thence  to  Dundee,  111.,  where  he 
remained  six  months,  when  he  moved  to  Al- 
gonquin Township,  McHenry  County.  Here 
he  bought  560  acres  of  land  at  the  Government 
price  of  $1.25  per  acre,  besides  forty  acres  of 
timber-land  on  Fox  River.  He  built  on  his 
land  one  of  the  earliest  frame  houses  in  the 


Ox 


£ 


V 


-iibrary 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


909 


township,  besides  making  other  improvements, 
providing  for  himself  and  family  an  excellent 
home.  His  children,  as  they  began  life  for 
themselves,  settled  around  him.  Here  he  died 
at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety  years.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  Morton  was  a  Lincoln  Republican  and 
a  zealous  Unionist  during  the  Civil  War.  Two 
of  his  sons,  John  and  Robert,  became  Union 
soldiers,  serving  three  years  in  Illinois  infantry 
regiments.  Although  they  participated  hi 
many  severe  battles,  both  returned  to  their 
homes  in  safety.  Mr.  Morton  was  an  in- 
dustrious and  highly  respected  citizen. 

Edward  Morton,  the  son  of  Robert,  was  born 
at  Sing  Sing,  N.  Y.,  on  the  spot  where  the  New 
York  State  prison  now  stands.  He  received  a 
common-school  education,  and,  in  1849,  came 
west  arriving  at  Chicago  on  June  1st.  He  had 
previously  been  married  at  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  to 
Charlotte  A.  Brewer,  who  was  born  at  Tarry- 
town,  N.  Y.,  in  1821,  the  daughter  of  James  ami 
Mary  (Purdy)  Brewer.  The  father  was  a  farm- 
er, and  the  families  of  both  parents  were  of 
Revolutionary  stock.  Their  children  were. 
William,  Purdy,  Mary,  Charles,  Charlotte  A., 
Moses,  Elizabeth  J.  and  one  whose  name  is 
not  remembered.  The  Purdy  family  held  a 
land  warrant  for  services  rendered  by  their 
father  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  This  war- 
rant was  laid  upon  land  now  constituting  a 
part,  of  the  site  of  the  city  of  Peoria,  but  its 
value  not  being  understood,  it  was  finally  sold 
for  an  insignificant  price  to  a  speculative  law- 
yer. Coming  to  McHenry  County,  Mr.  Morton 
settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land  given 
to  him  by  his  father.  This  he  improved, 
building  upon  it  a  fine  house,  and  adding  to 
his  real  estate  until  he  was  the  owner  of  30  0 
acres.  In  1884,  having  sold  his  farm,  he  moved 
to  Algonquin,  where  he  still  lives,  retired  from 
active  business  life.  Like  his  father  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican  in  political  belief,  and  has 
held  the  office  of  Highway  Commissioner  for 
his  township  for  the  past  twelve  years.  As 
a  citizen  he  is  held  in  high  repute  in  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  resides.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Morton  have  been  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, viz.:  Mary  Elizabeth,  Charlotte  J.  (died 
at  the  age  of  two  years),  Edward,  Charlotte  J. 
(2),  Charles  W.,  Seraphina  and  George.  Mrs. 
Morton  died  Sept.  22,   1886. 

Edward   Morton,   Jr.,   son   of   the    preceding. 


was  born  at  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  April  15,  1848,  and, 
at  one  year  of  age,  was  brought  by  his  parents 
to  McHenry  County,  where  he  grew  up  among 
the  pioneer  surroundings  of  that  locality.  Here 
he  received  a  common-school  education,  the 
first  school  attended  by  him  being  taught  in  a 
little  log  school  house  by  Miss  Sarah  Wasson. 
Among  his  schoolmates  who  still  survive  are 
Albert  Corl  and  Sheriff  Keys.  December  12, 
1867,  he  was  married  in  Algonquin  to  Miss 
Maria  Everett,  who  was  born  at  Bristol,  111., 
April  12,  1849,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  (Brace)  Everett.  After  marriage,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Morton  lived  on  a  farm  for  two  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Algonquin,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  carpenter  work  for  the  next  seven 
years,  which  he  then  exchanged  for  the  paint- 
ing business.  In  1889  he  bought  the  Pingry 
Hotel  at  Algonquin,  and  having  removed  the 
old  structure,  erected  on  its  site  a  new  build- 
ing of  improved  architecture  with  modern  con- 
veniences. This  is  one  of  the  best  hotels 
in  McHenry  County,  is  fitted  as  a  summer  re- 
sort and  is  well  patronized.  Mr.  Morton  has  a 
valuable  collection  of  curiosities,  including 
archaeological  specimens  belonging  to  the 
Stone  Age,  besides  relics  of  Indian  tribes  and 
other  matters  of  historic  interest.  He  is  also 
noted  for  his  skill  as  a  hunter  and  a  fisherman, 
and,  in  former  years,  made  many  trips  to  the 
Lake  Superior  region,  where  he  has  been  a 
successful  hunter  of  deer  and  other  wild  game. 
He  is  one  of  the  best  informed  authorities  in 
reference  to  the  favorite  resorts  of  game  and 
fish,  and  has  hunted  and  fished  with  success 
along  Fox  River  and  its  chain  of  lakes,  which 
abound  in  the  finest  varieties  of  black  bass  and 
pike.  In  political  views  Mr.  Morton  is  an 
earnest  Republican  and  was  a  supporter  of 
Gen.  Grant  for  his  second  term.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Algonquin  Lodge,  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  and  of  the  Cary  Sta- 
tion Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F.  Of  genial  temperament, 
he  is  a  popular  host  and  respected  citizen. 

Joseph  Everett  (deceased),  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Morton,  was  a  farmer  of  Bristol,  Kendall 
County  and  was  an  early  settler  of  that  lo- 
cality,. He  married  Sarah  Ann  Brace,  who 
was  born  in  Bristol,  and  their  children  were: 
Mary  E.,  Maria  E.  and  Annie  E.  Mr.  Everett 
died  in  1852  and  his  wife  in  1854.  The  latter 
was  the  daughter     of     Edward     and     Jerusha 


910 


McHENRY      COUNTY, 


Brace.  Mr.  Brace  was  a  pioneer  and  farmer  of 
Kendall  County,  having  come  from  New  YorK 
State.  He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 
His  children  were:  Debora,  Stephen,  John, 
Comfort,  Nancy,  Thomas,  Amelia  and  Eliza. 


DR.    FRANK   J.    MAHA. 

Dr.  Frank  J.  Maha,  Algonquin,  111.,  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  of  McHenry  County,  was 
born  in  Chicago  in  December,  1872,  son  of 
Frank  and  Mary  Maha,  both  of  his  parents  be- 
ing Datives  of  Bohemia.  He  received  his  pre- 
liminary education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Chicago  and  under  private  teachers,  after- 
wards taking  a  four-year  course  in  the  Bennett 
Medical  College,  Chicago,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1900.  In  1898,  two  years  before  his 
graduation,  he  received  ,a  license  from  the  Illi- 
nois State  Board  of  Health  to  practice  medi- 
cine in  the  State  of  Illinois.  He  successfully 
passed  a  rigid  examination,  and  immediately 
began  to  practice  medicine.  Coming  to  Algon- 
quin in  May,  1899,  he  soon  established  a  lucra- 
tive and  extensive  practice,  and  has  met  with 
remarkable  success.  His  office  is  equipped 
with  all  the  modern  medical  appliances,  and  he 
possesses  an  excellent  medical  library  of  valu- 
able works,  and  is  well  read  in  the  most  ad- 
vanced publications  of  medical  science.  He 
is  one  of  the  attending  surgeons  at  St. 
Antbony's  Hospital,  Chicago. 

Dr.  Maha  is  entirely  a  self-made  man,  his 
success  being  wholly  the  result  of  his  own  per- 
sonal efforts  and  ability.  His  father  died  when 
he  was  about  nineteen  years  old  and  he  he- 
came  the  main  support  of  the  family.  He  first 
engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  mercantile  establish- 
ment, and  continued  in  this  business  for  thir- 
teen years. 


LESTER  A.   MORELAND. 

If  a  piece  of  mechanical  work  is  to  be  well 
done,  good  tools  are  a  prime  necessity.  If 
the  mechanical  product  is  of  delicate  construe 
tion,  as  that  of  the  "Oliver  Typewriter,"  for  ex- 
ample, the  tools  to  be  used  must  be  similar  in 
point  of  fineness  and  delicacy,  and  specially 
adapted  to  the  work  to  be  performed.  One  of 
the  first  requisites  in  the  production  of  the 
Oliver  Typewriter  was  the  furnishing  of  the 


tools  with  which  to  construct  the  machine. 
This  important  department  in  connection  wtih 
the  Typewriter  Company  is  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Lester  A.  Moreland,  who  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  11,  1873,  the  son 
of  Lewis  Moreland,  a  carpenter  and  skilled 
mechanic.  The  son,  Lester  A.,  received  a  fair 
education  by  attendance  on  the  public  schools 
and  an  academy  for  some  time,  and,  when 
about  sixteen  years  of  age,  began  to  learn  the 
machinist  trade  in  the  works  of  the  Straight 
Line  Engine  Company,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  He  then  en 
tered  into  the  employment  of  the  E.  C.  Stearns 
Bicycle  Company  of  Syracuse,  and  still  later 
was  in  the  employ,  for  one  and  a  half  years,  of 
the  American  Humber  Bicycle  Company,  at 
Westboro,  Mass.,  for  a  part  of  the  time  being 
foreman  of  one  of  the  departments.  In  1897  he 
went  to  Toronto,  Canada,  where  he  was  as- 
sistant superintendent  of  the  Stearns  Bicycle 
Company,  but  a  year  later  (1898)  came  to 
Woodstock  and  engaged  as  tool-maker  for  the 
Oliver  Typewriter  Company.  His  skill  as  a 
workman  was  recognized  three  months  later 
by  his  selection  as  foreman  for  this  important 
department,  as  here  the  peculiar  tools  neces- 
sary to  the  construction  of  the  "Oliver"  are 
made.  Here  is  a  large  field  for  the  exercise 
of  mechanical  ingenuity  and  skill,  in  which 
Mr.  Moreland  has  proved  himself  an  important 
factor  by  his  success  in  the  improvement  of 
tools  already  in  use,  or  the  invention  of  others 
required  for  the  more  successful  prosecution 
of  this  branch  of  manufacture.  Desiring  to  fit 
himself  for  business  on  a  larger  scale,  he  has 
of  late  been  taking  a  course  of  instruction  in  a 
correspondence  school  of  mechanical  engineer- 
ing. Mr.  Moreland  was  married  at  Franklin- 
ville,  111.,  in  1899,  to  Miss  Emma  J.  Chappel, 
who  was  born  in  Alden  Township,  McHenry 
County,  the  daughter  of  Harvey  and  Maria 
(Stewart)  Chappel.  Her  father  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Civil  War,  during  which  he  was  wounded. 
Mr.  Moreland  resides  with  his  family  in  Wood- 
stock, where  he  is  well  known  and  has  a  large 
circle  of  friends.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Order. 

Lewis  Moreland,  the  father  of  Lester  A., 
married  at  Sennett,  N.  Y.,  Harriet  Daniels, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Armon  Daniels,  her 
father  being  a  carpenter  and  farmer.     Lewis 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


911 


Moreland  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  three 
children — two  sons  and  one  daughter.  Moses 
Moreland,  grandfather  of  Lester  A.,  was  born 
Nov.  13,  1800,  the  son  of  Stephen  and  Sally 
(March)  Moreland,  who  were  natives  of  New 
Jersey,  born  respectively  in  1766  and  1771. 
About  1795  they  emigrated  from  New  Jersey 
to  Ballston,  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
they  remained  until  1806,  when  they  moved  to 
Brutus  (now  Sennett)  Cayuga  County,  locating 
on  Lot  49.  Here  they  followed  farming  ten 
years  (1809  to  1818) ;  in  1820  moved  to  Scipio, 
and  there  kept  a  public  house  some  ten  years 
where  "Bait's  Corners"  now  is,  when  they 
again  moved  to  Auburn,  N.  Y.  The  mother 
having  died  here  March  18,  1833,  the  father 
afterward  made  his  home  with  his  son  Moses 
then  living  on  Lot  22,  in  the  town  of  Sennett, 
where  he  died  Aug.  22,  1848,  aged  eighty-two 
years.  Stephen  Moreland  and  wife  had  seven 
children  who  grew  up  to  maturity:  Polly, 
Betsy,  Moses,  Caleb,  Stephen,  William  and  Har- 
riet. Moses  remained  with  his  parents  until 
he  was  thirty  years  of  age.  Being  of  a  truant 
disposition  he  failed  to  avail  himself  of  such 
euducational  advantages  as  were  afforded  at 
that  time,  and  at  eighteen  began  learning  the 
carpenter  and  joiner's  trade,  afterwards  being 
employed  at  various  places  until  he  reached 
the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  when  he  entered 
into  the  employment  of  Clark  Camp  of  Auburn, 
who  was  largely  engaged  in  the  business  of 
building  and  repairing  mills.  After  being  thus 
employed  some  four  years,  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness for  himself,  the  reputation  he  had  ac- 
quired as  a  mill-wright  securing  for  him  many 
contracts  in  different  parts  of  the  State — a  line 
of  business  in  which  he  continued  to  be  more 
or  less  extensively  employed  during  his  active 
life.  He  built  and  operated  a  saw-mill  of  his 
own,  besides  being  interested  in  a  number  of 
other  enterprises,  some  of  which  proved  suc- 
cessful while  others  did  not.  While  thus  em- 
ployed he  carried  on  farming  operations  most 
carefully,  feeling  that,  in  case  of  disaster  in  his 
outside  business  relations,  he  would  here  find 
something  upon  which  he  could  rely  with  en- 
tire safety.  Few  men  can  look  back  upon  a 
life  in  which  economy,  industry  and  perse- 
verance played  a  more  conspicuous  part  in  the 


achievement  of  final  success  than  could  Mr. 
Moreland.  On  Feb.  25,  1830,  Mr.  Moreland 
was  married,  at  Brutus,  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y., 
to  Nancy  (Wilson)  Putnam,  and  they  had  eight 
children:  Melissa  J.,  born  Dec.  1,  1830,  mar- 
ried Robert  Matteson,  of  Sennett,  March  18, 
1851 ;  Lewis  P.,  born  July  9,  1832,  married  Har- 
riet Daniels  of  Skeneateles,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  25, 
1856;  Ann  E.,  born  Nov.  21,  1834,  married  Wil- 
lard  Daniels  of  Skeneateles,  November,  1856: 
Parley  W.,  born  Oct.  14,  1836,  married  Aurelia 
Clapp  of  Skeneateles,  Nov.  29,  1860;  Nancy  A., 
born  April  26,  1841,  died  March  24,  1842; 
Theodore  M.,  born  March  10,  1844;  Alfred  J.. 
born  May  13,  1846,  and  Lester  E.,  born  Oct.  22, 
1848,  died  Jan.  6,  1852.  In  politics  Mr.  More- 
land  was  a  Whig  until  1840,  when  he  became  a 
Democrat,  though  making  it  a  rule  to  vote  for 
the  best  men  for  office,  as  he  understood  it, 
without  regard  to  partisan  associations. 
Though  never  a  member  of  any  church,  he 
was,  for  many  years,  a  regular  attendant  on 
the  services  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Sen- 
nett. 

Lewis  Putnam,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Moses 
Moreland,  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  born  Aug. 
22,  1769,  and  her  mother  at  Salem,  in  the  town 
of  Hebron,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  15, 
1773.  Her  parents  were  married  Jan.  11,  1794, 
and  in  1804  settled  in  Brutus.  Before  this 
time  the  father  had  pursued  the  occupation  of 
a  wool-carder  and  cloth-dresser,  but  after  his 
removal  carried  on  the  milling  business,  own- 
ing and  operating  one  grist  and  two  saw-mills, 
besides  being  engaged  quite  extensively  in 
farming — at  one  time  owning  640  acres.  He 
was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  some  twenty 
years,  and  was  one  of  the  representative  men 
of  his  town.  His  death  occurred  Jan.  10,  1832, 
and  that  of  his  wife,  March  18,  1845.  The  now 
numerous  family  of  Putnams  at  Brutus,  N.  Y.. 
are  descended  from  this  couple.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Anna,  born  Aug.  10,  1776,  died 
Oct.  12,  1851;  Asa,  born  Dec.  2,  1797,  died  Aug. 
3,  1872;  Robert,  born  Sept.  12,  1799;  Jane,  born 
Aug.  12,  1801 ;  Lewis,  born  July  6,  1803 ;  Parley, 
born  Feb.  7,  1806,  died  at  Niles,  Mich.,  March 
18,  1875;  Nancy,  born  Aug.  6,  1809;  Melissa, 
born  July  23,  1818. 


912 


McHENRY      COUNTY, 


ANNIE    M.   MORGAN. 

Mrs.  Annie  M.  Morgan,  of  Woodstock,  111.,  is 
an  active  and  enterprising  business  woman. 
Her  mother,  who  is  an  estimable  lady  of  Heb- 
ron, 111.,  was  born  near  Smith's  Falls,  Montague 
Township,  Ontario,  Canada,  June  16,  1838,  the 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Elizabeth  (Walker) 
Wynn. 

Edward  Wynn  was  of  Welsh  ancestry,  but 
lived  at  Wexford,  and  later  in  Dublin,  Ireland. 
He  was  twice  married,  each  time  in  his  native 
country.  Of  his  first  marriage  eight  sons  were 
born,  three  of  whom,  John,  William  and  Ed- 
ward, came  to  America.  Edward  Wynn,  Sr., 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and,  when  a  young 
man,  served  in  the  French  and  English  war 
against  Napoleon,  and  was  in  the  famous 
march  across  the  Alps.  Mr.  Wynn's  first  wife 
died  and  he  married  either  in  Kildare,  Ireland, 
or  in  London.  England,  Elizabeth  Walker,  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Graham) 
Walker.  Two  children,  Samuel  and  Amelia, 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wynn  while  living 
in  England,  and  the  following  named  were 
born  in  Ontario,  Canada:  Rebecca,  Isabel, 
Margaret,  Isaac  and  Angelo.  Edward  Wynn 
tame  with  his  family  to  America  about  1834, 
crossing  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  a  sailing  vessel 
and  landing  in  Quebec.  He  settled  on  land 
which  he  cleared  from  the  forest  near  Smith's 
Falls,  Ontario,  where  several  of  his  older  sons 
were  located.  Mr.  Wynn  converted  his  land 
into  a  good  farm,  from  which  he  obtained  a 
comfortable  living,  and  upon  which  he  built  a 
log-cabin  with  a  big  fire-place,  and  here  lived 
in  pioneer  style  until  his  children  grew  to  ma- 
turity. In  earlier  manhood  he  was  possessed 
of  considerable  wealth,  but  later  gave  a  great 
deal  of  his  property  to  his  older  sons.  When 
he  became  advanced  in  years,  he  sold  his  farm 
and  moved  to  Brockville,  Ontario,  where  he 
died  at  the  age  of  ninety-four  years;  his  wife 
died  in  Almont,  Ontario,  when  eighty-three 
years  of  age.  They  were  members  of  the 
Church  of  England.  According  to  tradition 
Mrs.  Wynn's  ancestors — the  Walkers  and  Gra- 
hams— were  very  wealthy  and,  at  the  present 
time,  there  is  a  large  fortune  in  the  mother 
country  belonging  to  their  heirs.  Efforts  hare 
been  made  in  recent  years  to  recover  this 
wealth,  but  so  far  without  success. 

Rebecca  Wynn,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Morgan, 


married  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  May  19,  1862, 
Joseph  Sylvester,  who  was  born  in  Brockville, 
Ontario,  June  16,  1836,  of  English  and  German 
ancestry.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Syl- 
vester lived  in  Brockville  for  several  years, 
where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer. 
In  1867  they  came  to  Harvard,  111.,  but  shortly 
afterwards  moved  to  Lynn  County,  Wis.,  and 
in  1872  removed  to  Hebron,  111.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  followed  that  occupation 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  Jan.  12,  1878. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sylvester  were  the  parents  of 
two  children:  Annie  M.  (Mrs.  Morgan)  and 
Lizzie.  Mr.  Sylvester  was  a  man  well  known 
and  highly  respected  for  his  reliability  and 
strength  of  character.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  Mrs. 
Sylvester  united  with  the  church  in  Ontario 
when  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  but  on  com- 
ing to  Hebron,  111.,  she  and  her  husband  united 
with  the  Methodist  church,  there  being  no 
church  here  of  her  former  creed.  She  is  a 
lady  of  many  excellent  characteristics  and  sin- 
cerely devoted  to  her  church  and  family.  Her 
daughter  Lizzie  married  Charles  Householder, 
an  estimable  citizen  of  Hebron,  111.,  who  died 
Dec.  24,  1902. 

Mrs.  Annie  M.  Morgan,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Brockville,  Ontario,  and 
came  with  her  parents  to  Hebron  when  a  little 
child.  She  received  her  education  in  the 
high  school  at  Hebron  and  Richmond  and,  after 
graduating  from  the  last-named  institution, 
taught  school  for  two  years  in  Lynn  Town- 
ship, Walworth  County,  Wis.  She  then  taught 
for  two  years  in  Alden,  two  years  in  Hebron 
and  afterwards  instructed  private  classes  in 
the  science  of  algebra  in  Ringwood.  She  mar- 
ried Mr.  Fred  Morgan  of  Hebron,  111.,  and  in 
1889,  they  removed  to  Ringwood,  where  they 
resided  for  many  years.  While  a  resident  of 
Ringwood,  Mrs.  Morgan  was  active  in  affairs 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  She  was  for  several  years  a  teacher 
in  the  Sunday  School  at  Hebron  and  Ringwood, 
Vice-President  of  the  Epworth  League  at  Ring, 
wood,  Superintendent  of  the  Junior  League, 
and  being  a  lady  of  excellent  literary  talents, 
has  always  been  prominent  in  literary  and 
other  entertainments,  and  for  some  time  a  con- 
tributor to  the  "McHenry  Plain-Dealer."  In 
1900  Mrs.  Morgan  established  in  Woodstock  a 


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dCpCLoU. 


T 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


913 


ladies'  specialty  store,  in  the  conduct  of  which 
she  has  shown  great  skill  and  marked  busi- 
ness ability. 

Mrs.  Morgan  has  two  daughters,  Ellen  M., 
who  received  a  good  education  in  the  Ring- 
wood  and  McHenry  High  Schools,  and  mar- 
ried Frank  G.  Beacking  of  Woodstock,  and  Vel- 
ma  J.,  a  little  miss  attending  the  public  school 
in  Woodstock. 


WILLIAM    H.   MUNROE. 

William  H.  Munroe,  Postmaster,  Ridgefield, 
111.,  is  a  veteran  soldier  of  the  Civil  War  who 
has  a  record  of  three  years  of  faithful  service 
to  his  country  in  assisting  to  suppress  the 
rebellion.  He  was  born  in  Danbury,  Conn., 
May  22,  1838,  the  son  of  Henry  H.  and  Eliza 
(Sanford)  Munroe.  His  father,  Henry  H.  Mun- 
roe, was  a  native  of  New  York  State,  born 
Dec.  18,  1817,  and  came  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
He  received  a  good  education  and,  in  early  life; 
became  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  but  later  set- 
tled in  Danbury,  Conn.,  where  he  followed  the 
undertaking  business  for  many  years.  While 
a  resident  of  Danbury,  he  was  married  to 
Eliza  Sanford,  who  bore  him  three  children: 
Mary  E,  born  Feb.  10,  1840;  William  H.,  born 
May  22,  1843,  and  Edward  H.,  born  Dec.  26 
1850.  About  1853  Henry  H.  Munroe  moved 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Dorr  Township,  but  several  years  later  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
lumber  trade  and  in  the  manufacture  of  wood- 
en boxes.  During  the  Civil  War  he  received 
a  Government  contract  to  manufacture  cracker 
boxes  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  his  factory  was 
twice  burned  by  Confederate  troops.  After 
the  close  of  the  rebellion  he  returned  to  Chi- 
cago and  resumed  his  former  occupation,  which 
he  followed  for  several  years,  but  being  a  man 
of  education  and  religious  convictions,  he 
studied  for  the  ministry  and  became  pastor  of 
the  Congregational  church  at  Malta  and  at 
Bartlett,  111.  October  22,  1895,  Mr.  Munroe 
died  at  Dundee,  111.,  aged  about  seventy-eight 
years.  Mrs.  Munroe  is  still  living  at  the  ven- 
erable age  of  ninety  years. 

William  H.  Munroe  received  his  primary 
education  in  his  native  State  and,  when  ten 
years  of  age,  came  with  his  parents  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  where  he  attended  the 
district    school     in     Dorr     Township.       Later 


he  moved  with  his  father's  family  to  Chicago, 
where  he  worked  in  his  father's  box  factory 
and  assisted  in  the  lumber  business.  In 
August,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the 
Chicago  Mercantile  Battery  for  three  years' 
service  in  the  Union  Army,  and,  at  the  end 
of  the  first  year,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  Sergeant.  Mr.  Munroe  was  in  all  the  cam- 
paigns, battles,  marches  and  skirmishes  in 
which  his  battery  participated,  including  the 
entire  Siege  of  Vicksburg,  the  battle  of  Ar- 
kansas Post,  and  the  Red  River  campaign. 
Mr.  Munroe  was  never  wounded  in  battle  or 
taken  prisoner,  but  was  sick  for  one  month 
in  hospital  in  Memphis,  and  one  month  in 
St.  Louis.  He  was  honorably  discharged  and 
mustered  out  of  the  service  in  Chicago,  in 
July,  1865.  After  his  discharge  he  returned 
to  Chicago  and  resumed  work  in  his  father's 
lumber  yard,  but  shortly  afterwards  received 
an  appointment  from  the  Government  as  night 
watchman  at  the  United  States  Depository  in 
Louisville,  Ky.,  where  he  continued  for  ten 
years,  when  he  was  promoted  to  be  Deputy 
Inspector  and  Surveyor  of  Customs. 

December  26,  1865,  he  was  married  in  Chi- 
cago to  Agnes  W.  Goodwillie,  who  was  born  in 
Montreal,  Canada,  May  23,  1847,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Jean  (Monro)  Goodwillie,  natives 
of  Scotland.  Of  this  union  three  children  were 
born:  Jean  H.,  who  married  M.  B.  Hubbard; 
Mary  E.  (Mrs.  Frank  R.  Jackman  of  Wood- 
stock), Cecil  E.,  who  married  J.  J.  Jayne. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Munroe  lived  the  first  ten 
years  of  their  married  life  in  Louisville,  Ky., 
where  all  of  their  children  were  born,  and 
then  moved  to  McHenry  County,  settling  in 
Dorr  Township.  Twelve  years  ago  (1891)  Mr. 
Munroe  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Ridge- 
field, 111.,  and  has  held  that  office  continuously 
ever  since  with  the  exception  of  one  year.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican  and  held  the  of- 
fice of  Tax  Collector  of  Dorr  Township  for 
one  term.  As  a  citizen  Mr.  Munroe  is  well 
known  and  highly  respected  for  his  honest 
principles    and    straightforward    character. 

Robert  Goodwillie,  father  of  Mrs.  William 
H.  Munroe,  was  born  in  Aberdeen,  Scotland. 
He  received  a  common-school  education, 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  became  a 
contractor  and  bridge- builder.  In  early  man- 
hood he  came  to  Montreal,  Canada,  and  there 


914 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


married  Jean  Monro,  daughter  of  James  and 
Jennie  (Douglass)  Monro.  James  Monro  was 
a  native  of  Scotland  and  came  to  Canada, 
where  he  was  an  officer  in  the  custom-house 
at  Quebec.  He  owned  property  in  Quebec 
where  the  officers  of  the  Allen  line  of  ocean 
steamers  are  now  located.  Robert  Goodwillie 
became  the  contractor  for  the  Victoria  bridge 
across  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  near  Montreal, 
and  also  built  McGill  College  in  the  same  city. 
He  was  twice  married,  and  the  children  of  his 
first  wife  (whose  name  is  not  remembered) 
were:  David,  Robert,  John,  Mary  and  Chris- 
tina. In  1835  he  married  for  his  second  wife 
Jean  Monro,  who  came  from  Scotland  to  Amer- 
ica in  1833,  and  of  this  union  there  were 
children  named  James,  Thomas,  Walter,  Wil- 
liam, Douglass,  Agnes,  and  Joseph.  Robert 
Goodwillie  died  in  Montreal  in  1855,  being  then 
fifty  years  of  age.  Two  years  later  (1857)  his 
widow  came  with  her  family  to  Chicago,  where 
she  died  in  1875.  In  religious  belief  Mr.  Good- 
willie was  a  Scotch  Presbyterian,  was  also  an 
earnest  advocate  of  the  temperance  cause  and 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  Order. 


john  c.  McCarthy. 

John  Calaghan  McCarthy,  an  old  settler  of 
Hartland  Township  and  one  of  the  self-made 
men  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  in  County 
Kerry,  Ireland,  June  24,  1834.  son  of  Calaghan 
and  Ann  (Moore)  McCarthy.  Calaghan  Mc- 
Carthy was  a  farmer  of  moderate  circum- 
stances and  a  descendant  of  the  old  Irish 
Gaels.  His  children  were:  Florence,  who 
came  to  America  with  her  famttly  about  1843, 
and  died  in  Chicago  at  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety  years;  Dennis,  who  came  to  America 
about  1842;  John,  who  died  when  a  child  in 
Ireland;  John  C,  who  came  to  America  in 
1844;  Elizabeth,  who  married  in  Ireland  Ed- 
ward Goggin  and  came  to  America  in  1843  with 
her  family;  Bridget,  and  Mary,  who  came  to 
America  with  their  mother  in  1844. 

Calaghan  McCarthy,  father  of  the  family, 
died  in  Ireland  in  1836,  when  about  sixty  years 
of  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
church  and  a  hard  working  man.  His  sons 
soon  began  to  emigrate  to  America,  and,  in 
1844,  Mrs.  McCarthy  joined  them  with  the 
remainder  of  the  family,   John  C,   Mary   and 


Bridget.  They  made  the  voyage  in  a  sailing 
vessel  and  were  six  weeks  on  the  passage  to 
Quebec.  John  C.  was  then  a  boy  between 
nine  and  ten  years  of  age.  They  went  di- 
rectly to  Rochester,  where  the  older  children 
had  settled  and  the  sons  had  secured  employ- 
ment with  a  railroad  company.  Here  the 
family  lived  about  one  and  a  half  years  and 
then  moved  to  Buffalo  where  John  C.  at- 
tended school  for  a  while.  About  1846,  Mrs. 
McCarthy  came  to  Illinois  with  her  son-in-law, 
Edward  Goggin  and  family,  who  settled  in 
Hartland  Township.  Here  John  C.  lived  with 
Edward  Groggin's  family  until  he  was  about 
twenty  years  of  age,  working  at  farm-work 
during  the  summer  and  in  the  winter  attend- 
ing the  district  school.  One  winter  Mr.  Mc- 
Carthy's teacher  was  M.  D.  Hoy,  who  is  now 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Woodstock.  This  was 
in  one  of  the  Alden  Township  districts,  and 
John  C.  walked  one  and  a  half  miles  to  and 
from  school  and  did  farm  chores  to  pay  for  his 
board.  At  another  time  he  attended  a  school 
in  Alden  Township  taught  by  Sidney  Disbrow, 
and  thus  gained  an  elementary  education.  In 
1854,  when  young  McCarthy  was  twenty  years 
of  age,  he  had  about  $200,  which  he  had  saved 
from  his  earnings,  as  he  had  been  employed 
on  the  farm  at  three  to  seven  dollars  per  month 
for  several  years.  This  was  in  the  days  of  the 
California  gold  excitement,  and  in  company 
with  George  Burchey  and  Thomas  Quigley,  he 
went  to  California.  They  made  the  journey 
from  New  York  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  from  San  Francisco  to  the  placer 
gold  mines  near  Weaverville,  Trinity  County 
John  J.  Murphy  was  in  the  same  camp.  Mr. 
McCarthy  remained  there  about  eight  years 
when,  in  1862,  he  went  to  the  Blue  Mountains 
in  Northeastern  Oregon,  where  he  mined  for 
gold  on  the  John  Day's  River.  There  were 
thirty-six  men  in  this  expedition  and  they 
were  three  months  on  the  trip  from  the  start- 
ing place,  Waurica,  Cal.,  through  a  wild,,  moun- 
tainous and  unsettled  country.  This  was  in  the 
land  of  the  Modoc  Indians  and  to  them  they 
were  obliged  to  pay  tribute  for  crossing  the 
country  on  their  trails.  The  Captain  of  Mr. 
McCarthy's  company,  W.  W.  Martin,  under- 
stood the  Indian  language  and  engaged  an  In- 
dian chief  and  his  squaw  to  pilot  them  through 
the    wilderness.        They    passed    through    the 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


915 


country  afterwards  made  famous  by  Captain 
Jack,  the  Modoc  chieftain,  in  his  attack  on 
the  United  States  Peace  Commissioners,  which 
is  one  of  the  most  desolate  regions  known  to 
man.  Further  north  they  passed  into  a  region 
owned  by  another  tribe  of  Indians  to  whom 
they  were  obliged  to  pay  tribute,  and  where 
they  had  a  variety  of  experiences.  This  coun- 
try was  not  only  inhabited  by  savage  men,  but 
by  savage  beasts;  both  black  and  brown  bear 
were  numerous,  the  mountain  goat  was  fre- 
quently seen  on  the  steep  ledges  of  the  moun- 
tains, while  deer,  antelope  and  other  game 
were  plentiful.  The  party  lived  on  provisions 
which  they  packed  with  them  on  the  backs  of 
horses  and  mules,  consisting  principally  of 
flour  and  bacon,  of  which  they  carried  a  quan- 
tity sufficient  to  last  about  four  months.  They 
began  mining  gold  on  John  Day's  River,  but 
not  meeting  with  success,  they  moved  their 
camp  to  the  head  of  the  river,  where  they 
carried  on  mining  four  years.  Provisions 
were  very  high  and  Mr.  McCarthy  often  paid 
as  high  as  $2.50  for  a  pound  of  flour. 

In  1866  he  went  to  Umatilla  on  the  Columbia 
River,  which  was  a  very  arduous  journey. 
From  here  he  went  to  Portland,  Oregon,  where 
he  took  a  steamer  for  San  Francisco,  and 
sailed  to  New  York  from  the  latter  place. 
He  had  been  absent  from  home  between  twelve 
and  thirteen  years,  during  which  time  he  en- 
countered many  hardships.  On  his  outward 
journey  to  the  gold-fields  his  money  was 
exhausted  when  he  reached  San  Francis- 
co, and  he  was  obliged  to  work  his  way  up 
the  Sacramento  River  on  a  steamer  to  the 
mines.  At  one  time  he  was  at  Lewiston,  the 
head  of  navigation  on  the  Columbia  River, 
above  Walla  Walla.  This  was  the  extreme 
frontier  limit.  Traveling  by  land  in  that 
country  was  made  by  pack-mule  trains,  from 
fifty  to  sixty  mules  in  a  train,  and  each  mule 
would  be  loaded  with  about  350  pounds  of 
baggage,  for  which  the  charges  were  fifty 
cents  per  pound.  At  Walla  Walla  every 
mercantile  house  kept  a  rope  with  a  noose 
in  it  in  readiness  for  horse-thieves,  who  were 
very   numerous. 

After  his  return  to  Hartland  Township  in 
1868,  Mr.  McCarthy  bought  the  Edward  Gog- 
gin  farm  consisting  of  240  acres.  He  married 
July   18,    1872,   Mary   Harter,   born   in  Alsace, 


France,  August  13,  1845,  the  daughter  of  Fran- 
cis and  Louisa  (Detterer)  Harter.  After  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCarthy  settled  on  the 
farm,  which  then  had  a  log  house  and  rude 
farm  buildings  on  it.  Mr.  McCarthy  has 
cleared  at  least  one-third  of  the  farm,  and  has 
erected  a  good  frame  residence  and  a  sub- 
stantial barn.  The  farm  is  well  stocked  and  is 
one  of  the  finest  estates  in  Hartland  Town- 
ship. Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCarthy  are  the  parents 
of  Francis  Dennis,  Mary  Louisa,  Elizabeth  Ann 
and  Charles  Edward.  The  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  church.  Mr.  McCarthy, 
like  most  true  sons  of  the  Gael,  has  a  strong 
love  of  liberty  and  is  a  firm  believer  in  the 
rights  of  the  common  people.  He  is  a  stancn 
Democrat,  believing  in  the  principles  advo- 
cated by  Jefferson  and  Jackson.  He  is  a 
friend  of  progress  and  education,  and  has  been 
School  Director  eight  years.  When  Mr.  Mc- 
Carthy first  came  to  Hartland  Township  it  was 
almost  a  wilderness,  and  he  has  been  one 
of  the  main  factors  in  its  improvement.  He 
has  prospered  well,  having  been  a  thrifty  and 
industrious  man.  He  has  the  liberal,  whole- 
souled  disposition  of  the  Irish  Celt,  and  being 
careful  and  conscientious  in  the  discharge  of 
every  duty,  he  is  possessed  of  a  high  degree 
of  honor  and  integrity.  One  of  Mr.  McCarthy's 
sons,  Charles  Edward,  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  Spanish-American  War  in  Company  G, 
Woodstock  Guards,  and  was  stationed  in  Porto 
Rico. 

Francis  Anthony  Harter,  father  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Carthy, was  born  in  Alsace  about  1815.  He 
was  a  baker  by  trade,  and  married  in  Alsace, 
where  all  of  his  children,  Engene,  Augusta, 
Antoinette  and  Mary  Ann,  were  born.  Mr. 
Harter  came  to  America  and  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Mexican  War.  He  sent  for  his 
family  in  1850  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Sen- 
eca Township.  He  was  also  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War,  serving  as  a  private  in  the  Fif- 
teenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  re- 
enlisted  as  a  veteran.  He  was  in  An'Jerson- 
ville  prison  several  months.  After  the  war, 
in  1865,  he  returned  to  McHenry  County,  and 
settled  in  Harvard.  He  afterwards  moved  to 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  from  there  started  for 
California,  and  was  never  afterwards  heard 
from.  His  son  Eugene  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Fair 
Oaks. 


916 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


PATRICK    McCABE. 

This  pioneer  of  the  Celtic  race  is  the  oldest 
man  now  living  in  Hartland  Township,  and, 
perhaps,  in  McHenry  County.  He  is  one  of 
the  original  Irish  pioneers  who  settled  in  Hart- 
land  Township  on  Government  land.  Those 
remaining  who  patented  land  from  the  Gov- 
ernment can  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one 
hand.  He  was  born  in  March,  1808,  in  the 
town  of  Dunraven,  Parish  of  Lurgan,  County 
Cavan,  Ireland,  son  of  Terrence  and  Mary 
(Tierney)   McCabe. 

Terrence  McCabe  was  the  son  of  Patrick 
McCabe,  who  once  owned  the  land  where  the 
town  of  Dunraven  now  stands.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  rented  his  farm  on  the  long  lease, 
or  three  lives,  system,  the  lease  extending  over 
ninety-one  years,  except  in  the  case  of  the 
death  of  one  of  the  proprietors,  when  it  was 
good  for  thirty-one  years.  This  plan  made  a 
family  permanent,  and,  when  the  rent  was 
moderate,  was  a  very  good  system.  The 
children  of  Terrence'  and  Mary  McCabe  were: 
John,  Patrick,  Michael,  Kate,  Bridget  and  Mary. 
Mr.  McCabe  and  his  wife  died  in  Ireland,  both 
having  reached  an  advanced  age.  They  were 
members  of  the  Catholic  church.  One  of 
the  sons,  Michael  McCabe,  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Hartland  Township,  but  later 
moved  to  Iowa,  where  he  reared  a  family  of 
five  children. 

Patrick  McCabe,  subject  of  this  sketch,  re- 
ceived a  better  education  than  most  sons  of 
Erin,  as  he  had  the  advantage  of  attending 
school  in  a  near-by  town.  He  remained  on 
his  father's  farm  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  to  America,  sailing  from 
Dublin,  May  2,  1832,  in  the  good  ship  "Heb- 
ron" of  Liverpool,  and  was  four  weeks  and 
three  days  on  the  voyage  to  Quebec,  where  he 
arrived  in  June.  He  came  directly  to  New 
York  State,  by  way  of  Lake  Cnamplain,  and 
worked  for  five  years  in  the  United  States 
foundry  at  West  Point,  on  the  Hudson,  where 
he  frequently  saw  General  Scott.  He  came 
to  Chicago  in  1836  or  '37  and  lived  there  about 
five  years.  He  was  steward  at  the  Tremont 
House,  having  been  promoted  to  that  position 
from  that  of  hostler.  These  were  in  the 
gool  old  days  of  pioneer  Chicago,  when  he 
Tremont  House  was  the  headquarters  of  the 
Democratic    party    and    the    leading    hotel    in 


Chicago.  Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  his  wife 
occupied  rooms  in  this  hotel,  and  Mr.  McCabe 
was  personally  acquainted  with  the  "Little 
Giant"  and  heard  him  make  many  speeches. 
John  Wentworth,  known  as  "Long  John,"  the 
noted  and  able  editor  of  the  "Chicago  Dem- 
ocrat." was  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  hotel  and 
was  a  vigorous  politician  of  the  rough  and 
ready  type.  Mr.  McCabe  was  also  acquainted 
with  Kinzie,  the  pioneer;  Mark  Beaubien  and 
his  wife,  the  old  French  inn-keepers,  and  Cap- 
tain Naper,  for  whom  Naperville  was  named. 
Tradition  says  that,  in  early  times  in  some 
Indian  campaign,  Captain  Naper  crossed  Mc- 
Henry County  with  his  men,  and  during  the 
march  one  of  the  commissary  wagons  mired 
in  a  creek.  Among  the  goods  was  a  ten- 
gallon  keg  of  whisky  and  one  of  the  soldiers 
attempted  to  get  a  drink,  saying:  "I  will  have 
a  nip  or  sink."  Thereafter  the  creek  was 
known  as  "Nippersink." 

Mr.  McCabe  came  to  Hartland  Township 
about  1840  and  selected  land,  consisting  of  240 
acres,  which  he  entered  in  1841.  He  after- 
wards bought  eighty  acres  more  of  the  Gen- 
eral Government.  His  brother  Michael  had  set- 
tled in  the  township  a  short  time  before,  as  also 
had  Andrew  and  Neill  Donnelly.  Mr.  McCabe's 
land  was  partly  prairie  and  partly  timber, 
and  he  settled  on  it  in  1842.  He  was  then 
a  single  man  and  hauled  lumber  from  Chicago 
for  a  small  frame  house,  which  is  still  standing. 
Mr.  McCabe  improved  his  land  and  bought 
120  acres  of  Andrew  Hood,  and  ninety-five 
acres  of  a  Mr.  Creighead  and  together,  with 
other  purchases,  he  accumulated  a  fine  farm- 
ing property.  He  has  given  his  sons  Terrence 
and  Michael  120  acres  each,  but  still  retains 
250  acres,  which  is  one  of  the  best  farming 
properties  in  Hartland  Township.  These  broad 
acres  extend  one  mile  from  the  old  Marengo 
and  Geneva  road  to  the  Woodstock  and  Har- 
vard road. 

In  Hartland  Township,  May  1,  1856,  Mr.  Mc- 
Cabe mjarried  Ann  McConnell,  born  in  the 
town  of  Macken,  County  Fermanagh,  Ireland, 
July,  1825,  daughter  of  Michael  and  Bridget 
(McGee)  McConnell.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCabe 
have  the  following  children:  Mary  Anne,  Ter- 
rence, Katie,  Michael,  Bridget,  Maggie,  Susan 
and  Patrick  H.  All  this  family  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  church  of  which  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


917 


McCabe  have  always  been  liberal  supporters. 

There  were  few  families  in  Hartland  Town- 
ship when  Mr.  McCabe  first  settled  there, 
the  farms  were  new  and  unimproved  and  the 
people  lived  in  log  houses.  There  were  no 
buildings  in  Woodstock  and  be  went  to  market 
at  Geneva  and  afterwards  to  Richmond.  When 
he  first  settled  on  his  farm  there  were  sev- 
eral Indian  graves  on  the  place,  which  were 
covered  with  large  stones  of  excellent  quality 
as  wide  and  long  as  the  graves.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McCabe  both  worked  hard,  and  built  up  one 
of  the  best  farming  properties  in  the  county. 
Mr.  McCabe  rode  on  the  second  railroad  built 
in  the  United  States,  which  was  between 
Albany  and  Buffalo.  In  his  younger  days  he 
well  remembers  seeing  the  great  hero  of  New 
Orleans,  General  Jackson.  He  has  always  voted 
the  straight  Democratic  ticket,  except  on  one 
occasion,  when  he  voted  for  General  Scott,  a 
Whig  candidate,  on  account  of  his  acquaintance 
with  him  at  West  Point.  He  was  a  prominent 
man  in  his  township  in  early  times,  but  never 
sought  office,  having  at  all  times,  all  he  could 
do  to  attend  to  the  duties  on  his  farm.  He  is  a 
man  of  integrity  and  strong  common  sense, 
and  at  the  great  age  of  ninety-five,  retains  his 
memory  and  faculties  to  a  wonderful  degree. 
He  is  a  great  reader  of  the  newspapers  and 
can  read  fine  print  without  glasses.  He  re- 
cently read  an  article  in  the  "McHenry  County 
Democrat"  on  the  origin  of  the  "Irish  Celt," 
and  pronounced  it  correct  so  far  as  his 
knowledge  of  the  subject  extended. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCabe's  children  are  well 
tducateu,  the  sons  are  all  engaged  in  farm- 
ing una  have  settled  arouDd  the  old  home- 
stead and  their  houses  are  connected  with  each 
other  by  telephone. 

Michael  McConnell,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Cabe, was  a  farmer  living  on  long-leased  lan'j 
in  Ireland.  He  died  in,  Ireland  a  middle-aged 
man.  His  children  were  Clarence,  Patrick, 
James,  Susan  and  Mary.  All  of  this  family 
came  to  America.  In  1851,  when  Mrs.  Mc- 
Cabe was  seventeen  years  of  age,  she  came  to 
America  with  her  brother  James,  sailing  from 
Dundalk,  Ireland,  for  New  York,  and  they 
were  seven  weeks  on  the  passage.  She  came 
to  Chicago  where  she  lived  four  years  and 
then  came  to  Hartland  Township,  where  her 
brother,   Terrence,  was   settled. 


Mr.  McCabe  was  in  Chicago  when  the  Gov- 
ernment pier  was  built  and  recalls  the  early 
issues  of  the  old  "Chicago  Democrat."  The 
paper  was  printed  only  on  one  side,  being 
blank  on  the  other. 


ANDREW    T.    MCMILLAN. 

Andrew  Thomas  McMillan,  farmer  and 
prominent  citizen  of  Nunda  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  was  born  on  the  old  Mc- 
Millan homestead  in  Nunda  Township,  Feb. 
5,  1845,  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Jane  Ann  (Wil- 
son) McMillan,  who  were  pioneer  settlers  of 
Northern  Illinois.  Samuel  McMillan,  the  father, 
was  of  Scotch  ancestry,  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  (Humphrey)  McMillan,  who  had 
children  named  John,  Benjamin,  James,  An- 
drew, Ebenezer,  Samuel,  Elizabeth,  Margaret 
and  Mary.  Samuel  McMillan,  of  this  family, 
was  born  at  Princeton,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  7,  1815. 
About  1837,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years, 
he  -came  to  Plainfield,  Will  County,  111.,  but 
two  years  later  located  in  McHenry  County. 
Here,  on  Nov.  28,  1843,  in  Nunda  Township,  he 
was  married  to  Jane  Ann  Wilson,  who  was 
born  in  Princeton,  N.  Y.,  July  19,  1823,  the 
daughter  of  Andrew  and  Ann  Jane  (Fall) 
Wilson.  After  his  marriage  in  the  spring  of 
1844,  he  settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of 
Government  land,  which  he  entered  and  to 
which  he  made  additions  until  he  was  the 
owner  of  200  acres,  becoming  a  successful  and 
well-to-do  farmer.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  in  politics  a  Republi- 
can. His  children  were:  Eliza  Ann,  born 
Nov.  12,  1848;  John  Henry,  born  May  28,  1851; 
Sarah  Jane,  born  Oct.  9,  1853.  Mr.  McMillan 
died  in  1885,  at  the  age  of  about  seventy  years, 
but  his  wife  is  still  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead near  Terra  Cotta,  in  Nunda  Township. 

Andrew  Thomas  McMillan  received  the  usu- 
al common-school  education  while  working  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer  months.  De- 
cember 24,  1867,  he  was  married  at  Crystal 
Lake,  McHenry  County,  to  Marion  A.  Wicker, 
who  was  born  in  Vermont  on  the  border  of 
Lake  Champlain,  near  Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  March 
27,  1850,  the  daughter  of  Benijah  and  Angeline 
(Wilson)  Wicker.  Mrs.  Wicker  was  the 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  Willson,  of  Sharon,  Vt, 
was   a   graduate   of   Castleton   Seminary,    and 


918 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


for  a  number  of  years  a  successful  teacher. 
Both  parents  belonged  to  old  American  fami- 
lies, Benijah  Wicker  being  the  son  of  Dr. 
Nathaniel  Wicker,  who  served  in  the  War  of 
the  American  Revolution  and  was  afterwards  a 
prominent  physician  in  Vermont.  Benijah 
Wicker  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812  ami, 
about  1853,  removed  with  his  family  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  six  miles  south  of  Belvidere,  in 
Boone  County.  Nine  years  later  (1862)  he 
removed  to  Nunda  Township,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  bought  an  improved  farm  of  225  acres, 
and  where  in  January,  1863 — less  than  a  year 
after  his  removal — he  died.  In  religious 
belief  he  was  a  Universalist  and  in  politics 
a  Democrat,  but  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln 
for  President  in  1860  on  the  ground  of  oppo- 
sition to  the  further  extension  of  slavery.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Benijah  Wicker  were: 
Helen,  Cora,  Addie,  and  Benijah,  Jr. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  T. 
McMillan  settled  on  the  McMillan  homestead 
in  Nunda  Township,  where  they  remained 
twenty-four  years  when,  in  1891,  they  removed 
to  their  present  location  in  the  same  town- 
ship. He  here  bought  a  farm  consisting  of 
sixty- nine  acres,  upon  which  he  erected  all  the 
farm  buildings.  He  also  retains  his  interest 
in  the  old  homestead.  The  children  of  Andrew 
T.  McMillan  and  wife  are:  Emma  W.,  born 
Oct.  1,  1869;  Bennie,  born  Dec.  26,  1873,  died 
Jan  7,  1878,  aged  four  years:  Charles,  born 
Dec.  26,  1876,  died  aged  about  eleven  years; 
Henry  born  March  21,  1882;  Frank,  born  May 
27,  1885;  Ray,  born  May  18,  1888;  Earl,  born 
April   6,  1891. 

Emma  W.  McMillan  married  Henry  Shales, 
of  Terra  Cotta,  and  they  have  one  son  named 
Arthur. 

In  political  opinions  Mr.  McMillan  is  a 
Republican,  and  has  served  one  year  as  Col- 
lector of  Taxes  for  Nunda  Township.  He  and 
his  wife  are  held  in  high  esteem  in  the  com- 
munity where  they  maintain  an  attractive 
home  and  have  given  their  children  good  com- 
mon-school educations. 

Andrew  Wilson,  the  maternal  grandfather 
of  Andrew  T.  McMillan,  was  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, but  is  believed  to  have  been  of  mixed 
Scotch  and  Irish  blood.  He  was  a  Presbyterian 
in  religious  belief.  Three  of  his  sons  were 
born  in  Ireland,  viz.:  Thomas,  John  and  Andrew; 


the  others — James,  Alexander,  David,  William, 
Mariah,  Matilda  and  Jane  Ann — being  born 
after  the  removal  to  America.  On  his  removal 
to  the  United  States,  Andrew  Wilson  first  set- 
tled at  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  where  he  carried  on 
his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  but,  in 
1836  coming  west,  located  at  Deer  Grove, 
Cook  County,  111.,  and  there  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life.  He  was  thus  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Cook  County,  where  he  was  a  substantial 
farmer. 


HENRY   MAGOON. 

Henry  Magoon,  Terra  Cotta,  111.,  a  substan- 
tial and  respected  citizen  of  Nunda  Township, 
McHenry  County,  is  of  sterling  Scotch  descent. 
His  father,  Simeon  Magoon,  was  born  in 
Canada,  near  Niagara  Falls,  July  24,  1813,  and 
on  April  4,  1835,  married  at  Chagrin  Falls,  near 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  Tryphena  Abbott,  who  was 
born  Nov.  19,  1812,  the  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
and  Nicy  Abbott.  In  1844  Simeon  Magoon 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  bought  a 
small  farm  in  Greenwood  Township.  Some 
years  afterward  he  removed  to  Wisconsin,  but 
two  years  later  returned  to  McHenry  County, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
Simeon  Magoon  was  a  very  religious  man, 
devoting  much  of  his  life  to  inculcating  the 
principles  of  Methodism,  and  was  an  exhorter 
and  class-leader  in  that  denomination.  He 
also  assisted  in  building  several  Methodist 
churches.  Tlis  children,  who  were  born  on 
following  dates,  were:  Permelia,  Feb.  24, 
1838;  Henry,  Feb.  13,  1839;  David,  May  4 
1842;  Betsy,  Oct.  14,  1847;  Aurilla,  August 
20,  1849 ;  Julia  Ann,  June  13,  1852.  (For  sketch 
of  the  Abbott  family,  see  biography  of  Mark 
Hickox  in  this  volume.) 

Henry  Magoon,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Feb.  13, 
1838,  and  was  six  years  old  when  he  came  with 
his  father  to  McHenry  County.  He  received 
the  limited  common-school  education  afforded 
by  the  district  schools  of  his  day,  and  at  six- 
teen years  of  age  began  to  work  out  at  farm- 
labor.  On  Sept.  21,  1861,  he  married  in  Green- 
wood, 111.,  Louisa  Salisbury,  who  was  born  at 
Green,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  23,  1840, 
the  'daughter  of  Charles  and  Elsie  (Marvin) 
Salisbury. 


QJXAY^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


919 


After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Magoon  settled 
in  Greenwood,  but  several  years  later  (about 
1868)  bought  100  acres  of  land  in  Greenwood 
Township,  where  they  lived  for  nearly  ten 
years  and  then  removed  to  Nunda  Township, 
[n  1879  they  purchased  their  present  home- 
stead then  consisting  of  100  acres  of  slightly 
improved  land.,  to  which,  by  industrious  habits 
and  careful  management,  they  have  made  sub- 
sequent additions  until  they  now  own  132% 
acres  of  excellent  farming  land.  They  have 
greatly  improved  their  dwelling  house  and 
farm  buildings,  and  their  home  now  presents 
every  appearance  of  thrift,  comfort  and  happi- 
ness. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Magoon  are  the  parents 
of  two  children,  who  were  born  in  Greenwood 
Township:  Ella  Marvin,  born  Feb.  1,  1864, 
and  Elmer,  born  May  14,  1865.  In  political 
belief  Mr.  Magoon  is  a  Republican,  and  has 
served  his  fellow-townsmen  as  Road  Commis- 
sioner for  four  years. 

The  Salisbury  family  is  of  colonial  New 
England  stock.  Hale  Salisbury,  the  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Magoon,  was  born  in  Brattle- 
boro,  Vt.,  and  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer.  His  children  were  named  Hannah, 
Betsy,  Rachael,  Melinda,  Roswell,  Hale,  Alva, 
Emri  and  Charles.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  in  pioneer  days  removed  to 
Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared  up 
a  farm  from  the  wilderness  and  became  a 
substantial  citizen.  He  lived  to  be  more  than 
eighty  years  of  age  and  died  on  his  home- 
stead in  New  York  State;  his  wife  dying  at 
about  the  same  age. 

Charles  Salisbury,  father  of  M)rs.  Henry 
Magoon,  was  born  in  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  Feb.  13, 
1805,  and  in  boyhood  came  with  his  parents 
to  New  York  State.  When  about  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  he  removed  with  his  married 
sister,  Betsy,  and  her  family  to  Richland 
County,  Ohio,  where,  on  May  29,  1830:  he  mar- 
ried Elsie  Marvin.  They  resided  in  Richland 
County,  Ohio,  the  first  ten  years  of  their  mar- 
ried life,  and  then  moved  to  New  York  State, 
where  Mr.  Salisbury  purchased  a  140-acre 
farm  in  Green  Township,  Green  County,  and 
resided  there  for  fifteen  years.  In  1845,  dur- 
ing their  residence  in  Green  County,  a  notable 
religious  revival  accurred,  in  which  many  con- 
verts were  secured  and  united  with  the  Baptist 
church.    In  1855  Mr.  Salisbury  moved  with  his 


family  to  Greenwood,  Illv  and  for  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  resided  most  of  the  time  in  Mc- 
Henry  County.  His  death  occurred  Feb.  4, 
1890,  in  Nunda,  where  he  had  resided  the  last 
ten  years  of  his  life.  Had  he  lived  until  May 
9,  following,  he  would  have  celebrated  his  six- 
tieth wedding  anniversary. 

Mr.  Salisbury  was  a  man  of  industrious 
habits  and  owned  a  good  160-acre  farm  in 
Greenwood  Township.  In  1887  he  went  to 
Buchanan  County,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased 
a  house  and  lot  and  intended  to  make  his 
home  there,  but  returned  to  McHenry  County. 
The  children  of  Charles  and  Elsie  (Marvin) 
Salisbury  were  born  on  the  following  dates: 
William  C,  June  12,  1832;  Roswell,  March  6, 
1834;  Adelia  A,  June  18,  1836;  Charlotte  A., 
May  6,  1838;  Louisa  M.,  Nov.  12,  1840;  Hale 
I.,  Dec.  21,  1842;  Maranda  M.,  June  21,  1847; 
Helen  M.,  July  13,  1849;  Emma  A.,  March  22, 
1852. 

Mrs.  Charles  Salisbury  (nee  Elsie  Marvin) 
was  born  in  Connecticut,  Sept.  13,  1810,  the 
daughter  of  Isaac  and  Hannah  (Hoit)  Marvin. 
Both  the  Marvins  and  the  Hoits  were  of  Con- 
necticut Puritan  stock.  Isaac  Marvin  moved 
to  Richland  County,  Ohio,  in  the  pioneer  days 
of  that  State  and  became  a  successful  farmer. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  died  on  their  farm  in 
Richland  County,  Ohio,  at  a  venerable  age. 


DR.  JOSEPH    S.   MAXON. 

Dr.  Joseph  S.  Maxon,  leading  physician  of 
Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111.,  was  born  at 
Adams,  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  23,  1838, 
the  son  of  Asa  L.  and  Julia  A.  (Read)  Maxon, 
his  father  being  of  English  and  his  mother  of 
Scotch  descent.  The  name  was  originally 
spelled  Maxson,  the  present  spelling  being 
adopted  by  Dr.  Maxon's  father.  Richard 
Maxson,  the  first  and  common  ancestor  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  family,  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade,  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  Boston  in  1634,  and  was  employed  in  a  shop 
belonging  to  James  Everill.  In  1639  he  went 
to  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  near  Newport,  and  there 
shared  in  the  distribution  of  lands  to  the 
colonists  of  that  region.  There  is  a  legend  in 
the  family  that  he  was  killed  in  an  Indian  raid 
about  1640,  but  this  is  doubtful,  as  there  is 
evidence  that  he  was  alive  in  1641.     In  1644 


920 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  wife,  Good  wife  Maxson,  deeded  the  land 
to  another  party,  indicating  at  this  time  he 
was  deceased.  His  son,  John  Maxson,  born 
in  1639,  was  next  in  lineal  descent,  and  he 
and  his  wife  were  buried  at  Westerly,  R.  I. 
Several  of  the  family  of  the  third  and  fourth 
generations  took  part  in  the  Revolutionary 
War — Benjamin  and  Stephen  Maxson  being  of 
the  former,  and  Col.  Jesse  Maxson  (son  of 
David)  who  was,  for  a  time  an  Aid  on  the 
staff  of  General  Washington  and  was  killed  in 
the  battle  of  Guilford  Court  House,  March  15, 
1781,  being  of  the  fourth  generation. 

John  Maxson,  already  mentioned,  born  in 
1639,  and  died  in  1720,  married  Mary  Moshier, 
and  they  had  children:  John,  born  1666,  died 
in  1747;  Dorothy,  married  Elder  Joseph  Clark; 
Joseph,  born  1672,  died  1750;  Mary,  married 
Daniel  Lewis;  Jonathan,  born  1680,  died  1732; 
Hannah,  married  Hubbard  Burdick.  John  Max- 
son of  this  family  married  Judith  Clark,  and 
they  had  children:  Judith,  born  Sept.  23,  1689, 
married  Samuel  Burdick;  Mary,  born  Oct.  26, 
1691,  died  March  16,  1692;  Bethiah,  born  July 
31,  1693,  married  Joseph  Maxson;  Elizabeth, 
born  Nov.  7,  1695,  married  John  Maxson;  John, 
born  April  21,  1701,  married  Thankful  Randall; 
Dorothy,  born  Oct.  20,  1703;  Susan,  born  Oct. 
19,  1706,  married  Zaccheus  Reynolds;  Joseph, 
born  December,  1709,  died  July,  1710;  Avis, 
born  Dec.  27,  1712,  married  a  Miss  Burdick. 
John  and  his  wife,  Thankful  Randall,  latter 
born  Nov.  26,  1724,  had  children:  John,  born 
August  27,  1725 ;  Matthew,  born  April  27,  1727, 
died  Feb.  28,  1791;  David,  born  July  24,  1729; 
Joseph,  born  March  23,  1731;  Benjamin,  born 
Feb.  21,  1733;  Stephen,  born  May  3,  1735: 
Thankful,  born  July  16,  1737;  David,  born 
July  24,  1729;  Joseph,  born  March  23,  1731; 
Benjamin,  born  Feb.  21,  1733;  Stephen,  born 
May  3,  1735;  Thankful,  born  July  16,  1737, 
David,  born  Sept.  25,  1739;  Joel,  born  May  28, 
1742;  Ellinor,  born  Jan.  24,  1749.  David  of  this 
family  married  Abigail  Greenman  and  they 
had  children:  Silas,  born  Dec.  29,  1750;  Asa 
born  March  6,  1752,  married  Lois  Stillman; 
Elizabeth,  born  July  14,  1754;  Paul,  born 
August  2,  1757;  Chloe,  born  Oct.  15,  1759; 
Wealthy,  born  March,  1762,  married  Wait 
Stillman;  Sarah,  born  Dec.  23,  1763,  married 
George  Stillman;  David,  born  August  29,  1766, 
married   Sarah    Greenman;     Ellen    and    Abby. 


Asa  of  this  family  was  twice  married,  first  to 
Lois  Stillman  and  second  to  Mary  Potter, 
widow  of  George  Potter,  but  had  no  children 
by  his  second  marriage.  His  children  by  his 
first  wife,  Lois  Stillman,  were:  Asa,  born  July 
1,  1776,  married  Polly  Lewis  and,  as  his  second 
wife,  Sarah  Read;  Lois,  born  August  25,  1778; 
Mary  (Polly),  born  July  14,  1781,  married 
Edwin  Whitford;  David,  born  Sept.  27,  1788, 
married  Esther  Peckham  and  Susan  (Peck- 
ham)  Saunders;  Wealthy,  born  August  18, 
1790,  married  Dr.  Ebenezer  Robinson;  Joseph 
Stillman,  born  August  3,  1797,  married  Eliza- 
beth Vars;  Rebecca;  Amelia,  married  Dr. 
Robert  Collins;  Thankful,  married  Dr.  Robin- 
son, husband  of  her  deceased  sister  Wealthy. 
Asa  of  this  family  married  his  first  wife, 
Polly  Lewis,  May  29,  1797,  and  his  second 
wife,  Sarah  Read  (a  widow),  Jan.  15,  1818. 
His  children  by  his  first  wife  were:  Polly, 
married  Joshua  Lamb;  Lois,  married  a  Mr. 
Wait;  Asa  L.,  born  May  22,  1802;  Sophie,  mar- 
ried Dennis  Baxter;  Harvey,  married  Emeline 
Lewis;  and  by  his  second:  Lewis  P.,  married 
Julia  Burdick;  Darwin  D.,  married  Emeline  L. 
Read.  Asa  L.,  of  the  first  group  of  children 
married  Julia  Ann  Read,  July  9,  1822,  and  they 
had  children:  Edgar  R,  born  Oct.  17,  1823, 
married  Emily  Rogers;  Henry  J.,  born  Feb. 
10,  1826,  married  Phebe  Howland;  Charlotte, 
born  Sept.  8,  1829,  married  John  Wilson; 
Nathan,  born  Nov.  23,  1831,  died  Sept.  5,  1850; 
Adalia,  born  March  4,  1834,  died  Sept.  26,  1854; 
Francis  L.,  born  March  23,  1836,  married  Mary 
Colburn;  Joseph  Stillman,  born  Nov.  23,  1838, 
married  Mary  Guernsey  and,  as  his  second 
wife,  Anna  Goodrich;  Dwight,  bbrn  May  21, 
1840,  died  Sept.  4,  1854;  Charlie,  born  June, 
1843,    died   Nov.   27,   1854. 

Asa  Maxson,  the  great-grandfather  of  Dr. 
Joseph  S.,  was  a  pioneer  settler  in  Jefferson 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  to  the  age  of 
ninety-seven  years.  According  to  tradition  he 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and 
served  on  board  a  vessel  on  Long  Island 
Sound. 

Asa  Maxson  (2),  grand-father  of  Dr.  Joseph 
S.,  was  a  lumberman  at  Petersburgh,  N.  Y., 
a  village  in  Rensselaer  County,  about  eighteen 
miles  from  Troy.  His  marriage,  first  to  Polly 
Lewis,  and  second  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Read  (nee 
Dudley),     has     been  given  in  the  preceeding 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


921 


genealogical  record.  Mr.  Maxson  died  in 
Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  at  a  venerable  age. 

Asa  L.  Maxon,  father  of  Dr.  Joseph  S. 
Maxon,  was  born  in  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y., 
and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  As  already 
stated  he  was  the  first  to  adopt  the  present 
spelling  of  the  name.  About  1853-4  Mr.  Maxon 
removed  to  Big.  Foot  Prairie,  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  where  he  settled  on  150  acres  of  land 
upon  which  he  made  good  improvements  and 
erected  substantial  farm  buildings.  He  was  a 
prominent  man  in  his  community,  and  while 
a  resident  of  New  York  filled  the  office  of 
United  States  Revenue  Collector,  receiving  his 
appointment  under  President  Taylor's  ad- 
ministration. 

Dr.  Joseph  S.  Maxon,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age 
when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Wisconsin. 
In  his  boyhood  he  received  a  common-school 
education  and  later  attended  Walworth 
Academy  and  also  an  academy  in  Dane 
County,  Wis.,  after  which  he  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  at  the  Hahnemann 
Medical  College  and  Hospital,  Chicago, 
where  he  graduated  in  1874.  In  early  manhood 
he  engaged  in  teaching,  his  first  experience 
being  one  year  at  the  old  Walworth  Academy 
in  1860,  and  for  five  years  thereafter  he  taught 
in  the  district  schools  of  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  and  in  McHenry  County,  111.  His  first 
preceptor  on  beginning  the  study  of  medicine 
was  Dr.  Edwin  Burdick  and,  later,  he  studied 
with  Dr.  John  A.  Donald  of  Walworth.  He  re- 
mained at  the  latter  place  until  1891,  when  he 
removed  to  Morgan  Park,  111.,  and  two  years 
later  came  to  Harvard,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  has  since  resided  and  followed  his 
profession,  in  the  meantime  establishing  the 
reputation  of  being  a  skillful  physician  as  well 
as  building  up  a  lucrative  and  successful 
practice. 

June  21,  1875,  Dr.  Maxon  was  married  at 
Walworth,  Wis.,  to  Annah  Goodrich,  who  was 
born  in  Rock  County,  Wis.,  Feb.  24,  1856,  the 
daughter  of  William  Anson  and  Rebecca 
(Crandall)  Goodrich.  The  Goodrich  family  is 
of  Colonial  Puritan  and  New  England  stock. 
Uriah  Goodrich,  the  father  of  William  A.,  was 
a  native  of  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  where  he 
married  Mary  Carpenter,  and  there  his  son 
William  A.  was  born  in  1815.     He  received  a 


common-school  education,  was  a  farmer  By 
occupation  and  married  in  Allegany  County, 
N.  Y,  April  11,  1819,  Rebecca  A.  Crandall, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Lucinda  Crandall 
Her  father,  Henry  Crandall,  moved  from  Con- 
necticut to  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  and  later 
became  a  pioneer  settler  at  Milton,  Wis., 
where  he  located  on  new  land  which  he  im- 
proved, and  on  which  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  dying  at  the  age  of  ninety-seven 
years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  in  which  he  held  the  office  of  deacon 
His  children  were:  Silas,  Amos,  Horace 
Clark,  John,  Rebecca,  Harriet,  Lucinda.  Wil- 
liam A  Goodrich  settled  in  Michigan  after  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Crandall,  but  soon  after 
moved  to  Milton,  Wis.,  where  he  bought  a 
farm.  In  1861  he  removed  to  Fayette  County, 
111.,  and  there  bought  a  large  farm  on  which 
he  died  in  1867,  and  his  wife  in  1871.  He  was 
a  Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Their 
children  were:  Mary,  Sarah,  Emogene,  Hattie, 
Annah  G.,  Lillon  and  Jana.  Mrs.  Maxon  was 
only  about  ten  years  old  at  the  time  of  her 
father's  death  and  fifteen  when  her  mother 
died.  She  received  her  education  chiefly  in  the 
high  school  at  Farina,  111. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Maxon  have  one  son,  Reginald 
G.  The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Homeopathy,  the  Masonic  Order 
and  Knights  Templar.  In  political  opinions  he 
is  a  stanch  Republican,  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  in  1891-2,  and  in 
1901  was  elcted  Coroner  of  McHenry 
County. 


ALBERT  C.  MANLEY. 

Captain  John  Manley,  father  of  Thomas  Man- 
ley,  born  at  Torbay,  England,  in  1734,  was  bred 
a  sailor  in  the  maritime  service,  but  early  be- 
came a  resident  of  Marblehead,  Mass.  At  the 
opening  of  the  Revolutionary  War  he  was 
placed  by  Washington  in  command  of  the 
schooner  Lee,  in  which  he  did  good  service, 
seizing  several  vessels,  one  of  which  was  of 
great  value,  and  in  1776  he  received  a  regu- 
lar commission  from  Congress.  His  first  cap- 
ture on  board  the  Hancock,  his  new  command, 
was  the  man-of-war  Fox,  but  owing  to  the  cow- 
ardly conduct  on  the  part  of  Captain  McNeil, 
commander   of  his    consort,   the   Hector,   Cap- 


922 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


tain  Manley's  vessel  was  taken  by  the  British 
man-of-war,  Rainbow,  on  July  8,  1777.  He  was 
tried  for  his  conduct  in  this  affair  and  honor- 
ably acquitted.  The  last  naval  combat  of  the 
war  was  between  the  Hague,  Captain  Manley, 
and  four  British  men-of-war,  the  former  hav- 
ing been  driven  on  a  sand-bank  at  Guadeloupe. 
Here  for  three  days  Manley  defended  himself 
against  the  tremendous  odds  and  finally 
effected  his  escape.  After  the  war  his  home 
was  at  Boston,  Mass.,  where  he  died.  Captain 
John  Manley  was  the  father  of  three  sons  and 
one  daughter.  The  sons  were  John,  Thomas 
and  William.  The  daughter's  name  is  forgot- 
ten. 

Captain  Thomas  Manley,  of  the  Massachu- 
setts militia,  was  a  renowned  story-teller.  He 
was  born  in  Mai'blehead,  Mass.,  and,  with  his 
mother  and  brother  William,  when  quite  young, 
emigrated  to  Vermont,  then  almost  a  wilder- 
ness, taking  up  Government  land  of  several 
hundred  acres  in  Rutland  County  in  the  towns 
of  Pittsford  and  Chittenden.  His  first  wife  was 
a  Miss  Leonard.  She  lived  but  a  few  years 
after  marriage,  leaving  him  a  daughter.  He 
soon  married  again  to  Mary  Jackson,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  Jackson  of  Boston,  Mass.,  who 
died,  leaving  him  four  sons  and  four  daughters : 
Arthusa,  Mary,  Eliza  and  Nancy  (daughters*, 
and  Joel,  Benjamin,  Thomas  and  Milton  F. 
(sons).  His  third  wife  was  Sarah  Bond  of 
Thetford,  Vt,  and  they  had  four  children,  one 
son  and  three  daughters:  William  B.,  Esther, 
Olive  and  Ellen.  His  third  wife  survived  him 
many  years.  For  a  long  time  his  nearest  mar, 
ket  was  Boston,  Mass.  All  agricultural  pro- 
ducts were  carried  to  market  on  wagons,  while 
fat  sheep,  cattle  and  horses  were  driven  on 
foot.  Captain  Thomas  Manley  was  a  member 
of  the  State  Legislature  and  a  substantial 
citizen. 

Milton  Farwell  Manley,  born  in  Chittenden, 
Rutland  County,  Vt.,  Oct.  6,  1819,  was  the 
youngest  child  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Jackson) 
Manley.  When  but  a  small  boy  one  Sunday 
morning,  while  watching  the  cattle  feed  and 
keeping  them  out  of  the  corn,  he  was  sur- 
prised by  the  appearance  of  an  old  bear  and 
her  two  cubs,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  his 
short  legs  made  quick  time.  The  alarm  being 
given  a  bear-hunt  was  the  result  and  all  three 
killed.     He    received   a    common-school    educa- 


tion, later  bought  the  old  Manley  homestead 
in  Vermont  and,  on  Jan.  28,  1856,  married  Mary 
Jane  Rice  of  Waterbury,  Vt.  He  was  a  man 
of  much  prominence,  served  two  terms  as 
Representative  in  the  State  Legislature  at 
Montpelier;  was  also  for  years  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  leader  of  the  Congregationalist 
church  choir.  He  made  sheep  and  horses  lead- 
ers in  his  stock-breeding,  and  paid  for  the  old 
homestead  which  he  sold  nine  years  later,  when 
in  June,  1865,  he  emigrated  to  Hebron,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  where  he  purchased  230 
acres  of  land  which  he  improved  and  made  a 
good  farm.  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  (Rice)  Man'ey 
was  born  Feb.  10,  1833,  in  Waterbury,  Mass. 
Mr.  Manley  was  a  man  of  good  habits,  good 
judgment  and  a  good  citizen.  He  died  Nov. 
12,  1880.  To  himself  and  wife  were  born  seven 
children: 

Albert  Carlton  Manley,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
born  at  Chittenden,  Rutland  County,  Vt.,  Sept. 
U,  1858. 

Abby  Lillian  Manley,  born  Nov.  5,  1859,  mar- 
ried C.  A.  Stone,  Oct.  19,  1880. 

Milton  Rice  Manley,  born  Oct.  21,  1862,  died 
March  30,  1897. 

Ella  Gertrude  Manley,  born  Dec.  12,  1863, 
married  William  Buchanan,  Nov.  24,  1892. 

Thomas  Montgomery  Manley,  born  at  Heb- 
ron, 111.,  Aug.  5,  1865,  married  Sept.  12,  1894,  to 
Helen  Damon. 

Mary  Jackson  Manley,  born  at  Hebron,  111.. 
May  26,  1868,  married  C.  H.  Prouty,  Sept.  12. 
?894. 

Edward  Blanchard  Manley,  born  at  Hebron, 
111.,  Nov.  16,  1874,  married  May  Bell  Tanner, 
Dec.   4,   1891. 

Albert  C.  Manley,  Harvard,  111.,  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  3  Manley  Brothers,  is  one 
of  the  practical  and  enterprising  business  men 
of  McHenry  County.  Mr.  Manley  is  descended 
from  sterling  English  stock,  representatives  of 
the  American  branch  of  the  family  being  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Vermont  and  Massachu- 
setts. 

Albert  C.  Manley  was  born  in  Chittenden, 
Rutland  County,  Vt,  Sept.  6,  1858,  and  was 
about  six  years  of  age  in  1865  when  brought  by 
his  parents  to  McHenry  County,  111.  Here, 
while  growing  up  on  the  farm,  he  received  the 
usual  common-school  education  of  that  locality, 
remaining  at  home  until  twenty-five  years  of 


cio/.   6cMc 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


923 


age,  in  the  meantime  having  charge  of  the 
farm  for  two  years.  Coming  to  Harvard  in 
?884  he  entered  into  the  employment  of  Hunt 
&  Helm,  hardware  merchants,  remaining  five 
years  when,  in  1888,  he  bought  a  half-interest 
in  the  concern,  the  firm  taking  the  name  of 
Hunt,  Helm  &  Manley.  The  interest  of  Mr. 
Helm  was  next  bought  out  and  Thomas  M. 
Manley  was  admitted  to  the  firm,  changing  the 
name  to  Manley  Bros.  &  Co.,  Mr.  Hunt  being 
the  silent  member,  followed  two  years  later 
by  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Hunt,  when  C.  A. 
Stone  entered  into  the  partnership,  the  firm 
name  becoming  Manley  Bros.  &  Stone.  Four 
years  later  Mr.  Stone  withdrew  from  the  part- 
nership, his  place  being  taken  by  Edward  B., 
the  younger  brother  of  the  Manley  family, 
when  the  firm  took  on  its  present  name  of  "3 
Manley  Brothers." 

The  firm  has  done  a  constantly  increasing 
business  for  years,  besides  hardware,  dealing 
in  a  large  variety  of  machinery,  hot-water  and 
hot-air  heating  apparatus,  plumbing  of  all 
kinds,  and  also  making  a  specialty  of  gasoline 
engines  and  plants  for  farmers  for  the  pur- 
pose of  driving  corn  huskers,  grinding  feed 
for  stock,  pumping  water,  etc.  They  have  re- 
cently added  to  the  large  variety  of  machin- 
ery already  sold  by  them,  automobiles,  pur- 
chasing the  first  gasoline  automobile  in  Mc- 
Henry  County.  Within  a  period  of  thirty  days 
their  sales  of  these  machines  amounted  to 
nine,  a  large  number  for  a  rural  district  of 
the  State.  To  their  other  branches  of  business 
they  have  also  added  a  furniture  and  un- 
dertaking department.  Taking  into  account  all 
their  departments,  they  carry  on  one  of  the 
most  extensive  lines  of  business  in  McHenry 
County. 

Mr.  Albert  C.  Manley,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, in  Hebron,  McHenry  County,  August  2C, 
1885,  to  Josephine  A.  Rowe,  daughter  of  Aaron 
and  Olive  (Carney)  Rowe,  and  they  are  par- 
ents of  the  following  named  children:  Edward 
Aaron,  born  April  28,  1887;  Olive  Mary,  born 
April  8,  1891;  and  Otis  Rowe,  born  Oct.  26, 
1893.  In  political  faith  Mr.  Manley  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  fraternally  he  is  a  Knight  of  Pyth- 
ias, a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe 
and  of  the  Order  of  Modern  Woodmen.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  in 
which  he  holds  the  offices  of  trustee  and  stew- 


ard. By  business  energy  and  enterprise  he 
has  won  a  position  in  the  front  rank  of  Mc- 
Henry County  business  men.  Besides  his 
other  business  interests,  he  is  the  proprietor 
of  much  valuable  real  estate  in  Harvard.  In 
company  with  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Aaron 
•Rowe  of  Hebron,  he  is  at  present  (1903)  en- 
gaged in  erecting  a  double-front  business  block 
in  Harvard,  three  stories  in  height  above  the 
basement,  with  pressed-brick  front.  The  build- 
ing will  be  steam-heated  with  modern  con- 
veniences and,  in  every  respect,  up-to-date. 
The  Harvard  Postoffice  will  occupy  a  part  of 
the  first  floor  and  will  be  equipped  with  modern 
fixtures,  and  will  be  one  of  the  most  complete 
offices  of  its  kind  in  Northern  Illinois  outside 
of  the  cities  furnished  with  Government  build- 
ings. The  remainder  of  the  building  will  be 
occupied  by  the  3  Manley  Brothers  in  carrying 
on  their  large  business. 

Joel  G.  Rice,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Milton  F. 
Manley,  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Washington 
County,  Vt.  He  was  a  farmer.  His  father, 
George  Gardner  Rice,  -was  a  pioneer  of  Water- 
bury,  and  cleared  his  farm  from  the  woods. 
He  was  accidentally  killed.  His  father  was 
a  pioneer  of  New  Hampshire  and  was  acci- 
dentally killed  while  burning  a  log-heap  in  the 
early  settlement  of  the  country.  The  family 
were  of  English  Puritan  stock  and  among  the 
early  colonial  settlers  of  New  England.  George 
Gardner  Rice  married  Phebe  Atkins,  also  of 
English  Puritan  descent.  Joel  C.  Rice  mar- 
ried Amantha  Palmer  Montgomery,  born  in 
Waterbury,  Vt.  They  were  the  parents  of 
Fannie  L.,  Mary  J.,  Hanna  M.,  Phebe  G.,  Sa- 
rah A.,  Amantha  M.,  and  a  son  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  respected  citizens. 

Amantha  P.  Montgomery,  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Milton  F.  Manley,  was  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Lucy  (Blanchard)  Montgomery.  The 
Montgomerys  were  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  the 
Blanchards  of  English  stock.  James  Montgo- 
mery, father  of  Thomas,  married  Molly  Knox, 
daughter  of  John  Knox,  the  great  Scottish  re- 
former, who  was  born  in  Haddington  (called 
Gifford  Gate),  Scotland,  where  a  small  field 
goes  by  the  name  of  Knox's  Croft.  Thomas 
Montgomery  was  a  physician;  his  son  John 
was  a  Captain  of  the  home  militia;  his 
brother  John  was  a  Captain  in  the  Revolution, 


924 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and  his  cousin  Gen.  Richard  Montgomery 
— both  of  New  York.  Richard  Montgomery- 
was  born  in  1736,  was  at  the  siege  of  Louis- 
burg,  in  the  expedition  against  Havana  and 
Martinique,  and,  in  the  invasion  of  Canada, 
captured  Chambly,  St.  John's  and  Montreal,  but 
fell  in  the  first  volley  before  Quebec,  with  two 
of  his  aids,  Dec.  31,  1775.  There  is  a  shaft  in 
New  York  City  to  his  memory,  and  the  place 
where  he  fell  also  bears  a  mark  of  distinction. 

Josephine  Rowe  Manley.  wife  of  A.  C. 
Manley,  was  born  in  Hebron,  111.,  Oct.  29,  1862; 
her  father  with  his  parents  came  to  Hebron  in 
May,  1850,  and  resides  there  at  present.  Aaron 
Rowe  and  Olive  Carney,  her  parents,  were 
married  Nov.  14,  1860.  Aaron  Rowe  was  born 
in  DeWitt,  N.  Y.,  April  18,  1841;  Olive  (Car- 
ney) Rowo  was  born  at  Hickory  Creek,  111., 
May  8,  1841.  Mrs.  A.  C.  Manley  is  their  only 
child. 

Hiram  Rowe,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Manley,  was  born  at  Bethlehem,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  11, 
1811;  Susan  Furbeck,  her  grandmother,  was 
born  at  New  Scotland,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  4,  1817, 
and  were  married  at  Collamer,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  3, 
1835.  They  have  been  faithful  to  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  for  many  years. 
Hiram  Rowe  joined  the  church  on  March  18, 
1831— at  this  date  (Sept.  10,  1903)  they  are 
alive  and  keeping  house,  and  have  just  passed 
their  sixty-eighth  wedding  anniversary.  Olive 
Rowe's  parents  were  married  on  Dec.  20,  1838 ; 
Reuel  Carney  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  Nov. 
15,  1813,  and  died  at  Hebron,  111.,  April  21,  1868. 
His  wife,  Martha  (Phillips)  Carney,  was  born 
in  Plymouth,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  25,  1819,  and  died  at 
Hebron,  111.,  May  9,  1886.  She  came  to  Will 
County,  111.,  in  1835.  Hiram  and  Susan  Rowe 
are  the  parents  of  thirteen  children;  four  sons 
and  five  daughters  are  now  living.  Reuel  and 
Martha  Carney  were  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, two  daughters  and  one  son  are  still  liv- 
ing. 


CAPTAIN  JAMES  NISH. 

Captain  Nish  is  one  of  McHenry  County's 
oldest  and  most  highly  esteemed  citizens,  and  a 
distinguished  veteran  of  the  Civil  War.  The 
original  orthography  of  the  surname  was 
McNish,  and  the  family  is  Scotch.  Nathaniel 
McNish,  the  father  of  Captain  James,  was   a 


farmer  of  Wigtonshire,  Scotland,  and  died 
near  Newton  Stuart,  in  that  country,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six.  He  married  Jean  McGeoch, 
and  their  eight  children  were  named  Margaret, 
William,  Alexander,  Nathaniel,  Isabella,  James, 
David  and  John.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  a  man  who  was  con- 
sidered well-to-do. 

His  son  James  has  changed  the  spelling  of 
the  patronymic  by  abbreviating  it  to  Nish. 
He  (James)  was  born  three  miles  west  of 
Newton  Stuart,  Scotland,  on  May  5,  1824.  He 
attended  the  public  school,  but  the  greater  part 
of  his  earlier  education  was  obtained  at  home, 
his  studies  being  pursued  by  the  clear,  bright 
light  of  a  cannel-coal  fire.  At  the  age  of  six- 
teen, he  opened  a  grocery,  with  capital  ad- 
vanced by  his  father,  but  his  youth  and  lack  of 
business  experience  militated  against  his  suc- 
cess, and,  three  years  later  he  abandoned  the 
enterprise  and  resumed  work  upon  his  father's 
farm.  On  reaching  his  majority  he  became  a 
traveling  salesman  for  a  tea  merchant  of 
Gloucester,  England.  This  life  he  followed 
*for  three  years,  when  a  severe  sprain  of  an 
ankle  compelled  his  return  home,  where  he 
was  confined  for  eighteen  months.  On  recover- 
ing, he  went  to  Glasgow,  where  for  a  time, 
he  was  employed  in  the  commission  business. 
In  1851  he  embarked  on  a  sailing  vessel  at 
Liverpool  for  New  York,  where  he  landed  in 
May  after  a  passage  of  nine  weeks.  His  first 
three  months  in  America  were  spent  in  Auburn, 
N.  Y.,  whence  he  went  to  Peoria.  111.,  where  he 
served  in  a  clerical  position  in  a  lumber  yard. 
In  1853  he  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  took 
charge  of  two  lumber  yards  until  the  spring  of 
1856,  when  he  changed  his  residence  to  Cary 
Station,  McHenry  County,  and  there  he 
opened  a  general  store  in  a  building  which  he 
had  purchased  the  year  previous.  This  busi- 
ness he  still  carries  on,  his  son  being  associ- 
ated with  him  in  its  management.  Through 
his  efforts  a  postoffice  was  established  at 
Cary  Station  during  the  administration  of 
President  Pierce,  and  for  thirty  years  Mr.  Nish 
was  connected  with  its  management,  either  as 
postmaster  or  deputy,  and  holds  the  first 
named  office  at  the  present  time. 

On  August  9,  1862,  Mr.  Nish  was  commis- 
sioned to  raise  a  company  for  the  volunteer 
service  in  Algonquin  Township,  and  on  Sept. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


925 


4,  following,  he  received  his  commission  as 
Captain  of  Company  I,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.  He  took  part  in  the  sieges  of 
iVicksburg  and  Natchez,  and  on  Nov.  8,  1863, 
was  detailed  for  recruiting  service  at  Wood- 
stock. In  April,  1864,  he  started  to  rejoin  his 
regiment,  but  on  reaching  Cairo,  111.,  received 
orders  to  take  command  of  the  canvalescent 
camp  at  that  point.  In  May  he  was  directed  to 
moved  this  body  of  750  men,  representing  twen- 
ty-eight different  commands,  to  Huntsville,  Ala. 
There  the  able  bodied  rejoined  their  respective 
regiments,  the  remander  being  left  at  Chat- 
tanooga. On  June  2,  1864,  he  was  individually 
assigned  to  service  with  the  Seventeenth  Army 
Corps,  being  attached  to  Major  Worden's 
battalion  of  the  Third  Brigade,  Third  Division. 
The  Seventeenth  Corps  was  attached  to  the 
left  wing  of  Sherman's  army  at  Big  Shanty., 
and  participated  in  the  fighting  around  Atlanta, 
as  well  as  at  Jonesboro  and  Lovejoy  Station. 
He  rejoined  his  own  company  Dec.  2,  1864,  at 
Nashville,  and  aided  in  the  annihilation  of 
Hood's  army  on  Dec.  15  and  16.  From  Tennes- 
see his  regiment  moved  into  Alabama,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  investment  and  reduction  of 
the  Spanish  Fort  and  Fort  Blakely,  at  Mobile, 
April  8  and  9,  1865.  For  a  time  he  served  as 
commissary  of  Col.  Moon's  brigade,  with  head- 
quarters at  Tuskegee,  Ala.,  and  on  August  17, 
1865,  received  his  honorable  discharge  from 
the  service,  his  command  being  mustered-out 
at  Springfield,  111. 

The  high  moral  character  and  enlightened 
public  spirit  of  Captain  Nish,  no  less  than  his 
keen,  native  intelligence,  have  won  for  him 
the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens,  while  his 
gallantry  has  challenged  their  admiration  and 
his  kindly,  generous  disposition  has  awakened 
their  affection.  He  has  held  various  township 
and  county  offices ;  serving  as  Village  Treasurer 
in  1863-64,  and  as  President  of  the  Village 
Board  in  1865-66;  as  Supervisor  for  ten  years, 
in  various  terms;  and  as  County  Treasurer 
from  1876  to  1887.  While  holding  the  office 
last  named  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  pass 
most  of  his  time  at  Woodstock,  the  county 
seat,  and  for  some  two  or  three  years  he  and 

He  has  been  twice  married:  first  in  1854,  at 
the  School  Board  for  eight  years. 

He  has  been  twice  married.  First  In  1854,  at 
LaPorte,  Indv  to  Carrie  Donington,  who  was 


killed  by  lightning,  at  Cary  in  1857.  She  left 
two  children,  John  D.  and  Elizabeth.  The  son 
died  at  Geneva  Lake,  Wis.,  September,  1899,  at 
the  age  of  forty-two;  the  daughter  passed  away 
in  her  seventeenth  year.  His  second  marriage 
was  solemnized  on  Nov.  12,  1865,  his  bride  be- 
ing Sarah  Ruth  Smith,  who  was  born  in 
Algonquin  Township,  August  23,  1846.  Her 
father  was  Levi  A.  C.  Smith,  and  her  mother's 
name  before  marriage  was  Rachel  Ann  Miller. 
Mrs.  Nish  is  of  English  lineage,  her  ancestors 
being  among  the  early  Puritan  settlers  in  the 
Massachusetts  Colony.  Her  grandfather,  Sam- 
uel, was  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
who  was  captured  by  the  king's  troops,  and 
died  on  a  British  prison  ship.  Samuel  Smith 
was  by  trade  a  cooper,  as  well  as  a  powder 
maker.  He  removed  from  Massachusetts  to 
Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y.,  but  died  in  middle 
life,  before  he  had  fully  cleared  his  farm.  His 
children  were  George,  Levi,  Heman,  Cynthia, 
Julia  and  Samuel.  Levi  was  born  Oct  12,  1818, 
and  as  a  boy  was  noted  for  his  proficiency  in 
mathematics.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  settled  in 
Algonquin  Township,  in  1841.  He  was  a  typi- 
cal pioneer  and  a  man  of  substance,  owning 
6ne  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  were 
well  improved,  for  the  times.  In  1867  he  re- 
moved to  Kansas,  where  he  died,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five.  He  was  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist 
church,  and  long  held  the  office  of  School 
Director.  Beside  his  daughter  Sarah  (Mrs. 
Nish),  he  had  two  sons,  George  S.  and  Alex- 
ander. 

Captain  Nish  is  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Masonic  Order,  into  which  he  was  first 
initiated  at  Woodstock,  in  1878.  He  is  affili- 
ated with  Woodstock  Chapter,  No.  36,  R.  A.  M., 
and  with  Calvary  Commandery,  No.  25,  K.  T. 


DR.    WILLIAM    A.    NASON. 

Dr.  William  A.  Nason  is  one  of  the  promi- 
nent physicians  of  McHenry  County,  and  for 
twenty-five  years  was  the  only  physician  in 
Algonquin.  He  was  born  at  Hallowell,  Me., 
June  21,  1841,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
(Abbot)  Wingate  Nason. 

Bartholomew  E.  Nason,  the  great  grand- 
father, was  born  in  Berwick,  Me.,  in  1756,  and 
descended  from  an  English  Puritan  family  of 
Massachusetts  Colony.    His  son,  Bartholomew 


926 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Nason,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  July  13, 
1784.  He  was  a  merchant  and  ship-owner  at 
Hallowell,  Me.,  and  also  owned  a  large  estate. 
He  was  married  three  times:  first  to  Hanna 
Craig,  daughter  of  Blias  Craig  of  Augusta,  Me., 
and  their  children  were:  Thomas  H.,  Nathan- 
iel, Elizabeth,  Bartholomew,  John,  Benjamin, 
Samuel  R.,  Noah,  Daniel  (deceased),  and 
Daniel  (2).  Miss  Craig  had  several  brothers 
who  served  as  patriot  soldiers  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  Mr.  Nason  died  at  Berwick,  Me., 
aged  seventy-four  years. 

William  Nason,  father  of  Dr.  William  A., 
was  born  at  Hallowell,  Me.,  May  30,  1814,  and 
received  an  education  including  several  of  the 
higher  branches  of  sciences  and  languages, 
which  was  considered  excellent  for  his  day. 
He  became  a  merchant  and  for  several  years 
was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  and  grocery 
business  in  Hallowell.  He  moved  to  Boston  in 
1845  and  engaged  in  a  general  business,  deal- 
ing in  lumber,  wheat,  salt  and  flour.  He  re- 
moved to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1857,  and  conducted 
a  general  commission  business,  dealing  mostly 
in  grain  and  flour,  and  was  one  of  the  founders 
and  directors  of  the  first  Board  of  Trade  in 
Chicago  and  Buffalo.  In  1868  he  moved  to 
Bloomfield,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business.  In  his  old  age  he  lived 
with  one  of  his  daughters  in  Alpena,  Mich., 
where  he  died  in  1900,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
He  married  in  Hallowell,  Me.,  Mary  Abbot 
Wingate,  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  of  a  prominent 
colonial  family  connected  with  the  Stephens 
and  Newmans.  He  and  Mrs.  Nason  were  the 
parents  of  William  A.,  Edward  W.,  Elizabeth 
C,  Carrie,  Theobald  and  Mary  Goodall. 
Tn  political  opinion  he  was  an  old  line  Whig 
and  an  original  Republican,  having  voted  for 
John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Mrs.  Nason  attended  school  taught  by  the 
martyred  Abolitionist,  E.  P.  Lovejoy,  and  her 
grandfather  was  the  owner  of  a  vessel  which 
was  captured  and  confiscated  by  Algerian 
pirates,  and  was  never  afterwards  heard  of. 

Dr.  W.  A.  Nason  was  first  educated  in  the 
Boston  public  schools,  and  then  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  Buffalo,  and  later,  in  1864,  graduated 
from  the  famous  old  college  of  Williams,  Mass. 
From  there  he   went  to   Chicago  and   studied 


medicine  in  the  Chicago  Medical  College  (now 
the  medical  department  of  Northwestern 
University),  graduating  in  1866.  In  1867  he 
began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Chicago,  but 
immediately  afterwards  received  an  appoint- 
ment from  the  Government,  as  Assistant 
Surgeon,  being  stationed  in  Virginia  one  year. 
Later  he  returned  to  Chicago,  and  came  to 
Algonquin  in  1868,  where  he  soon  established  a 
successful  medical  practice  and  has  continued 
ever  since.  He  has  built  up  an  enviable  repu- 
tation as  a  skillful  physician,  a  good  citizen 
and  a  kind-hearted,  scientific  man.  In  politi- 
cal opinon  the  doctor  is  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  cast  his  first  vote  for  the  immortal 
Lincoln  when  elected  for  the  second  term 
and  for  this  act  he  feels  justly  proud.  The  Dr. 
is  a  friend  of  education  and  has  been  Presi- 
dent of  the  School  Board  of  Algonquin  for 
over  twenty  years.  He  was  President  of  the 
Fox  River  Medical  Society  one  year  and 
was  one  of  the  charter  members,  and  one  of 
the  founders  of  that  organization.  He  owned 
and  conducted  a  drug  store  in  Algonquin  for 
eight  years,  and  enjoyed  a  prosperous  busi- 
ness. He  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the 
McHenry  County  Druggists'  Association,  and 
is  President  of  the  McHenry  County  Medical 
Society.  He  is  one  of  the  original  members 
of  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  a 
member  of  the  American  t  Entomological  So- 
ciety of  Philadelphia,  also  a  member  of  the 
Buffalo  Society  of  Natural  Sciences.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  first  Board  of  Aldermen  of 
Algonquin,  and  served  as  Police  Magistrate  for 
twelve  years.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason  and 
was  formally  Master  of  the  lodge  in  Algonquin, 
which  has  been  discontinued;  he  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 
of  which  he  is  Medical  Examiner,  and  is  Ex- 
aming  Physician  for  several  Insurance  Com- 
panies. He  married  in  Algonquin,  June  29, 
1874,  to  Ann  Goodson,  born  June  24,  1853. 
daughter   of   William    and    Elizabeth   Goodson. 

William  Goodson  was  born  in  England  and 
moved  to  America  and  settled  in  Algonquin 
Township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Nason  are  the  parents  of 
Mary  E.,  William  E.,  and  Charles  C. 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


927 


WILLIAM    M.  ORMSBY. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County 
there  are  few  whose  history  covers  a  longer 
period  than  that  of  William  M.  Ormsby  of 
Ridgefleld,  111..  Mr.  Ormsby  comes  of  sterling 
English  ancestry  through  a  colonial  family  of 
New  England.  There  is  a  tradition  (how  well 
founded  is  unknown)  that  the  American  branch 
of  the  family  was  transplanted  through  the 
immigration  of  three  brothers,  who  came 
from  England  and  settled  in  Connecticut 
Colony  at  an  early  day.  Luther  (the  father  of 
our  subject)  was  born  at  Lebanon,  Conn.,  and 
married  Sarah  Chappel,  a  native  of  the  same 
place — there  being  a  difference  of  only  three 
months  in  the  ages  of  the  two.  Early  in  1800 
Mr.  Ormsby  removed  to  New  York  and  settled 
in  Otsego  County  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
Susquehanna.  Later  he  removed  to  Broome 
County,  in  the  same  State,  and  opened  up  a 
farm  of  100  acres  near  Harpersville.  In  his  old 
age  he  went  to  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  with  his  son 
Elihu,  dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
three  years.  His  wife  preceded  him  some  fi/ve 
years,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ormsby  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  maintained  the  reputation  of  up- 
right and  conscientious  citizens — Mr.  Ormsby 
being  for  many  years  a  deacon  in  the  church. 
Their  children  were:  Oliver,  Elihu,  Eunice, 
Luther  and  William  M.     , 

The  last  of  these,  whose  name  heads  this 
article,  was  born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  July 
26,  1814,  and,  receiving  a  limited  common 
school  education,  was  reared  to  the  life  of  a 
farmer.  In  1837,  having  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years,  he  emigrated  to  Illinois  in 
company  with  his  brother  Luther,  wife  and 
child.  The  journey  was  made  to  Buffalo  by 
means  of  a  two-horse  wagon,  then  shipping 
their  team  and  effects  on  board  of  a  steamboat, 
by  lake  to  Toledo,  Ohio,  thence  by  their  own 
conveyance  to  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, III.,  by  way  of  Chicago.  Here  Mr.  Ormsby 
located  a  claim  on  a  tract  of  240  acres  in  Sec- 
tion 13,  consisting  of  "oak  openings,"  and  for 
four  or  five  years,  made  his  home  with  his  bro- 
ther Luther,  who  located  a  claim  near  by.  On 
Nov.  28,  1844,  William  Ormsby  was  married  in 
Dorr  Township  to  Lucia  L.  Bunker,  daughter  of 
John   and   Eurania    (Tuttle)    Bunker,    born    in 


1829.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ormsby  then  settled  on  his 
claim,  on  which  he  had  already  erected  a  small 
frame  house.  After  spending  two  years  in  the 
work  of  improving  his  land,  he  removed  to  his 
present  location,  where  by  industry  and  judi- 
cious management,  he  has  succeeded  in  opening 
a  well-improved  farm  of  240  acres.  In  1861  he 
erected  on  this  tract  a  fine  frame  house,  which 
was  then  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete farm  houses  in  Dorr  Township.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ormsby  have  two  children — Charles  H.. 
born  July  30,  1846,  and  Mattie  E.,  born  June  1, 
1861.  Mr.  Ormsby  was  originally  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  church,  but  afterwards  joined  the 
Methodist  church,  of  which  his  wife  was  a 
member.  Mrs.  Ormsby  died  June  17,  1886.  She 
was  a  woman  of  amiable  character  and  highly 
esteemed.  In  early  days  Mr.  Ormsby  was  call- 
ed upon  to  serve  on  the  Grand  Jury  and  has 
repeatedly  served  on  the  Petit  Jury  of  McHen- 
ry County,  also  has  served  once  on  the  Grand 
Jury  since  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at 
Woodstock.  By  fair-dealing  and  upright  con- 
duct, he  has  won  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his 
neighbors  and  the  citizens  of  McHenry  County 
generally. 

Charles  H.  Ormsby,  the  son  of  the  preceding, 
was  brought  up  to  the  life  of  a  farmer  on  the 
old  homestead,  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  at  an  academy  in  Beloit,  Wis.,  at- 
tending the  latter  several  terms.  On  April  4, 
1872,  he  was  married  in  Dorr  Township  to 
Anna  iScott,  born  in  that  township  May  30, 
1849,  the  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Sarah 
(Spooner)  Scott,  the  former  a  pioneer  of  Sen- 
eca Township.  Mr.  Scott  was  born  in  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  about  1818,  and  came  with  two 
elder  brothers  (William  and  James — both  now 
deceased)  to  Seneca  Township,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  in  1837.  Here  the  brothers  bought  Gov- 
ernment land,  and  when  Andrew  had  reached 
the  age  of  about  twenty-one  years,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  A.  Spooner,  a  native  of  Vermont 
.^fter  spending  a  few  years  on  the  land  which 
he  had  originally  entered  in  Seneca  Township, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  removed  to  Dorr  Township, 
where  he  bought  and  improved  160  acres, 
erecting  on  it  good  buildings.  In  1878  Mr.  Scott 
moved  to  Phillips  County,  Kans.,  where  he 
engaged  In  stock  raising;  later  removed  to  and 
engaged  successfully  in  the  same  business  in 
Nebraska,   but  is  now  a  well-to-do  citizen  of 


988 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  are  the  parents  of 
six  children:  Alice  G.,  Anna  K.,  Mary  S„  Me- 
talla  K.,  Maria  S  and  John  B.  Both  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  are  living 
hale  and  prosperous  lives  in  Kansas. 

After  his  marriage,  referred  to  in  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph,  Mr.  Charles  H.  Ormsby  set- 
tled on  the  Ormsby  homestead,  where  he  has 
since  continued  to  reside.  In  1882  he  built  a 
feed  mill  on  the  farm,  which  he  still  owns.  He 
is  an  intelligent  and  practical  farmer,  and,  like 
his  father,  a  stanch  Republican.  Mrs.  Ormsby 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Their 
children  are:  Erie  S.,  William  M.,  Sadie  S. 
and  Charles  H.,  Jr. 


JAMES   FRANKLIN   PARKER. 

James  Franklin  Parker,  early  settler  and 
substantial  citizen  of  McHenry  County,  traces 
his  ancestry  through  colonial  and  New  England 
stock,  to  emigrants  from  England,  who  came  to 
Massachusetts  at  an  early  day.  James  Parker, 
the  grandfather  of  James  F.,  was  born  in  Mass- 
achusetts in  1768,  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary 
soldier,  and  became  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
Soon  after  his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Barrett, 
he  moved  to  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  and  settled 
at  East  Bloomfield,  where  his  father  had  lo- 
cated before  him.  This  region  was  almost  an 
unbroken  wilderness  at  the  time,  and  wild  an- 
imals were  plentiful  in  their  native  forests. 
Bears  were  especially  numerous,  not  unfre- 
quently  approaching  settlers'  cabins  and  carry- 
ing off  hogs  and  other  domestic  animals.  On 
one  occasion  a  bruin  which  had  been  prowling 
about  the  Parker  home,  attacked  a  hog  in  a 
pen  near  by,  and  Mr.  Parker,  hearing  the  dis- 
turbance, seized  a  handspike,  with  which  he 
attacked  the  intruder  and  succeeded  in  killing 
it.  Mr.  Parker  cleared  up  a  farm  and  built  on 
it  a  frame  dwelling  house,  which  is  still  stand- 
ing in  a  good  state  of  preservation  and  occupied 
by  some  of  his  descendants.  He  died  here  June 
24,  1844,  at  the  age  of  over  seventy-six  years, 
and  was  buried  in  the  family  cemetery,  which 
he  had  laid  out  on  his  farm.  His  wife,  Sarah 
(Barrett)  Parker,  was  born  Dec.  29,  1771,  and 
lived  to  be  nearly  ninety-four  years  old,  dying 
Oct.  10,  1865.  They  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  named  children:  Eleazer,  born  May 
11,  1796;  Averlina,  born  Jan.  17,  1798;  Almira. 
born  Jan.  16,  1800;  David,  born  March  17, 1801; 


Clarissa,  born  April  10,  1803;  Alvin  Hyde,  born 
April  11,  1804;  Aaron  Collins,  born  Oct.  2, 
1805;  James  J.,  born  Feb.  16,  1807;  Silas,  born 
in  1809;  Joseph  J.,  born  July  6,  1811;  Benjamin, 
born  May  10,  1813;  Edwin,  born  Jan.  21,  1815; 
Sarah  A.,  born  Aug.  3,  1817. 

Alvin  Hyde  Parker,  of  this  family,  born  at 
East  Bloomfield,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  re- 
ceived the  usual  common  school  education  of 
that  time,  became  a  farmer  and  was  married  in 
Portage,  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.,  June  15, 
1826,  to  Mary  Hosford,  born  in  Victor,  N.  Y., 
June  17,  1802,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Williams)  Hosford.  Joseph  Hosford  was 
of  Colonial  Connecticut  and  English  ancestry 
and  born  Dec.  7,  1761.  His  father,  of  the  same 
name,  was  born  in  Ireland,  though  of  English 
descent,  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  and  settled  in  Connecticut.  Joseph, 
Jr.,  was  married  in  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  in  1793, 
and  his  wife,  Mary  (Williams)  Hosford,  was 
born  in  1768.  Joseph  Hosford  became  a  soldier 
at  sixteen  years  of  age  and  served  until  the 
end  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  children 
who  lived  to  years  of  maturity,  were:  Charles 
born  in  1796,  died  August,  1825;  Eunice,  born 
Sept.  11,  1799;  Mary,  born  July  28,  1802;  Abi- 
gail born  Aug.  20,  1804.  Joseph  Hosford,  the 
father  of  this  family,  lived  for  a  time  after  his 
marriage  in  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.,  where  a 
colony  had  been  established,  but  in  1808  he  re- 
moved, to  Victor,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
still  later  to  Nunda,  Livingston  County,  in  the 
same  State.  Here  his  wife  died,  July  9,  1841, 
his  own  death  occurring  Jan.  5,  1847,  at  the 
age  of  over  eighty-five  years.  The  daughter 
Mary  of  this  family,  afterwards  Mrs.  Alvin  H. 
Parker,  was  a  teacher  who  taught  schools  in 
Bloomfield,  Victor  and  Hunt's  Hollow — in  all 
nine  terms.  One  of  her  pupils  was  the  ven- 
erable Deacon  J.  C.  Button,  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  and  another,  Washington  Hunt,  after- 
wards Governor  of  New  York. 

After  his  marriage  Alvin  H.  Parker  settled 
in  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  began  open- 
ing up  a  farm  on  heavily  timbered  land,  but  a 
few  years  later  returned  to  Ontario  County,  set- 
tling in  South  Bristol,  where  he  began  malting 
another  home.  He  also  lived  for  a  time  in 
Bloomfield  and  in  Portage,  but  in  1838  came  to 
Michigan,  where  two  of  his  brothers,  Joseph 
and  Silas,  had  already  located  in  Oakland  Coun- 


Ati^uc.fC?.  c^y*-^. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


929 


ty.  This  journey  was  made  on  foot,  except  the 
portion  between  Buffalo  and  Detroit,  which  was 
made  by  boat.  Having  walked  across  the  State 
of  Michigan  to  Grand  Haven,  he  then  took  a 
sailing  vessel  (called  a  brig)  to  Milwaukee, 
then  continued  his  journey  on  foot  to  Madison, 
Wis.,  and  thence  to  Chicago,  much  of  the  counv 
try  over  which  he  passed  being  at  that  time 
practically  a  wilderness,  with  settlers  located, 
if  at  all,  many  miles  apart.  One  day  he  was 
compelled  to  make  a  journey  of  forty-five  miles 
before  he  could  find  a  stopping  place  for  the 
night.  Having  returned  home  after  this  trip, 
in  1840  he  made  a  second  journey  westward 
when  he  visited  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  se- 
lected the  land  upon  which  he  afterwards  lo- 
cated, now  known  as  the  Parker  homestead, 
and  occupied  by  the  Hunt  brothers.  This  tract 
at  that  time  consisted  of  eighty  acres  of  tim 
Der  and  prairie  land,  of  which  only  ten  acres 
,had  been  broken  and  a  small  log  house  had 
been  erected  upon  it.  Returning  home  again, 
in  June,  1841,  he  brought  out  his  family,  con- 
sisting of  his  wife  and  five  children,  making 
the  journey  by  the  steamer  "Great  Western" 
around  the  lakes  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  thence 
across  the  country  by  wagon  to  McHenry  Coun- 
ty. He  gradually  improved  his  land,  adding  to 
it  by  purchase  until  he  was  the  owner  of  1160 
acres,  lying  in  Hebron,  McHenry  and  Green- 
wood Townships.  Of  this  land  880  acres  were 
comprised  within  the  home  farm.  He  built  on 
the  homestead  a  substantial  frame  residence, 
which  is  still  standing.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Alvin  H.  Parker  were:  James  Frank- 
lin, born  Sept.  2,  1828;  Clarissa  Elizabeth,  born 
Aug.  22,  1830;  Emily  Sarah,  born  Jan.  9, 
1833;  Mary  Louville,  born  April  17,  1835;  Ellen 
Laura,  born  June  10,  1837 — all  born  at  South 
Bristol.  N.  Y.,  except  James  P.  and  Ellen  Laura, 
the  latter  being  born  at  East  Bloomfield  the 
same  State.  Clarissa  Elizabeth  died  in  1892, 
and  Ellen  Laura,  May  31,  1887.  Mr.  Parker  was 
an  industrious  and  capable  business  man,  as 
his  business  record  shows.  He  held  the  offices 
of  Road  Commissioner  and  School  Director,  in 
which  he  gave  evidence  of  his  public  spirit  by 
his  efforts  to  secure  good  roads  and  promote 
the  cause  of  education.  He  was  a  member  of 
of  the  first  School  Board  in  Hebron  Township, 
having  for  his  colleagues  Bela  Tryon  and  Jacob 
Gilbert.     They  raised  the  money  by  subscrip- 


tion to  build  the  first  school  house  in  the  town- 
ship, located  on  land  owned  by  Mr.  Parker  one- 
half  mile  west  of  Tryon's  Corners.  This  build- 
ing (a  frame)  still  stands  one  mile  east  of  the 
corners.  The  first  teacher  to  occupy  it  was 
Sabina  Parsons,  who  taught  a  summer  school 
in  it  in  1842. 

Mr.  Alvin  H.  Parker  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  first  Methodist  church  in  He- 
bron Township,  and  his  wife  of  the  first  Pres- 
byterian church  in  the  same  township.  He  as- 
sisted to  build  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Greenwood,  now  owned  by  the  Methodists.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  class  leaders  in  his  church 
and  also  held  the  office  of  church  steward,  al- 
ways taking  an  active  part  in  church  affairs. 
In  politics  he  was  an  old  line  Whig,  voting  for 
Henry  Clay  for  President,  an  avowed  opponent 
of  slavery,  and  an  early  Republican.  Of  ster- 
ling integrity  and  unblemished  character,  his 
memory  is  justly  held  in  reverence  by  his  de- 
scendants and  all  who  knew  him.  He  died  in 
Woodstock,  McHenry  County,  April  4,  1879,  and 
was  buried  in  the  family  cemetery  on  his  farm. 

James  Franklin  Parker,  the  immediate  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  born  Sept.  2,  1828,  in 
"Lewiston,  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  within  six 
miles  of  Niagara  Falls.  Here  his  father  lived 
three  years,  when  he  removed  to  Bristol,  and 
eight  years  later  to  East  Bloomfield.  Then,  af- 
ter a  few  years  spent  at  Portage,  N.  Y.,  when 
James  was  twelve  years  old,  his  father  removed 
to  McHenry  County,  111.,  arriving  there  in  June, 
1841.  Here  the  son  attended  the  first  school 
taught  in  Hebron  Township,  and  thereafter  at- 
tended school  during  the  winter  months,  while 
working  upon  the  farm  in  the  summer  until 
he  was  twenty-one.  He  then  went  to  New  York 
State,  and  for  six  months  attended  an  academy 
at  East  Bloomfield,  afterwards  spending  one 
term  in  the  academy  at  Greenwood,  McHenry 
County,  under  the  instruction  of  the  Principal, 
Elder  Hart.  In  the  meantime  he  had  received 
the  training  of  a  practical  farmer,  and,  on  May 
10,  1854,  was  married  at  Chemung,  McHenry 
County,  to  Hannah  Jane  Seaward,  who  was 
born  at  Chemung,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  10,  1832,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Julia  A.  (Wynkoop) 
Seaward.  The  WynkOops  were  patriots  of  the 
Revolutionary  period,  the  male  members  of  the 
family  serving  in  the  army.  William  Seaward, 
who  was  born  July  29,  1799,  was  of  English 


930 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


stock,  and  belonged  to  the  same  family  as  the 
late  Secretary  William  H.  Seward,  an  earlier 
member  of  the  family  having  changed  the 
spelling  of  the  name  to  "Seaward."  This  Wil- 
liam Seaward  was  a  farmer  and  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  the  early  '30s,  thereafter  removing  suc- 
cessively to  Dixon,  Poplar  Grove  and  Chemung, 
111.,  finally  settling  at  the  latter  place,  where  he 
built  a  saw  and  grist  mill.  He  was  a  prominent 
citizen  here,  served  for  a  time  as  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  was  always  active  in  public  af- 
fairs. During  the  gold  excitement  of  1850  he 
went  to  California,  where  he  remained  five 
years.  Then  having  returned  to  Illinois,  after 
a  short  period  he  went  back  to  California, 
spending  another  five  years  there.  He  was 
married  three  times;  first  on  Dec.  25,  1822,  and 
his  first  wife  having  died  Feb.  3,  1826,  on  April 
29,  1827,  he  was  married  to  Julia  A.  Wynkoop, 
who  was  born  April  18,  1799,  and  died  Sept. 
23,  1855.  This  was  during  the  second  absence 
of  Mr.  Seaward  in  California,  the  death  of  his 
wife  taking  place  at  the  home  of  his  son  Benja- 
min in  Iowa.  There  were  two  children  by  the 
first  marriage,  viz.:  Myrtilla  and  Susan;  and 
four  by  the  second:  Benjamin  W.,  born  Jan. 
29,  1830;  Hannah  J.  (Mrs.  James  F.  Parker), 
born  Oct.  10,  1832;  Ophelia  C,  born  Nov.  3, 
1835;  William  Tell,  born  June  9,  1838.  The 
third  marriage  took  place  in  Pennsylvania,  re- 
sulting in  the  birth  of  one  child,  named  Rosa. 
After  this  marriage  Mr.  Seaward  lived  three 
years  in  Chemung,  McHenry  County,  and  some 
time  in  Dakota,  and  then  returned  to  Pennsyl- 
vania, dying  at  Fairmount  in  that  State,  Nov. 
9,  1875.  Mr.  Seaward  was  a  member  and  class- 
leader  in  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  politics 
a  Democrat.  He  crossed  the  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  Rivers  when  about  seventeen 
years  of  age,  carrying  a  considerable  sum  of 
money  for  a  company  in  whose  employ  he  was, 
returning  to  Chicago  by  pack-train,  when  that 
was  the  only  mode  of  conveyance. 

In  the  fall  of  1852  James  F.  Parker  taught 
a  school  at  Chemung,  McHenry  County,  In 
which  his  wife,  then  a  young  lady  of  twenty- 
one  years,  was  a  pupil.  After  this  marriage,  as 
previously  stated,  on  May  10,  1854,  they  first 
settled  on  the  old  Parker  homestead,  where 
they  remained  five  years,  when  they  located 
on  his  present  farm.  This  farm  consists  of  400 
acres,  being  a  part  of  his  father's  estate.    He 


lived  for  some  time  in  an  old  log  house  on  this 
farm,  but  in  1875  built  a  frame  dwelling  in 
which  the  family  now  reside.  He  has  also 
erected  good  frame  buildings,  besides  a  farm 
residence  on  the  eastern  side  of  this  tract  for 
the  use  of  a  tenant. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  have  one  duaghter, 
named  Julia  May,  born  Sept.  30,  1863.  They  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  in 
politics  Mr.  Parker  is  a  Republican.  The  fam- 
ily lived  in  Woodstock  from  1874  to  1887. 

Mr.  Parker  grew  up  among  the  pioneers  of 
McHenry  County,  was  acquainted  with  their 
families,  sharing  their  generous  hospitality,  and 
has  a  vivid  recollection  of  conditions  existing 
in  Hebron  Township  when  it  was  possible  to 
see  twenty  deer  grazing  in  a  single  herd.  In 
those  days  the  latch-string  was  always  out,  and 
much  pleasure  was  taken  in  social  and  neigh- 
borly intercourse.  When  a  boy  of  sixteen  years 
Mr.  Parker  assisted  in  breaking  prairie  land 
with  a  team  of  six  yoke  of  oxen,  using  a  big 
prairie  plow  made  of  steel,  capable  of  cutting 
through  the  tough  prairie  sod  or  grubbed  land, 
and  turning  a  furrow  twenty-six  inches  in 
width.  In  order  to  keep  down  the  growth  of 
timber  and  underbrush,  the  Indians  had  long 
been  accustomed  to  burn  over  these  prairie 
lands  every  year,  thus  enabling  them  to  see  the 
game  the  more  easily  during  the  fall  and  winter 
hunting  season. 


LYMAN    PIERCE. 

Lyman  Pierce,  a  pioneer  citizen  of  Hebron 
Township,  McHenry  County,  belongs  to  a  fam- 
ily of  colonial  and  Puritan  stock  whose  an- 
cestors settled  at  an  early  day  in  Massachus- 
etts. His  grandfather,  William  Pierce,  was  a 
citizen  of  Massachusetts,  who  married  a  Miss 
Benson  and  had  children  named:  Eben,  Wil- 
liam and  Zenas.  Zenas,  the  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Massachusetts 
about  1797,  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion, and  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812,  part  of  the  time  doing  duty  on  a  vessel 
on  Lake  Erie  in  guarding  prisoners.  While  a 
young  man  he  went  to  Steuben  County,  New 
York,  and  in  Pultney  Township  of  that  county, 
married  Harriet  Stewart,  a  native  of  New  York 
and  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Lydia  Stewart. 
Her  parents  were  natives  of  the  North  of  Ire- 


JJ>Jk#U< 


Lov~ 


rift* 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


931 


land,  both  born  in  1759  and,  coming  to  Steuben 
County,  at  an  early  day,  Mr.  Stewart  opened  up 
a  farm  in  Pultney  Township,  the  locality  be- 
coming known  as  "Stewart's  Corners."  They 
were  the  parents  of  fifteen  children,  viz.:  Sel- 
den,  Mary,  Rhoda,  Statira,  Spencer,  Lydia, 
William,  Joseph,  Betsy,  John,  Harriet,  Lyman, 
Hannah,  Ann  Eliza  and  Arnold.  Mr.  Stewart 
died  on  his  farm  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
a  Free- Will  Baptist,  and  reared  an  excellent 
family. 

After  marriage,  Zenas  Pierce  first  settled  on 
a  farm  belonging  to  his  father-in-law,  but  finally 
moved  some  forty  miles  distant,  where  he  set- 
tled on  a  tract  of  100  acres  of  heavily  timbered 
land,  where  he  cleared  up  a  farm.  His  child- 
ren were:  Annis,  Betsy,  Lovina,  Benson,  Zenas, 
Lydia,  John  and  Lyman.  In  1845  he  came 
west  making  the  journey  by  way  of  the  lakes 
from  Buffalo  to  Racine,  Wis.,  and  thence  by 
teams  to  Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  arrived  in  the  month  of  June  and 
bought  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  land  from  a 
widow,  Mrs.  Mary  Coleson,  to  which  he  after- 
wards added  eighty  acres.  On  this  land  he 
erected  a  good  home  which  is  still  standing, 
dying  here  August,  1882,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
four  years.  This  is  the  home  still  occupied  by 
his  son  Lyman.  The  father  was  a  prominent 
member  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Method- 
ist church,  donating  the  land  for  a  church  edi- 
fice which  he  assisted  to  build.  Early  Meth- 
odist meetings  were  held  at  his  house.  In  po- 
litical opinion  he  was  a  Jacksonian  Democrat. 

Lyman  Pierce,  the  son,  was  born  in  Steuben 
County,  New  York,  Nov.  27,  1835,  and  at  ten 
years  of  age,  accompanied  his  father  to  Mc- 
Henry County.  Here  he  attended  school  in  a 
log  school-house  in  Hebron  Township,  which 
stood  where  the  Sawyer  School  House  now 
stands.  One  of  his  teachers  was  Miss  Helen 
Ehle.  He  grew  up  a  farmer  and  was  married 
on  Dec.  1,  1862,  at  Genoa  Junction,  Wis.,  to 
Miss  Maria  A.  Read,  of  Coral  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  who  was  born  in  Steuben 
County,  New  York,  March  25,  1837,  the  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Harriet  (Hebard)  Read.  (For 
sketch  of  the  Read  family,  see  latter  part  of 
this  article).  After  their  marriage  Lyman 
Pierce  and  wife  settled  in  Lynn  Township, 
Walworth  County,  Wis.,  where  he  bought 
eighty   acres   of  land,   to   which   he   has   kept 


adding  until  he  now  owns,  in  one  body,  370 
acres.  Having  remained  in  Wisconsin  two 
years,  in  1864  he  moved  onto  that  part  of  his 
farm  lying  in  Illinois,  where  he  lived  until 
1888,  and  then  moved  upon  a  part  of  the  old 
family  homestead  in  Hebron  village.  He  has 
lived  an  industrious  and  frugal  life,  and  with 
the  aid  of  his  faithful  and  capable  wife,  has 
been  eminently  successful.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Democrat  and  maintains  a  reputation  for 
high  integrity.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce's  children 
are:  Harriet  A.,  who  married  John  P.  Wick- 
ham,  and  John  L.,  who  died  July  14,  1901,  at 
Mariposa,  Cal.  Mrs.  Pierce  received  a  good 
education  under  the  instruction  of  her  mother 
who  was  a  well-educated  woman,  supplemented 
by  courses  in  the  public  schools,  the  Collegiate 
Institute  at  Marengo  and  at  Rockford  Female 
Seminary.  From  the  latter  her  sister  Harriet 
A.  M.  graduated  and  became  a  teacher.  After 
fifty  years  spent  in  educational  work,  she  is 
now  living  in  Hebron. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Lyman  Pierce  were  des- 
cended from  Puritan  ancestors,  who  were 
among  the  first  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  Bos- 
ton, and  they  were  both  of  the  sixth  genera- 
tion in  this  country. 

Her  father,  Charles  Read,  was  a  son  of 
Joseph  Read,  of  Belchertown,  Mass.  He 
married,  in  1822,  Miss  Harriet  M.  Hebard,  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  Asa  Hebard  of  Leyden,  Mass, 

After  their  marriage,  they  lived  in  Green- 
wich, four  years,  and  then  removed  to  Athol, 
where  he  bought  a  farm  on  'Athol  Street." 
In  1830  they  removed  to  Steuben  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  in  1844,  to  McHenry  County,  111.  They 
settled  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town 
of  Coral.  He  bought  land  from  the  Govern- 
ment, and  built  a  frame  house,  for  which  he 
hauled  the  lumber  from  Chicago,  with  ox- 
teams.  At  that  time  the  nearest  house  on  the 
road  to  Chicago  was  about  seven  mires  from 
his  land,  near  where  Huntley  now  stands. 

Mr.  Read  attended  the  first  term  of  court 
held  at  Woodstock,  and  the  first  McHenry 
County  fair;  and  he  was  present  at  Elgin, 
when  the  first  train  of  cars  arrived  from  Chi- 
cago. He  lived  to  see  his  home  half  hidden 
by  trees  of  his  own  planting;  to  see  the  land- 
scape dotted  with  farm  buildings,  churches, 
and  school-houses,  and  four  railroads  built 
across  the  county.     He  was  a  member  of  the 


932 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Presbyterian  church  and  in  politics  a  Repub- 
lican. He  died  at  the  home-  of  his  son,  J.  A. 
Read,  in  Union,  111.,  Oct.  20,  1875.  Mrs.  Read 
died  Feb.  21,  1869. 

They  had  five  children — three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  The  sons  were:  Charles  B.,  a  phy- 
sician, who  died  at  Platte,  Mich.,  Jan.  2,  1884; 
George  A.,  a  manufacturer  of  woolen  goods, 
died  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  Jan.  10,  1889;  and 
Joseph  Alonzo,  a  merchant,  died  at  Marengo* 
111,  Nov.  1,  1891.  The  daughters  were  Mrs. 
Lyman  Pierce  and  Miss  Harriet  A.  M.  Read, 
mentioned   above. 

William  Read,  a  brother  of  Charles  Read, 
is  still  living  (1903)  at  Crystal  Lake,  111.,  at 
the  age  of  ninety-nine  years. 

The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Pierce  were  both 
soldiers  in  the  Revolution.  Joseph  Read  was 
one  of  the  company  on  the  way  to  join  Gen. 
Stark's  army  when  the  battle  of  Bennington 
was  in  progress.  Asa  Hebard  was  present 
at  Bunker  Hill,  and  at  Cambridge,  when  Gen. 
Washington  first  took  command  of  the  army. 
He  served  under  Washington  five  years; 
served  in  the  Jersey  campaigns,  was  at  Valle> 
Forge,  and  was  a  standard-bearer  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Monmouth. 


RICHARD    M.    PATRICK. 

Richard  M.  Patrick,  a  pioneer  and  prominent 
business  man  of  Marengo,  111.,  descends  from 
sterling  Scotch  ancestry.  The  name,  which 
was  originally  spelled  "Kirkpatrick,"  dates 
back  to  the  ninth  century,  when  the  title  Baron 
or  Knight  of  Closeburn  was  conferred  upon 
the  head  of  the  house.  Well  authenticated 
tradition  states  that  St.  Patrick  was  born  on 
the  Closeburn  estate,  and  previously  the  head 
of  the  estate  had  been  McGill  Patrick.  Sir 
Roger  Kirkpatrick,  a  scion  of  Closeburn,  fought 
with  Sir  William  Wallace  and  later  with  Bruce. 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  "The  Lord  of  the  Isles," 
has  made  him  famous  in  his  encounter  with 
"Red  Conyn"  in  Gray  Friars'  Church,  Dum- 
fries, in  which  Sir  Roger  dealt  the  decisive 
blow  with  the  exclamation,  "I  make  Sikkar" 
(I  make  sure).  This  was  the  origin  of  the 
family  crest,  a  dagger  dropping  blood  with 
the  motto,  "I  make  Sikkar."  In  modern  times 
we  find  that  the  mother  of  the  Ex-Empress 
Eugenie  of  France  was  a  Kirkpatrick  of  Close- 


burn,  the  old  estate  of  Closeburn  being  in 
Dumfries  on  the  Nith,  where  the  old  castle  is 
still  standing  and  is  in  a  fair  state  of  pres- 
ervation. The  castle  was  held  by  the  family 
until  1785,  when  it  was  sold.  The  Kirkpat- 
ricks  were  all  Covenanters,  and  Claverhouse 
and  his  rough-riders  made  it  so  warm  for 
them,  that  they  emigrated  to  the  North  of 
Ireland,  where  they  intermarried  with  people 
of  their  own  race  and  faith  and  became  prom- 
inent in  wars,  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
siege  of  Derry.  During  the  wars  of  James 
II.,  two  brothers,  Ebenezer  and  William,  emi- 
grated from  the  North  of  Ireland  and  settled 
in  New  England.  Ebenezer,  one  of  William's 
descendants,  married  Rebecca  Campbell,  and. 
in  1763,  they  removed  from  Litchfield,  Conn.,  to 
Stillwater,  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.  He  served 
In  the  Revolutionary  War  in  a  regiment  of 
New  York  militia  under  command  of  Col.  Van 
Veghten.  His  son  Robert  W.,  born  in  1760, 
also  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution  and  took  part  in  the  battles  of 
Stillwater  and  Saratoga.  In  1780,  Robert  W. 
married  Pamelia  Ives,  and  their  son,  Nathaniel, 
born  in  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  10,  1785, 
received  a  good  common-school  education  and 
adopted  the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  was 
married  in  Cuyler,  Cortland  County,  N.  Y., 
Nov.  29,  1810,  to  Penelope  Potter,  born  in  Sar- 
atoga County,  N.  Y.,  in  1793,  the  'daughter  of 
Nathaniel  Potter,  who  was  a  First  Lieutenant 
in  Levi  Paulding's  regiment  of  New  York  mi- 
litia. In  1793  Nathaniel  Potter  removed  from 
Saratoga  to  Cortland  County,  N.  Y..  and  was 
the  first  settler  in  the  town  of  Cuyler.  Mrs. 
Potter  died  in  1795,  her  death  being  the  first 
in  that  town.  Mr.  Potter  was  accidentally 
killed  by  a  falling  tree  in  1799. 

Nathaniel  Patrick  cleared  up  his  farm  in 
Cuyler,  N.  Y.,  from  the  wilderness,  and  his 
homestead  has  been  in  the  Patrick  family  for 
over  one  hundred  years,  it  now  being  in  the 
possession  of  John  Wesley  Patrick,  the  old- 
est son  of  Stephen  Patrick.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Nathaniel  Patrick  reared  a  family  of  fourteen 
children — all  born  at  Cuyler,  N.  Y. — their 
names  and  dates  of  birth  being  as  follows: 
Stephen,  Sept.  17,  1811,  died  May  9,  1890; 
Elias,  August  19,  1813,  died  Oct.  27,  1885;  Julia 
Ann,  Feb.  5,  1815,  died  March  10,  1819;  Fanny 
E.,  Oct.  13,  1816,  died  Feb.  27,  1901;  Hiram  B., 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


933 


Dec.  31,  1818,  died  May  5,  1902;  Albert,  Nov. 
2,  1820,  died  May  24,  1838;  Charles,  August  24, 
1822,  died  Fed.  28,  1898;  William  Kirk,  Feb. 
16,  1824,  died  May  8,  1882;  Lydia  M.,  March 
31,  1826;  Mary,  Sept.  21,  1827,  died  Sept.  16, 
1881;  Emily  S.,  April  25,  1829,  died  August 
23,  1830;  Richard  M.  (subject  of  this  sketch), 
May  5,  1831;  Alfred,  Sept.  29,  1832;  Elizabeth 
I.,  June  22,  1841,  died  Oct.  4,  1899.  Mrs.  Pat- 
rick lived  to  be  seventy-seven  years  old,  dying 
Oct.  4,  1870.  Nathaniel  Patrick  was  a  prom- 
inent man  in  his  town  and  held  several  town 
offices.  In  political  opinion  he  was  an  old  line 
Whig.  His  estate  consisted  of  450  acres  of 
land,  part  of  which  (250  acres)  he  bought 
from  the  United  States  Government  and 
cleared  of  the  heavy  timber  with  which  it  was 
covered.  Four  of  his  sons  came  west  and  be- 
came prosperous  farmers;  two  settled  in  Du- 
Page  County,  111.,  where  each  owned  1,000 
acres  of  land. 

Richard  M.  Patrick,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  remained  on  his  father's  farm 
until  sixteen  years  of  age,  in  the  meantime 
receiving  a  good  common-school  education. 
He  then  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  owned 
by  his  brother  Elias,  in  Broome  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  for  two  years 
£nd  afterwards  attended  school  for  two 
years  at  an  academy  in  Cortland,  N.  Y. 
Completing  his  course  at  the  academy,  he 
taught  school  two  winter  sessions,  working 
on  the  home  farm  during  the  intervening  sum- 
mer months.  In  June,  1851,  he  came  via  the 
lakes  to  Chicago,  where  he  visited  his  brothers 
Hiram  B.  and  William  K.,  and  his  sister  Mrs. 
Fannie  E.  Hull.  One  year  later  he  made  a 
trip  down  the  Mississippi  River  to  New  Or- 
lenas,  and  thence  up  the  Arkansas.  Returning 
to  Illinois,  he  came  to  Marengo,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  with  Charles 
W.  Angle.  In  1853  Mr.  Patrick  bought  the 
property  where  his  present  bank  now  stands, 
there  then  being  a  small  frame  building  on 
the  lot,  which  was  the  second  building  erected 
on  Main  Street  and  was  built  by  Henry  Park- 
hurst.  Mr.  Patrick  conducted  his  business 
with  great  energy,  and  by  1864  had  established 
a  trade  of  over  $100,000  per  year.  In  1864 
he  disposed  of  a  one-half  interest  to  his 
brother  Elias  and  his  sons  Frank  W.  and  Henry 
E.    In  1867  he  started  a  private  bank,  and  in 


1871  organized  a  National  Bank  with  a  capital 
of  $50,000,  which  has  been  a  successful  insti- 
tution with  Mr.  Patrick  as  its  President.  Be- 
sides his  banking  business,  Mr.  Patrick  owns 
a  large  amount  of  farm  property  and  has,  at 
the  present  time,  three  farms  consisting  of 
190,  210  and  480  acres,  respectively,  all  of 
which  he  personally  conducts.  He  was  one 
of  the  founders  and  proprietors  of  the  Collins 
&  Burgie  Co.,  Stove  Manufacturers,  manag- 
ing this  business  for  several  years,  and  has 
also  been  interested  in  several  other  enter- 
prises. He  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  hav- 
ing a  good  city  government  and  good  schools, 
has  served  several  terms  as  Mayor,  and  at  in- 
tervals, since  1855,  has  been  a  member  of 
the  School  Board,  frequently  holding  the  office 
of  President  of  the  Board.  Mr.  Patrick  built 
and  owns  the  Opera  House  block,  the  block 
occupied  by  Dr.  Richardson's  drug-store  and 
other  valuable  real  estate.  His  present  resi- 
dence, built  in  1858,  was  almost  entirely  re- 
built about  eight  years  ago.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  has 
long  been  a  trustee  and  has  contributed  liber- 
ally toward  the  building  of  the  new  church. 
In  political  opinion  he  is  a  stanch  Republican, 
being  one  of  the  founders  of  the  party  in 
McHenry  County  and  cast  his  vote  for  Abra 
ham  Lincoln.  Mr.  Patrick  is  entirely  a  self- 
made  man.  Having  inherited  a  strong  con- 
stitution, untiring  energy  and  indomitable  will, 
he  has  won  his  way  to  success  and  is  now  a 
prominent,  influential  and  wealthy  man. 

At  Rockford,  111.,  Dec.  29,  1856,  Mr.  Patrick 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Emma  Page,  who 
was  born  at  Pulaski,  Mich.,  Nov.  29,  1839,  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  and  Frances  (Du- 
rand)  Page,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  the 
following  named  children:  Fred  Albert,  Annie 
P.,  Ernest  Durand,  Frances  C.  and  Winifred. 

Of  their  children,  Fred  A.  married  Louise 
C.  Cook  of  Marcellus,  N.  Y.,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  three  children.  He  owns  a  large 
wholesale  dry  goods  establishment  in  Duluth, 
Minn.,  in  which  ths  annual  sales  aggregate 
about  $1,000,000. 

Annie  P.  is  a  graduate  of  Lake  Forest  Col- 
lege and  married  Dr.  Newell  Dwight  Hillis, 
the  eminent  Divine  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 
they  have  three  children. 


934 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Ernest  Durand — (see  sketch  in  another  part 
of  this  volume.) 

Frances  C.  married  Dr.  Charles  W.  Moyer 
of  Rockford,   111.,   and  they  have  one  child. 

Winifred,  after  completing  a  course  of  study 
at  the  Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  Lake  Forest, 
111.,  attended  a  college  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
She   resides   at   home. 

Concerning  Mrs.  R.  M.  Patrick's  ancestors, 
the  following  facts  are  of  interest. 

The  Pages  were  a  prominent  colonial  fam- 
ily, and  David  Page  (grandfather  of  Mrs.  Pat- 
rick), of  Bedford,  Mass.,  was  a  descendant,  in 
the  fourth  generation,  of  Christopher  Page, 
who,  in  1690,  emigrated  with  his  family  to  New 
Bedford,  Mass.,  having  previously  served  as  an 
officer  in  the  British  army,  and  is  believed  to 
have  left  the  service  at  the  time  of  his  de- 
parture for  America.  The  line  of  descent  is 
through  his  second  son,  Nathaniel;  from  him 
to  his  son  Nathaniel,  and  thence  to  Mrs.  Pat- 
rick's great-grandfather,  David  Page,  who  had 
two  children,  David  and  Hannah. 

David  Page,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Patrick, 
was,  in  early  days,  a  man  of  affairs  and  owned 
large  manufacturing  interests  in  Middleburg, 
Vt.,  in  later  life  investing  his  money  in  land 
and  other  valuable  property.  He  was  prom- 
inent in  political  affairs,  at  one  time  serving 
as  Treasurer  of  Michigan  Territory.  He  was 
born  in  1767,  and,  in  1791,  married  Elizabeth 
Minot,  daughter  of  Capt.  Jonas  Minot,  of  Wil- 
mot,  N.  H.  David  Page  lived  to  a  venerable 
age,  and  both  he  and  Mrs.  Page  died  in  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich.,  the  year  of  Mrs.  Page's  death 
being   1836. 

The  Minots  are  a  distinguished  colonial 
family  and  among  the  few  families  of  this  coun- 
try entitled  to  armorial  bearings.  They  are 
descendants  of  Sir  Thomas  Minot,  who  held  val- 
uable possessions  in  Essex,  England.  His  son, 
George  Minot,  born  in  Saffron  Walden,  Essex, 
England,  in  1594,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
New  England,  his  home  being  in  Dorchester, 
Mass.  In  the  fifth  generation,  Charles  Minot, 
who  was  the  President  of  the  New  York  Cen- 
tral Railroad,  was  born.  He  was  a  son  of  Capt. 
James  Minot,  who  had  valuable  possessions  in 
Wilmot,  N.  H. 

Rev.  William  Page,  the  father  of  Mrs.  R.  M. 
Patrick,  was  born  in  Concord,  Mass.,  Sept. 
16,  1798,  a  son  of  David  and  Catharine  (Minot) 


Page.  He  was  one  of  the  early  ministers  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  in  the  West  and  prom- 
inent in  its  councils.  His  ministerial  appoint- 
ments were:  New  York  City,  Pulaski,  Mon- 
roe, Hillsdale  and  Three  Rivers,  Mich.  He 
did  much  towards  the  establishment  of  new 
churches,  and  was  one  of  the  builders  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  at  Ann  Arbor,  Mich., 
Rev.  Page  married  Frances  (Shelden)  Durand. 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Amber)  Du- 
rand, and  they  were  the  parents  of  Fannie, 
Mary,  Abbie,  Sarah,  Emma,  William  and 
Charles.  Mrs.  Page  was  born  in  Bethlehem. 
Conn.,  July  30,  1807,  and  died  in  Chicago, 
April  3,  1890.  Rev.  William  Page  did  in  Rock- 
ford,  111.,  May  23,  1856,  and  both  he  and  his 
wife   are   buried   in  the   Rockford   cemetery. 


ERNEST  DURAND  PATRICK. 
Hon.  Ernest  Durand  Patrick,  Mayor  of  the 
City  of  Marengo,  is  a  practical  and  progressive 
business  man,  whose  fitness  for  the  position 
which  he  occupies  is  demonstrated  by  the 
thrifty  and  well-ordered  condition  in  which  the 
city  has  been  maintained  under  his  administra- 
tion. Mr.  Patrick  was  born  in  Marengo,  Jan. 
31,  1869,  the  son  of  Richard  M.  and  Emma 
(Page)  Patrick,  and  after  receiving  his  primary 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  graduating 
from  the  high  school  of  his  native  town,  spent 
a  year  in  Lake  Forest  University,  after  which 
he  took  a  final  two-years'  course  in  the  old 
Phillips  Exeter  Academy,  at  Exeter,  N.  H.  The 
last  named  institution,  with  a  history  extend- 
ing over  a  period  of  more  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  years,  has  always  maintained  a 
high  record  for  thorough  work,  which  has  en- 
abled it  to  send  out  from  its  halls  some  of  the 
most  noteworthy  men  in  the  various  branches 
of  literature,  science  and  business  that  this 
country  has  produced.  After  leaving  Phillips 
Exeter  Academy,  he  spent  a  year  traveling  in 
Europe,  after  which,  in  the  fall  of  1890,  he  en- 
tered into  the  employment  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Marengo  as  clerk  and  book- 
keeper. In  course  of  time  he  was  promoted  to 
the  position  of  Assistant  Cashier,  and  finally 
to  that  of  Cashier,  which  he  now  holds.  Mr. 
Patrick  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  bank  and, 
for  the  past  ten  years,  has  been  one  of  its 
directors,  and  has  won  a  high  reputation  as  a 
successful  and  trustworthy  business  man. 


Mc  HENRY     COUNTY. 


935 


In  his  political  relations  Mr.  Patrick  is  an 
earnest  Republican  who  takes  an  active  inter- 
est in  local  and  general  politics.  In  1900  he 
was  elected  Supervisor  of  Marengo  Township, 
filling  the  office  one  term.  A  year  later  he 
was  elected  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Marengo. 
That  he  has  given  the  people  a  practical  and 
progressive  administration  is  indicated  by  the 
changes  which  have  been  wrought  in  munic- 
ipal affairs  since  his  election.  Previous  to  his 
election  to  this  important  office,  a  bitter  con- 
test had  been  waged  between  the  various  po- 
litical factions  in  the  city,  public  improvements 
had  been  neglected  and  the  money  collected 
from  the  tax-payers  had  been  expended  with- 
out bringing  to  the  people  the  benefits  to  which 
they  were  entitled.  The  streets  in  the  resi- 
dence portion  of  the  city  were  badly  in  need  of 
graveling,  while  the  sidewalks  on  the  prin- 
cipal streets  were  in  a  condition  reflecting 
discredit  upon  a  city  of  the  importance  of 
Marengo.  Street  crossings  were  in  bad  repair 
and  not  properly  constructed,  and  there  was  an 
urgent  demand  for  a  new  and  more  thorough 
system  of  improvements. 

On  his  election  to  the  mayoralty,  Mr.  Pat- 
rick was  determined  that  these  faults  should 
be  remedied,  and  that  municipal  affairs  should 
be  placed  on  a  thorough  business  basis.  His 
first  step  was  to  appoint  capable  and  efficient 
men  to  all  subordinate  positions,  regardless 
of  politics,  and  see  to  it  that  their  duties  were 
discharged  with  absolute  fidelity  and  efficiency. 
Among  the  improvements  so  far  made  has  been 
the  construction  of  modern  cement  sidewalks 
on  both  sides  of  Main  Street,  while  a  large 
amount  of  work  has  been  done  in  the  residence 
portions  of  the  town.  These  side-walks  are 
constructed  of  the  best  material,  and,  while 
adding  greatly  to  the  attractiveness  of  these 
portions  of  the  city,  have  contributed  to  the 
comfort,  convenience  and  health  of  the  people. 
During  his  first  year's  administration  the  width 
of  Main  Street  was  increased  by  fourteen  feet 
from  Prairie  Street  to  the  railroad  tracks,  mak- 
ing it  a  broad  and  handsome  avenue.  It  hav- 
ing been  discovered  that,  in  the  matter  of  se- 
curing material  for  graveling  the  roads  a  heavy 
expense  would  have  to  be  incurred,  through 
Mayor  Patrick's  influence  a  gravel-pit  was  pur- 
chased by  the  city,  providing  an  ample  supply 
of  gravel  of  an  excellent  quality  at  a  moderate 
price,  and  many  of  the  streets  have  now  been 


graveled  and  the  number  will  be  increased  as 
rapidly  as  the  work  can  be  done.  The  electric 
light  and  water-works  plants  had  been  a  heavy 
expense  to  the  city  from  the  time  of  their 
establishment,  but  both  of  these  have  now 
been  made  self-supporting.  This  result  has 
been  accomplished,  in  part  at  least,  by  adopt- 
ing the  policy  of  purchasing  fuel  and  other 
supplies  at  the  most  favorable  market  rates, 
and  making  close  collections  for  service.  For 
the  latter  special  credit  should  be  awarded  to 
the  Superintendent,  P.  T.  Parkhurst.  The 
water  mains  have  been  extended  during 
his  administration,  about  one  mile  has 
been  added,  and  through  these  the  water 
is  efficiently  served.  The  system  of  elec- 
tric lighting  has  also  been  materially  ex- 
tended. Many  new  and  excellent  brick-cross- 
ings have  been  put  in  place  in  different  parts 
of  the  city,  in  a  thorough  and  workmanlike 
manner,  and  this  work  is  being  continued  in 
the  residence  portions.  While  the  utilities 
which  pertain  to  the  every-day  wants  and 
health  of  the  city  have  been  carefully  looked 
after  and  improved,  a  beginning  has  been  made 
in  the  proper  care  of  the  public  park,  which 
before  had  been  neglected  and  allowed  to  yield 
a  bountiful  crop  of  hay  annually.  During 
Mayor  Patrick's  incumbency  this  has  been  kept 
regularly  mowed  and  in  as  smooth  a  condition 
as  any  well-kept  lawn  in  the  city.  These  are 
valuable  and  useful  improvements  which  tend 
to  make  Marengo  a  more  attractive  and  de- 
sirable place  of  residence,  and  every  citizen 
more  self-respecting  as  he  sees  around  him  the 
evidences  of  a  condition  of  municipal  thrift  and 
prosperity  resulting  from  the  proper  and 
economical  use  of  the  money  of  the  tax-payer 
in  securing  practical  improvements.  A  gen- 
eral sewerage  system  is  now  under  contempla- 
tion, and  surveys  for  this  purpose  will  soon  be 
made  with  a  view  to  beginning  the  work  on  a 
systematic  basis  as  soon  as  practicable. 

Mr.  Patrick  was  married  Sept.  7,  1892,  in  his 
native  city  of  Marengo,  to  Leone  Vail,  who 
was  born  in  Marengo,  Nov.  24,  1871,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Elisha  J.  and  Delphi  E.  (Sponable) 
Vail.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick  have  been  born 
two  daughters:  Martha  L.,  born  June  8,  1894, 
and  Frances  Durand,  born  Dec.  28,  1897.  In 
religious  belief  Mr.  Patrick  is  a  Presbyterian. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  gentlemen's  clothing 
and  furnishing  firm    in    Marengo,    known    as 


936 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


"The  Cub,"  which  is  doing  a  successful  busi- 
ness; is  also  the  treasurer  and  credit  man  of 
the  Collins  &  Burgie  Stove-Works,  and  has 
been  manager  of  the  Marengo  opera-house  for 
four  seasons. 

Born  and  reared  in  Marengo,  Mayor  Patrick 
is  widely  and  favorably  known  to  the  residents 
of  that  city  as  a  genial  and  kind-hearted  gentle- 
man, with  a  record  for  personal  and  business 
integrity  that  will  bear  the  most  thorough  in- 
vestigation in  the  light  of  the  noon-day  sun. 


ANDREW  PURVES. 

Andrew  Purves  (deceased),  early  settler  of 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Scotland  about 
the  year  1810,  and  being  left  an  orphan  when 
about  eight  years  of  age,  was  brought  up  by  an 
aunt.  As  far  as  known  he  had  two  brothers, 
named  Thomas  and  Richard,  and  a  sister, 
named  Mary.  The  latter  married  a  Mr.  An- 
derson.  The  brothers  married  and  reared  fam- 
ilies and  their  descendants  are  still  living  in 
Scotland.  Andrew  Purves  received  a  fair  com- 
mon school  education  in  his  native  country, 
and  on  Feb.  22,  1842,  was  married  at  Biggar,  a 
small  town  a  few  miles  distant  from  Edin- 
burgh, to  Eliza  Smith,  who  was  born  March 
17,  1818,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Smith. 
John  Smith  was  a  farmer  and  dairyman  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  He  and  his  wife  were 
parents  of  children  named:  John,  Isabella,  Dav- 
id, Mary,  George,  Robert  and  James.  About 
one  week  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Purves,  ac- 
companied by  his  wife  and  her  three  brothers, 
George,  Robert  and  James,  sailed  from  Liver- 
pool for  America,  the  voyage  to  New  York  oc- 
cupying one  month.  All  came  directly  to  Mc- 
Henry County  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Purves  stop- 
ped, for  the  first  week  after  their  arrival,  at 
Marengo  with  Alexander  Hutchinson,  an  old 
neighbor  from  Scotland.  Mr.  Purves  soon  after 
bought  what  is  known  as  the  Purves  farm,  con- 
sisting of  240  acres.  The  improvements  upon 
the  farm  consisted  of  a  log  house  and  a  few 
acres  of  broken  land.  Mr.  Purves  lived  here 
with  his  family  for  some  years,  when  he  erected 
a  frame  house  and  barn  and  made  other  im- 
provements. At  the  time  he  settled  in  Mc- 
Henry County  there  were  few  settlers  between 
Marengo  and  Belvidere.     He  hauled  his  grain 


and  other  produce  to  the  Chicago  market,  tak- 
ing back  with  him  housekeeping  necessities. 
Religious  meetings  were  held  in  houses  and 
barns,  as  at  that  time  there  were  no  church  ed- 
ifices in  the  vicinity.  The  children  of  this  fam- 
ily were:  Mary  Lawrie,  Jane  Wilson,  Janet 
and  Agnes.  Mr.  Purves  died  on  his  farm  Nov. 
6,  1850,  while  his  wife  survived  him  many 
years,  dying  March  7,  1889,  at  the  age  of  nearly 
seventy-two  years.  She  was  a  devout  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  a  woman  of 
strong  character.  The  two  daughters,  Mary 
Lawrie  and  Agnes,  were  both  well  educated, 
having  been  pupils  in  the  Marengo  High  School 
and  the  former  was  a  teacher  in  the  home  dis- 
trict for  five  terms.  She  is  a  woman  of  much 
business  ability,  and  for  many  years  has  been 
a  member  of  the  School  Board  in  her  district. 
This  school  has  a  large  attendance  and  has 
been  managed  in  a  manner  highly  satisfactory 
io  the  people  of  the  district.  Both  the  sisters 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Marengo,  of  which  they  are  liberal  supporters, 
taking  an  active  interest  in  church  affairs. 
They  are  ladies  of  education  and  culture,  and 
their  pleasant  home  is  filled  with  books  and 
other  evidences  of  taste  and  refinement.  In 
1895  they  erected  an  attractive  and  substantial 
two-story  residence,  which  is  an  important  ad- 
dition to  this  pleasant  old  homestead.  In  1845 
George  Smith,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Purves,  built 
upon  the  Purves  property  what  was  known  as 
the  old  "Smith  Mill,"  which,  in  the  early  days 
was  the  only  saw  and  grist  mill  in  that  part 
of  the  county,  and  was  patronized  by  settlers 
throughout  a  large  extent  of  the  country.  Be- 
fore his  final  removal  to  America  and  perma- 
nent settlement  in  McHenry  County,  Andrew 
Purves  came  to  Canada  and,  after  work- 
ing on  a  farm  there  for  some  time,  went 
to  Bath  County,  Ky.,  where  he  worked 
on  a  turnpike  for  Robert  Pringle  and 
Alexander  Redpath.  He  then  came  to  Jo  Da- 
viess County,  111.,  where  he  worked  in  the  lead 
mines  for  several  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  his  native  country  for  his  bride.  He 
was  a  man  of  strong  character,  and,  for  more 
than  fifty  years  after  his  death,  his  surviving 
friends  still  speak  of  him  in  terms  of  high  ap- 
preciation. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


937 


JOHN   PETER. 

John  Peter,  one  of  the  leading  business  men 
of  Algonquin  and  a  resident  of  that  place  for 
over  thirty  years,  was  born  in  Harlem,  N.  Y., 
of  sterling  Scotch  descent.  His  grandfather, 
David  Peter,  who  was  a  soldier  for  many  years 
in  the  British  Army  and  served  in  India,  was 
born  in  Scotland  and  married  and  settled  in 
Dundee,  in  his  native  country. 

John  O.  Peter,  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Dundee,  Scotland,  in  1808, 
and  received  a  common-school  education.  He 
married  in  his  native  place  Margaret  Turnbull, 
who  was  born  there*  in  1808,  and  their  children 
were  named:  David,  George,  John,  James  and 
Margaret.  In  July,  1842,  Mr.  Peter  came  to 
New  York  where  he  remained  for  a  few 
months,  when  he  came  to  Chicago  and  settled 
on  the  Calumet  River  at  a  point  where  South 
Chicago  is  now  located.  Here  he  kept  a  hotel, 
and  after  running  a  stage  line  for  two  years, 
bought  an  unimproved  farm  of  160  acres  in 
Bloom  Township,  Cook  County,  111.,  where  he 
lived  until  1853,  when  he  removed  to  Elk 
Grove,  111.,  and  there  purchased  a  farm.  In 
1863,  having  retired  from  active  life,  he  moved 
to  Arlington  Heights,  111.,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  dying  in  1876,  aged 
sixty-eight  years.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Presbyterian  and  was  a  liberal  supporter  of 
his  church  in  which  he  also  served  as  deacon 
for  many  years.  In  political  opinions  he  was 
originally  a  Democrat,  but  later  became  a  Re- 
publican. 

John  Peter,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Harlem,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  21, 
1842,  the  same  year  that  his  parents  removed 
to  Chicago.  He  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and,  when  young,  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  on  his  father's  farm.  On 
July  28,  1862,  when  nearly  twenty  years  of 
age,  he  enlisted  in  Chicago  as  a  private  for 
three  years  in  Company  K,  Eighty-Eighth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  honorably 
discharged  at  Springfield,  111.,  July  7,  1865.  Mr. 
Peter  participated  in  the  battles  of  Stone 
River,  Mission  Ridge,  Resaca,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, Peach  Tree  Creek,  Jonesboro,  and  the  two 
battles  at  Franklin,  the  sceond  of  these  two  bat- 
tles being  one  of  the  the  hardest-fought  engage- 
ments in  the  Civil  War.  It  was  here  that  Up- 
dike's brigade  advanced  on  the  rebels  and  re- 
covered from  them  the  Federal  works   which 


had  been  captured  during  the  day,  and,  holding 
this  position  until  after  dark,  it  thus  gave  the 
Union  troops  an  opportunity  to  retreat.  Im- 
mediately after  the  charge,  Mr.  Peter  and  a 
party  of  fifty  others  who  had  volunteered  to 
haul  some  cannon  from  the  field,  were  return- 
ing in  the  night  to  their  regiment,  but,  moving 
too  far  to  the  front,  marched  directly  into  the 
rebel  ranks  when  they  were  taken  prisoners. 
They  were  marched  to  Corinth,  Miss.,  and  from 
there  taken  by  train  to  Meridian,  where  they 
were  held  one  month  in  the  stockade  prison, 
and  then  removed  to  Andersonville.  When 
captured  Mr.  Peter  was  robbed  of  his  blanket 
and  hat,  but  had  $100  secreted  in  the  linings 
of  his  vest  and  trousers,  which  he  still  had 
when  he  entered  Andersonville  prison.  The 
famous  stockade  prison  at  Andersonville  con- 
tained twenty  acres  of  land  surrounded  by  pine 
logs  piled  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  feet  high. 
There  was  no  protection  from  the  rain  and  sun, 
but  Mr.  Peter  and  four  other  Union  soldiers 
made  a  shelter  with  a  few  scraps  of  rubber 
blankets  by  digging  into  the  side  of  a  bank. 
The  food  ration  for  each  prisoner  was  a  pint 
of  corn  meal,  ground  with  the  cob  of  the  corn 
included,  issued  daily  with  occasionally  a  piece 
of  pork  or  beef.  This  food  was  cooked  in  a 
frying  pan,  and  every  twenty  days  some  of  the 
prisoners  were  taken  out  to  bring  in  a  supply 
of  fuel,  which  was  carried  over  a  mile  on  their 
backs.  There  were  about  35,000  prisoners  in 
the  stockade,  and  the  death  rate,  although 
enormous,  was  much  less  than  it  would  have 
been  had  not  a  famous  spring,  which  was  lo- 
cated near  the  "dead  line"  of  the  stockade, 
broken  out  after  a  heavy  rain  during  the  pre- 
ceding summer,  and  the  rebels  arranged  it  so 
that  the  prisoners  could  use  the  water,  other- 
wise many  more  would  have  perished.  The 
suffering  in  the  prison  was  terrible,  many  be- 
came both  mentally  and  physicially  wrecked  as 
a  result  of  their  hardships  and  privations,  but 
Mr.  Peter  and  all  of  his  party  came  through 
their  imprisonment  in  good  condition.  The 
fact  that  their  imprisonment  was  in  the  win- 
ter season,  assisted  greatly  in  lessening  the 
fatalities  from  disease,  and  the  money  Mr. 
Peter  had  managed  to  secrete  in  his  clothing 
saved  many  of  their  lives,  as  otherwise  they 
might  have  starved  to  death  had  they  been 
compelled  to  live  on  only  prison  rations.  Mr. 
Peter  was  finally  paroled  and  sent  to   Vicks- 


938 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


burg,  where  he  arrived  just  after  the  surrender 
of  General  Lee.  After  returning  home  from 
the  army  he  engaged  in  farming  on  the  home 
farm  which  his  brother  David  had  bought. 
Two  years  later  he  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business  at  Caledonia,  Boone  County,  111.,  and 
the  following  year  (1869)  moved  his  stock  of 
goods  to  Algonquin,  where  he  nas  since  con- 
ducted a  prosperous  business.  In  Chicago, 
Dec.  31,  1871,  he  married  Lida  M.  Helm,  born 
in  Wheeling,  Cook  County,  111.,  Jan.  15,  1848, 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Tuthill)  Helm. 
They  are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Ed- 
ward C,  Willis  T.  and  Grace  H.  In  politics 
Mr.  Peter  is  a  Republican,  has  held  the  office 
of  President  of  the  Village  Board,  and  has 
served  as  School  Treasurer  for  sixteen  years. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  the  Masonic  Order  at 
Dundee,  and  of  the  Nunda  Post  G.  A.  R.  He 
is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Algonquin, 
well  known  for  his  upright  character  and 
sterling  qualities.  He  was  a  brave  and  active 
soldier  and  participated  in  many  battles,  but 
escaped  without  receiving  a  wound,  and  with 
all  of  the  hardships  he  endured,  returned  from 
the  army  as  sound  as  when  he  entered  the 
service. 


JOHN    T.    PETTI  BONE. 

John  T.  Pettibone,  an  early  citizen  and  re- 
tired farmer  of  Hebron  Township,  McHenry 
County,  is  of  English  Puritan  ancestry,  who 
came  to  Connecticut  in  colonial  days.  His 
great-grandfather,  Jonathan  Pettibone,  was 
born  and  reared  in  Connecticut  and,  in  1768. 
moved  to  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  where  he 
cleared  up  a  farm  from  the  forest.  Of  his 
children,  Amos,  Philo  and  three  daughters  are 
remembered.  Jonathan  Pettibone  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety-two  years.  His  son  Amos  was 
born  about  1761,  in  Goshen,  Litchfield  County, 
Conn.,  and  went  with  his  parents  to  Massachu- 
setts when  seven  years  old,  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  enlisting  at 
seventeen  years  of  age,  and  besides  a 
number  of  skirmishes,  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  which  resulted 
in  the  defeat  of  the  British  General  Bur- 
goyne.  He  served  under  Colonel  Brown, 
who  was  killed  in  the  battle  just  re- 
ferred to.     After  returning  home,  he  engaged 


in  farming  and  married  Sar.ah  Barker,  who  was 
born  in  Providence,  R.  I.  They  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Berkshire  County  adjoining  that  of  his 
father,  living  there  until  his  death  at  the  age 
of  eighty-seven  years.  The  children  of  this 
family  were:  Mary,  Sallie,  Lucretia,  Minerva, 
Daniel  and  John.  Mr.  Pettibone,  the  father, 
was  an  industrious  and  much  respected  citizen, 
was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church  and  a 
corporal  in  the  old  Massachusetts  State  militia. 
Daniel  Pettibone,  son  of  the  preceding,  and 
father  of  John  T.,  was  born  in  Berkshire 
County,  Mass.,  Oct.  3,  1797,  and  was  reared  as 
a  fa'rmer,  meanwhile  receiving  a  common- 
school  education.  February  29,  1822,  he  was 
married  in  Berkshire  County,  to  Lydia  Lincoln, 
who  was  born  Sept.  29,  1799,  the  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Sarah  (Northrop)  Lincoln. 
Jonathan  Lincoln  was  a  carpenter  of  Berkshire 
County,  and  of  old  New  England  Colony  stock. 
After  marriage  Daniel  Pettibone  and  wife  set- 
tled on  the  old  home  farm,  where  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Their  children, 
with  the  dates  of  their  birth,  were  as  follows: 
John  T.,  Dec.  3,  1822;  Lewis  A.,  Dec.  16,  1823; 
Amos  A.,  March  31,  1825;  Sarah  H.,  June  20, 
1826;  Franklin  J.,  Jan.  14,  1828;  Harvey  J., 
Aug.  3,  1829;  Francis  A.,  April  11,  1831; 
Charles  T.,  April  8,- 1834;  Bishop  B.,  Feb.  8, 
1836;  Sarah  D.,  April  16,  1838;  Cecil  C,  Nov.  6, 
1839.  Daniel  Pettibone  was  one  of  the  Select- 
men of  his  town,  and  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  which  he  was  a  deacon  for  many 
years  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  his  farm,  Dec.  26,  1848. 

John  T.  Pettibone,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  at  the  Pettibone  home- 
stead in  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  was  brought  up 
a  farmer.  At  twenty-five  years  of  age  he  was 
married  in  Lanesboro  Township,  of  his  native 
county,  on.  Feb.  29,  1848,  to  Elvira  E.  Spar- 
hawk,  an  orphan,  the  names  of  whose  parents 
are  unknown.  She  was  born  in  Lebanon,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  25,  1826.  Their  children  were:  Sarah  F, 
born  in  Lanesboro  Township,  Berkshire  Coun- 
ty, Mass.,  Aug.  9,  1849;  George  F.,  born  June 
11,  1851,  and  Ida  E.,  born  May  21,  1855.  Im- 
mediately after  his  marriage  Mr.  Pettibone 
emigrated  to  Lewis  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  for  a  year,  then  returned 
to  the  old  homestead  in  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.,  where  he  remained  until  1865.     During 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


939 


the  latter  year  he  moved  to  Fox  Lake,  Dodge 
County,  Wis.,  settling  on  an  improved  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
when  (in  1867)  he  removed  to  Algonquin 
Township,  McHenry  County,  111.  Here  he 
bought  120  acres  of  improved  land  upon  which 
he  lived  until  1877.  Mrs.  Pettibone  died  March 
30,  1874,  aged  forty-seven  years.  December  1, 
1875,  Mr.  Pettibone  was  married  in  Aurora, 
111.,  to  Mrs.  Minerva  L.  Fish,  who  was  born 
in  Lanesboro  Township,  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.,  Jan.  27,  1821.  A  year  after  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pettibone  removed  to  Rock- 
ford,  111.,  where  they  spent  one  year,  when,  in 
the  spring  of  1878,  they  returned  to  McHenry 
County,  locating  in  Hebron  Township,  where 
Mrs.  Pettibone  had  100  acres  of  improved  land, 
upon  which  they  settled.  After  remaining 
there  ten  years,  deciding  to  retire  from  farm 
life,  they  removed  to  the  village  of  Hebron, 
where  they  bought  a  pleasant  home  and  where 
they  now  reside.  They  have  since  erected 
there  the  building  in  which  the  postoffice  and 
a  drug-store  are  now  located.  Mrs.  Pettibone 
is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  with  which 
she  united  at  eighteen  years  of  age  in  her  na- 
tive county  of  Berkshire,  Mass.,  and  of  which, 
during  her  long  life,  she  has  been  a  liberal 
supporter,  assisting  to  build  up  the  church  at 
Hebron.  In  politics  Mr.  Pettibone  is  a  Jack- 
sonian  Democrat.  In  his  native  county  in 
Massachusetts  he  held  the  office  of  Assessor 
seven  years,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Selectmen  three  years.  He  has  maintained 
a  high  reputation  in  the  community  for  integ- 
rity and  good  judgment,  has  been  prosperous 
in  business  and  has  liberally  assisted  his  chil-. 
dren. 

Mrs.  Pettibone  is  a  daughter  of  William 
Cole,  who  was  a  native  of  New  Ashford,  Berk- 
shire County,  Mass.,  born  Aug.  30,  1793,  the 
son  of  James  and  Alsa  (Haskins)  Cole.  The 
Cole  family  were  old  English  and  Rhode  Island 
stock.  James  Cole  moved  from  Rehoboth, 
R.  I.,  to  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  where,  like 
the  Pettibones,  he  cleared  up  a  farm  in  the 
forest.  He  first  settled  in  the  Berkshire  Hills, 
but  later  removed  to  Cheshire  Township,  where 
he  opened  up  a  farm  in  the  valley  on  which  he 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  While  a 
young  man  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  and  during  a  battle  in  which 
he  was  engaged  narrowly  escaped  death  from 


a  bullet  which  passed  through  his  hat.  He 
was  with  Washington  at  Valley  Forge.  In  re- 
ligion he  was  a  Baptist,  and  was  a  substantial 
farmer  for  his  day.  He  died  Dec.  21,  1829, 
aged  seventy-four  years,  and  his  wife,  Dec.  22, 
1831,  aged  seventy-three  years  and  nine 
months.  The  children  of  James  and  Alsa  Cole, 
with  dates  of  birth,  were:  James,  Feb.  8, 
1783;  Cyrel,  July  1,  1784;  Lepha,  June  20,  1786; 
Nancy,  Oct.  7,  1788;  Huldah,  June  5,  1791;  Wil- 
liam,' Aug.  30,  1793;  Alsa,  May  6,  1796,  and 
Olive,  Sept.  27,  1798. 

William  Cole  of  this  family,  who  was  the 
father  of  Mrs.  Pettibone,  was  reared  a  farmer 
and  married  Lucy  M.  Green,  born  at  Lanesboro, 
Mass.,  Feb.  8,  1799,  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Olive  (Slade)  Green.  The  Green  family  were 
of  old  Rhode  Island  stock,  like  Gen.  Nathaniel 
Greene  of  Revolutionary  fame.  James  Green's 
father,  Jeremiah,  was  from  Rehoboth,  R.  I.,  and 
settled  at  an  early  day  in  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.  The  children  of  James  Green  were: 
Lucy,  Betsy,  Amey  and  Fannie.  James  Green 
died  at  Lanesboro,  Mass.,  aged  seventy  years. 
Mr.  Cole  removed  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  in 
May,  1862,  and  settled  on  the  farm  in  Hebron 
Township,  now  owned  by  George  W.  Conn,  it 
consisted  of  280  acres  with  five  acres  of  wood- 
land. This  land  he  bought  in  partnership  with 
his  daughter,  then  Mrs.  Fish  but  now  Mrs. 
Pettibone,  who  had  come  to  McHenry  County 
with  her  parents.  William  Cole  died  in  Aurora, 
111.,  Sept.  13,  1872,  and  his  wife  Lucy,  on  Jan. 
1,  1879.  In  politics  Mr.  Cole  was  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat  and  in  religious  belief  a  Baptist — in 
character  an  upright  and  respectable  citizen. 
Their  children  were:  William  Edwin,  Lucy 
M.,  James  M.,  Ellen  A.  and  Frances  E. 

Mrs.  Pettibone  was  reared  in  Cheshire,  Berk- 
shire County,  Mass.,  and  was  married  Dec.  20, 
1840,  at  New  Lebanon,  N.  Y.,  to  George  Fish, 
born  in  Cheshire,  Mass.,  Nov.  20,  1819.  He 
was  ,a  farmer  and  owned  a  farm  which  he  had 
inherited  from  his  father,  Allen  Fish,  and  upon 
which  he  settled  after  marriage.  George  Fish, 
who  was  a  Baptist,  died  in  Cheshire,  Mass., 
Oct.  15,  1844.  His  children  were:  Nelson  L., 
George  Edwin,  William  Henry  and  Herbert  A. 
Mrs.  Fish,  now  Mrs.  Pettibone,  moved  to  Rock- 
ford,  111.,  in  1870,  and  lived  there  until  she 
moved  to  Hebron  village  in  1877. 


9-10 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


CHARLES    C.    PINGRY. 

As  one  decade  succeeds  another,  the  pioneers 
of  the  Great  Central  West  are,  one  by  one, 
passing  beyond  the  realm  of  speculation  into 
the  land  which,  while  called  "unknown," 
might  more  aptly  be  termed  the  land  of  cer- 
tainties, since  the  veil  that  covers  the  spiritual 
sight  is  first  lifted  at  the  door  of  the  tomb. 
It  is,  therefore,  most  desirable  that  the  record 
of  their  trials  and  their  joys,  their  triumphs 
and  their  defeats,  should  be  preserved  alike  for 
the  instruction  and  the  benefit  of  posterity. 
Among  the  early  settlers  of  Algonquin  Town- 
ship was  the  distinguished  citizen  of  Nunda, 
whose  career  forms  the  subject  of  this  neces- 
sarily imperfect  biographical  sketch. 

Charles  C.  Pingry  belongs  to  the  seventh 
generation  in  direct  lineal  descent,  from  the 
first  American  progenitors  of  that  branch  of 
the  family  to  which  he  belongs.  There  were 
two  brothers  of  excellent  family  and  sterling 
worth,  who  came  from  "Old  England"  more 
than  a  century  before  the  inception  of  the 
struggle  of  the  colonies  against  the  Crown. 
Originally  the  name  was  spelled  Pengry,  and 
not  until  within  the  last  three  generations  was 
the  orthography  changed  to  its  present  form. 
Descendants  of  these  brothers  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  New  Hampshire  and,  com- 
ing down  in  the  family  history  to  the  middle 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  historian  finds 
Aquila  Pengry,  the  grandfather  of  Charles  C. 
a  prosperous  owner  of  a  cloth  mill — whose  mo- 
tive power  was  a  water-wheel — in  the  town  of 
Danbury,  in  that  State.  Being  commissioned 
a  Captain  in  the  State  Militia,  he  was  com- 
monly accosted  by  the  title  to  which  his  mili- 
tary rank  entitled  him.  He  was  the  father  of 
True  Pingry,  and  he  in  turn,  was  the  father  of 
Charles  C. 

True  Pingry  was  born  Dec.  9,  1798,  on  the 
paternal  farm  in  Danbury,  and  there  grew  to 
manhood.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable 
mechanical  skill  and  was  both  carpenter  and 
cooper,  as  well  as  an  intelligent  and  in- 
dustrious farmer.  He  married  Hannah,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Favor,  of  the  same  town, 
born  June  3,  1797,  and  was  the  father  of  four 
sons  and  a  daughter:  Charles,  William,  John 
F.,  George  and  Hannah.  He  was  in  politics  an 
old-line  Whig,  and  both  he  and  his  w^fe  were 
members  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  church.  He 
was  a  well-educated  man,  for  his  time,  and  for 


several  years  was  a  successful  teacher.  About 
1832  he  removed  to  Western  New  York,  where 
he  pre-empted  and  cleared  a  farm  on  an  Indian 
reservation  in  Erie  County,  sixteen  miles  from 
Buffalo,  whence,  in  the  fall  of  1837,  he  came  to 
McHenry  County,  111.  On  reaching  that  then 
thinly  settled  region,  he  located  a  claim  on  a 
tract  of  160  acres  of  Government  land  two 
miles  east  of  the  present  village  of  Nunda,  the 
title  to  which  he  subsequently  perfected.  On 
this  trip  he  was  accompanied  by  his  son  Wil- 
liam, with  whose  aid  he  built  a  typical  log 
cabin  with  "chinked"  walls  and  huge  open 
fire-place.  After  spending  the  winter  here,  he 
returned  east  in  the  following  spring,  to  bring 
out  hie  family.  The  journey  was  begun  in  May, 
1838,  consuming  six  weeks.  A  wagon  and  two 
horses  were  the  method  of  conveyance,  the 
travelers  halting  at  night  by  the  wayside, 
when  the  wagon  was  surrendered  to  the  female 
members  of  the  party,  the  men  and  boys  camp- 
ing on  the  prairie  grass.  Mr.  Pingry  proved  a 
successful  and  prosperous  farmer,  and  died 
honored  and  beloved  by  those  living  around 
him,  who  shared  with  him  the  privations  and 
the  pleasures  of  life  in  the  West  in  those  early 
days. 

Charles  C.  Pingry,  his  eldest  son,  with  whose 
life  history  this  narrative  has  more  par- 
ticularly to  do,  was  born  at  Danbury,  N.  H., 
Sept.  7,  1818.  He  was  but  a  boy  when  his 
father  removed  from  New  Hampshire  to  Erie 
County,  N.  Y.,  yet,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  he 
is  able  to  recall  the  ride  by  wagon  to  White- 
hall, N.  Y.,  and  the  trip  through  the  Erie  Canal, 
with  its  perpetual  recurring  wonders.  The 
journey  from  New  York  to  Illinois  was  even 
more  full  of  adventure  and  interest,  the  route 
crossing  Ohio  and  Northern  Indiana,  passing 
through  Chicago — then  little  more  than  a 
straggling  hamlet — and  thence  following  the  old 
stage-road  to  Algonquin.  His  first  teacher  was 
his  father,  in  whose  New  Hampshire  school 
he  was  a  pupil,  and  for  a  time  he  attended  the 
district  schools  of  Erie  County,  N.  Y.  He  was 
early  inured  to  toil  and,  with  resolute  spirit, 
aided  his  father  in  bringing  the  unbroken  soil 
of  the  prairies  into  subjection.  In  his  twenty- 
eighth  year — on  Thursday,  April  28,  1845 — he 
was  married  to  Eunice  Johnson,  who  was  born 
at  Concord,  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  June  3,  1825, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Thurston) 
Johnson. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


941 


Thomas  Johnson  was  of  English  descent,  and 
born  in  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y.  He  was  a 
man  of  substantial  character  owning  a  small 
woolen  mill  in  addition  to  ,a  large  well  im- 
proved farm.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  born  in  Rhode 
Island,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  were 
Free-Will  Baptists.  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  "the  forties,"  and,  after  making  a  pur- 
chase of  land,  returned  to  New  York.  He  was 
twice  married,  the  children  of  the  first  union 
being  six  sons  and  seven  daughters:  Ambrose, 
Martha,  Mary,  Sylvia,  Calvin,  Eunice,  Adeline, 
Jane,  Christopher,  Alfred,  Addison,  Josephine 
and  Hiram.  His  first  wife  died  in  1840  and 
his  second  wife  bore  him  three  children. 

Mrs.  Charles  C.  Pingry  (nee  Eunice  John- 
son) was  for  many  years  a  school  teacher,  her 
first  experience  being  acquired  as  a  girl  of  fif- 
teen years,  at  Ellicottville,  N.  Y.  About  1841 
she  came  west  with  her  sister  Mary  and  the 
latter's  husband,  Sumner  Pratt.  The  Pratts 
first  settled  in  Lapeer  County,  Mich.,  and  Miss 
Johnson  filled  for  three  terms  the  post  of 
pedagogue  in  the  school  at  Lapeer  Village.  In 
1842  she  accompanied  her  brother-in-law  and 
his  family  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  she 
still  pursued  her  chosen  vocation.  For  a  year 
she  was  a  teacher  in  a  school  four  miles  south 
of  McHenry,  and  afterwards  taught  in  both 
McHenry  and  Nunda  Townships.  She  was 
famed  throughout  the  country  side  for  her 
knowledge  of  orthography,  and  in  the  spelling 
contests  with  which  the  farmer-folk  of  forty 
years  ago  were  wont  to  beguile  the  long 
tedious  winter  evenings,  she  was  usually  to  the 
fore  as  "head  of  the  class.' 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pingry 
settled  upon  a  farm  of  160  acres  of  Govern- 
ment land,  the  deed  to  the  same  bearing  the 
signature  of  President  James  K.  Polk.  Their 
first  home  was  of  the  rude  sort  common  to 
the  West  in  those  days.  The  husband  with  his 
own  hands  hewed  tbe  rough  logs  of  which  it 
was  constructed.  The  fire-place  was  of  the 
capacious  old-fashioned  pattern,  and  the  chim 
ney  of  sticks  and  clay-mortar,  instead  of  stone 
or  brick.  Above  the  living  rooms  was  a  loft, 
reached  by  a  ladder  in  lieu  of  stairs.  The  fire- 
place took  the  place  of  range  and  heater,  and 
the  fire  was  usually  built  with  a  "back-log," 
large  and  heavy  enough  to  call  for  the  united 
energies  of  two  men  to  put  it  in  place.  This 
was  a  typical  Western  home    of    the    period. 


Neither  bride  nor  groom  supposed  for  a 
moment  that  any  self-sacrifice  was  needed  to 
be  content  therein;  and  from  these  log  cabins 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley  have  come  many  of 
the  men  who  have  written  their  name  across 
the  page  of  the  Nation's  history  and  left  a 
lasting  impress  upon  the  world.  Toil  and  in- 
dustry on  the  part  of  the  husband,  no  less  than 
care  and  frugality  on  that  of  the  wife,  were 
the  rule  rather  than  the  exception,  while 
mutual  love  and  confidence  rendered  self-de- 
nial easy.  Little  by  little  Mr.  Pingry  has 
added  to  his  holdings.  At  one  time  his  farm 
embraced  430  acres,  but  sales  have  reduced  its 
area  to  380  acres. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pingry,  seven  children  have 
been  born,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
Those  who  grew  to  maturity,  were:  Ellen, 
Mary,  Sumner,  Frank  and  John  who  died  Feb. 
16,  1902.  Mr.  Pingry  is  a  Universalist  and  his 
wife  a  Methodist,  yet  differences  in  religious 
faith  have  never  militated  against  marital  af- 
fection. Mr.  Pingry  is  tolerant  of  all  faiths, 
just  as  his  broad  and  enlightened  charity 
renders  him  liberal  toward  the  faults  and 
frailties  of  all  his  fellow-men.  The  love  of 
human  liberty — alike  of  action  and  thought — 
has  been  one  of  the  controlling  impulses  of 
his  life.  An  opponent  of  human  slavery,  he 
supported  Fremont  in  1856  and  Lincoln  in 
1860.  A  foe  to  man's  servitude  to  alcohol  and 
realizing  the  desolation  wrought  in  millions 
of  American  homes  by  the  liquor  habit,  he 
allied  himself  with  the  Prohibition  Party  in  the 
early  days  of  its  organization,  but  In  1896,  be- 
lieving that  the  Chicago  platform  promised  the 
greatest  good  for  the  country  at  large,  he  sup- 
ported Bryan  for  the  Presidency. 

Reference  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Pingry's 
success  as  a  farmer.  One  or  two  important 
business  ventures  of  his,  however,  should  not 
be  overlooked.  During  the  Civil  War  he 
bought  the  Algonquin  Hotel,  which  he  con- 
ducted chiefly  in  person  for  twenty-two  years. 
In  1889,  when  taking  up  his  residence  in 
Nunda,  he  opened  the  "Pingry  Hotel"  and  this 
he  operated  until  1900,  when  he  retired. 

A  condensed  genealogical  summary  of  the 
Pingry  family  may  be  of  interest  in  this  con- 
nection. Moses  and  Aaron  Pingry  came  as 
Puritan  emigrants  from  London  to  Ipswich, 
Mass.,  in  1640  or  1641.  From  the  will  of  Aaron, 
probated  in  1696,  it  would  appear  that  he  died 


942 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


without  issue.  Moses  Pengry  (as  the  family 
surname  was  then  spelled)  married  Abigail,  a 
daughter  of  Robert  Clement,  who,  according  to 
Savage,  came  from  London  to  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  as  early  as  1642,  accompanied  by  a  large 
family.  The  town  records  of  Ipswich  show  that 
in  1647  Moses  Pingry  was  a  commoner,  and  that 
three  years  later  he  received  a  grant  of  forty 
acres  of  land.  That  he  was  a  man  of  sub- 
stance and  of  influence  is  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that,  in  1652  he  established  salt-works 
and,  in  1854,  was  chosen  ,a  Selectman.  He  also 
sat  as  a  Deputy  in  the  General  Court  in  1665. 
He  was  a  man  of  devoted  piety,  and  a  deacon 
in  the  First  Congregational  church  of  Ipswich. 
His  children  were:  Sarah,  Lydia,  Moses, 
Aaron,  John,  Thomas,  Mehitabel  ,and  Abigail. 
He  died  Jan.  2,  1696,  his  wife  having  died  Jan. 
16,  1676.  Tracing  down  the  line  of  descent  to 
Charles  Clinton,  we  follow  that  of  Aaron,  the 
son  of  Moses,  who  was  born  in  1652.  He  was 
the  husband  of  Anna  Richard,  of  Rowley, 
Mass.,  and  died  in  that  town  on  Sept.  14,  1714. 
His  widow  survived  him  until  Feb.  3,  1740, 
when  she  too  passed  away  at  the  ripe  old  age 
of  four  score  years.  His  children  were:  Aaron, 
born  in  1683;  Ann,  born  Feb.  8,  1685;  Joseph, 
born  Oct.  17,  1688,  and  Jane,  born  Jan.  24, 
1691.  Aaron  removed  to  Rowley  from  Ipswich 
with  his  parents  in  1696,  and  there  on  Dec.  17, 
1707,  he  married  Elizabeth  Pearson,  who  first 
saw  the  light  on  Aug.  5,  1685.  She  was  a 
grand-daughter  of  John  and  a  daughter  of 
Stephen  Pearson,  and  her  grandfather's  name 
is  remembered  through  New  England  as  being 
that  of  the  first  mechanic  in  America  to  estab- 
lish a  mill  for  the  weaving  of  cloth,  as  early  as 
1643.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Mary 
French.  An  uncle  of  Mrs.  Aaron  Pingry — John 
Pearson — served  under  Captain  Lothrop, 
against  the  Indians,  and  died  in  battle,  Aug.  25, 
1725.  She  died  May  10,  1746,  and  Aaron  sub- 
sequently married  Martha  Clement,  of  Middle- 
ton,  but  with  the  issue  of  that  union  this  nar- 
rative is  not  concerned.  To  Aaron  Pingry  and 
his  first  wife,  Elizabeth  Pearson,  were  born 
Lydia,  Oct.  5,  1709;  Stephen,  Jan.  22,  1712 
Rebecca,  April  22,  1714;  Mary,  March  19,  1717 
Ann,  March  7,  1719;  Sarah,  April  1,  1721,  and 
Martha. 

Stephen  Pingry,  the  second  child  and  eldest 
son,  married  Jane,  a  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
Jewett  of  Rowley.     After  her  death,  which  oc- 


curred May  7,  1752,  he  married  Anna  Jewett, 
their  nuptials  being  solemnized  Feb.  7,  1758. 
Her  parents  were  William  and  Hannah  Jewett. 
In  1784  Stephen  Pingry  removed  to  Fitchburg, 
where  he  died  ten  years  later.  The  children 
of  his  first  marriage  were:  Jane,  born  April 
16,  1757;  Stephen,  born  June  3,  1759;  Aquilla, 
born  July  30,  1761;  Nathaniel,  born  April  15, 
1763;  Jonathan,  born  April  17,  1765;  Joseph, 
born  July  2,  1767,  and  William,  born  March  15, 
1771.  The  men  of  the  family  were  famed  for 
their  great  strength  and  most  of  them  were 
long  lived. 

Stephen  (2),  the  eldest  son  of  this  family, 
was  a  man  of  tall  stature  and  deep  chest.  He 
served  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  in  his 
later  years  received  a  pension  on  account  of 
injuries  sustained  during  that  struggle.  He 
was  the  father  of  one  daughter  and  two  sons — 
Mary,  Aaron  and  Thomas — both  of  the  latter 
were  soldiers  of  the  Revolution.  The  father 
uied  at  Groton,  Mass.,  May  8,  1844.  Aquilla 
was  a  cloth-maker  and  was  celebrated  for  his 
skill  as  an  athlete.  He  was  a  man  of  kindly 
disposition  and  social  nature,  and  widely  popu- 
lar. He  was  a  Captain  in  the  State  militia 
and  Selectman  in  the  town  of  Salisbury  (now 
Franklin),  N.  H.,  where  he  located  after  his 
first  marriage.  He  died  in  1845,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four.  His  first  wife  was  Hannah  Mor- 
rill, whose  father  served  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution,  from  1776  to  1783.  His  wife  died 
July  7,  1792,  in  her  thirty-first  year,  having 
borne  her  husband  three  daughters — Hannah, 
born  Jan.  28,  1786;  Sarah,  born  March  28, 
1788,  and  Lydia,  born  Dec.  12,  1790.  On  Dec. 
10,  1797,  he  married  for  the  third  time,  his 
bride  being  Dolly  Page  of  Andover,  N.  H.  They 
removed  to  Danbury,  N.  H.,  where  both  died; 
she  in  1844  and  he  the  following  year.  Aquilla 
Pingry  was  the  grandfather  of  Charles  C.  Pin- 
gry, whose  father  was  of  the  issue  of  the  third 
marriage,  mention  of  whom  will  be  made  In  a 
succeeding  paragraph.  Nathaniel,  the  son  of 
Stephen,  and  brother  of  Stephen  and  Aquilla, 
enlisted  in  the  Army  of  the  Revolution  when 
a  lad  of  sixteen  years.  He  died  in  his  eighty- 
eighth  year.  Jonathan  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, but  removed  to  Vermont,  where  he  led 
the  life  of  a  farmer  and  accumulated  a  large 
property.  Joseph  and  William  were  both  born 
at  Rowley,  Mass.  The  latter  was  noted  for  his 
strength  and  skill  in  athletic  games.     Both  he 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


943 


and  his   brother  Aquilla  could   jump    six  feet 
from  the  ground. 

The  issue  of  the  third  marriage  of  Aquilla 
Pingry  (to  Dorothy  Page),  was  two  sons  and  a 
daughter.  The  eldest,  True,  was  born  Dec.  8, 
1798,  and  was  the  father  of  Charles  C.  Olgood, 
the  second  son,  was  born  Oct.  20,  1800,  and 
Mary,  the  only  daughter,  Aug.  28,  1802.  She 
was  the  mother  of  twelve  children  and  the 
grandmother  of   twenty-five   children. 


DR.  JOHN  W.  PRIMM. 

Dr.  Primm  belongs  to  one  of  the  oldest  fam- 
ilies in  Illinois.  Fifteen  years  before  the  first 
settler  in  McHenry  County  had  reared  his  rude 
cabin,  and  at  a  time  when  all  of  Central  and 
Northern  Illinois  was  a  primeval  wilderness, 
interspersed  with  virgin  prairies,  the  Primms 
had  settled  north  of  the  Sangamon  River.  The 
family  descends  from  sterling  Huguenot  stock, 
and  the  name,  which  was  originally  written 
"De-La-Prime,"  was  changed  in  spelling  during 
the  troublesome  times  of  the  persecution  of 
the  French  Huguenots,  when  the  founder  of 
the  American  branch  of  the  family,  a  French 
officer  who  had  renounced  the  Catholic  relig- 
ion and  became  a  Huguenot,  escaped  from 
France  into  England.  Two  of  his  sons,  Thomas 
and  Peter  Primm,  settled  in  Virginia  in  the 
early  days  of  that  colony.    , 

Thomas  Primm  (2),  the  great-grandfather  of 
Dr.  J.  W.,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  and  settled  in  Richmond,  Va.,  where  he 
became  a  man  of  substantial  property  and  the 
owner  of  slaves.  He  moved  with  his  family  to 
St.  Clair  County,  111.,  and  in  1801,  settled  in 
what  is  now  East  St.  Louis,  which  was  then  a 
French  village.  His  son,  Thomas  Primm  (3), 
was  born  in  Stafford  County,  Va..,  May  11,  1782, 
and  in  1801  moved  with  his  parents  to  Illinois. 
He  was  married  at  Whiteside  Station,  March 
22,  1807,  to  Elizabeth  Stalling's,  born  in  Wheel- 
ing, Va.,  Aug.  19,  1792,  being  less  than  fifteen 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  marriage.  Her 
parents  moved  to  St.  Clair  County,  settling  at 
Whiteside  Station  May  13,  1796.  Thomas 
Primm  (3)  and  wife,  during  their  residence 
in  St.  Clair  County,  became  the  parents  of  six 
living  children.  In  1820  they  removed  to  San- 
gamon County,  111.,  where  they  arrived  Oct.  8, 
and  here  three  more  children  were  born.     Mr. 


Primm  settled  four  miles  north  of  the  Sanga- 
mon River  and  fourteen  miles  northwest  of 
the  site  of  Springfield.  The  country  was  then 
entirely  uninhabited,  and  stretching  to  the  west 
and  north  was  a  vast  wilderness,  much  of  which 
had  been  but  little  explored.  Mr.  Primm  lo- 
cated a  claim  on  a  large  tract  of  land  and  af- 
terwards bought  1400  acres  of  the  United  States 
Government.  He  first  built  a  small  log  cabin 
and  a  few  years  later  a  good  hewed-log  house, 
which  in  later  years  was  weather-boarded,  and 
is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  the 
house  frame  still  being  in  the  hands  of  his  de- 
scendants. A  Mr.  Cline  and  his  family  moved 
to  Sangamon  County  with  the  Primms,  and 
these  were  the  only  white  families  in  that  re- 
gion for  several  years,  Mrs.  Primm  and  Mrs. 
Cline  being  the  first  white  women  to  settle 
north  of  the  Sangamon  River.  They  were  sur- 
rounded by  Indians,  and  one  winter  Thomas 
Primm  and  Mr.  Cline  saved  several  of  the  tribe 
from  starvation  by  giving  them  a  supply  of 
pork  and  corn.  At  the  time  of  an  Indian  up- 
rising several  of  the  older  members  of  the  tribe 
took  the  two  families  to  a  place  of  safety, 
where  they  kept  them  completely  isolated  and 
provided  with  food  until  peace  was  restored. 
Thomas  Primm  was  an  excellent  type  of  the 
pioneer,  having  been  born  and  reared  on  the 
extreme  western  frontier,  thus  becoming  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  high  state  of  civilization 
which  we  at  the  present  day  enjoy.  He  passed 
the  whole  of  his  life  in  a  new  country,  and,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  was  accident- 
ally killed  by  a  run-away  horse. 

William  Primm,  son  of  Thomas  (3)  and 
the  father  of  Dr.  J.  W.,  was  born  at  East 
St.  Louis,  1808.  He  received  but  little  school- 
ing, but  having  an  active  mind,  became  a  well- 
informed  man.  In  1829  he  was  married  in  San- 
gamon County  to  Maria  Canterberry,  born  in 
Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  in  1812,  the  daughter  of 
Asa  and  Margaret  (Hornback)  Canterberry. 
Asa  Canterberry  came  from  English  ancestry, 
but  was  born  in  Kentucky,  where  his  father 
was  a  pioneer  and  belonged  to  a  slave-holding 
family.  Asa  Canterberry  and  the  family  inher- 
ited one  hundred  slaves,  to  whom  they  volun- 
tarily gave  their  freedom.  About  1828  Mr.  Can- 
terberry removed  to  Sangamon  County,  111., 
where  he  bought  1000  acres  of  land  from  the 
United  States  Government,  which  he  convert- 


944 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ed  into  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  county,  and 
upon  which  he  lived  until  the  time  of  his  death 
at  seventy-three  years  of  age. 

William  Primm  inherited  150  acres  of  land 
from  his  father,  to  which  he  made  subsequent 
additions  until  he  owned  430  acres.  In  polit- 
ical opinion  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  and  an 
early  advocate  of  Republicanism.  He  was  well 
acquainted  with  President  Lincoln,  when,  as  a 
practicing  lawyer,  he  was  accustomed  to  visit 
at  Petersburg,  the  county-seat  of  Menard  Coun- 
ty, and  frequently  visited  the  Primm  home- 
stead. Mr.  Primm  supported  Lincoln  political- 
ly from  his  first  attempts  to  secure  a  public  of- 
fice until  he  gained  the  Presidential  chair;  and 
during  the  Civil  War,  especially  in  the  days 
when  the  "Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle"  were 
a  threatening  evil  in  many  localities,  it  was 
upon  men  like  Mr.  Primm  that  President  Lin- 
coln relied  to  keep  loyal  sentiment  alive.  Mr. 
Primm  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
in  which  he  was  an  elder  for  about  "thirty 
years.  To  him  and  his  wife  eight  children  were 
born:  Asa  C,  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  William 
H.,  Thomas  M.,  Isaac  H.,  John  W.  and  Car- 
lisle P.  Mr.  Primm  died  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-six years. 

Dr.  John  W.  Primm  was  born  Oct.  23,  1850, 
received  a  common  school  education  and  at- 
tended the  North  Sangamon  Academy.  In  1873 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine,  having  for  his 
preceptor  an  uncle,  Dr.  Thomas  Primm,  of 
Menard  County,  who  for  fifty  years  was  a  lead- 
ing physician  in  his  county  and  was  also  Presi- 
dent of  one  of  the  early  medical  colleges  of  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  Dr.  Primm  studied  with  his  uncle 
for  five  years,  meanwhile  acting  as  assistant 
in  the  doctor's  practice  and  also  conducting 
his  drug  store.  He  then  attended  the  Hahne- 
mann Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  graduating 
after  a  three  years'  course.  His  first  profes- 
sional work  was  in  Pittsfield,  Pike  County, 
where  he  remained  for  three  years,  afterwards 
locating  at  Hannibal,  Mo.  After  completing  a 
course  in  the  Homeopathic  Ophthalmic  Hos- 
pital and  College,  New  York  City,  he  located  at 
Huron,  S.  D.,  where  he  practiced  medicine  for 
six  years,  and  then,  in  1889,  removed  to  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  where  he  has  been  uniformly  suc- 
cessful in  his  practice  and  has  maintained  a 
'high  standard,  both  as  a  physician  and  as  a 
citizen.     The   doctor   has    accumulated   a   val- 


uable medical  library  and  is  an  occasional  con- 
tributor to  medical  periodicals.  He  is  a  mem- 
be  of  the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy, 
the  Missouri  State  Medical  Society  and  of  the 
Dakota  and  Illnois  State  Societies. 

The  Primms  have  always  been  patriotic,  hav- 
ing served  in  every  American  conflict  from  the 
Colonial  and  Revolutionary  wars  to  those  of 
the  present  generation.  William  Primm  had 
three  sons  who  served  in  the  Civil  War— Asa, 
William  and  Thomas — and  a  foster  son,  Kit  An- 
derson, who  was  Colonel  of  the  Tenth  Illinois 
Infantry.  William  enlisted  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fourteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving 
three  and  one-half  years,  part  of  the  time  as 
scout,  and  participating  in  many  battles. 
Thomas  was  only  seventeen  years  of  age  when 
tie  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-Eighth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  was  in  all  the  hard  fought  engage- 
ments of  his  regiment. 


PATTERSON  PRINGLE. 

Patterson  Pringle,  farmer  and  early  settler 
of  Marengo  Township,  McHenry  County,  was 
born  in  the  village  of  Dunze,  Berwickshire, 
Scotland,  the  son  of  John  and  Sidney  (Patter- 
son) Pringle.  John  Pringle,  the  father,  was 
born  in  the  village  of  Jedburgh,  Scotland,  Dec. 
22,  1780,  and  was  forester  on  the  extensive  es- 
tate of  General  Maitland,  having  charge  of  the 
hedges.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children:  Elizabeth,  John,  James,  Rob- 
ert, George,  Ann,  Margaret,  Jessie  and  two 
others  who  died  while  young.  Mr.  Pringle 
came  to  America  from  Glasgow,  Scotland,  by 
the  good  ship  "William  Tell,"  a  sailing  vessel, 
bringing  with  him  his  wife  and  four  children — 
Ann,  Margaret,  Jessie  and  Patterson — the  voy- 
age to  New  York  occupying  seven  weeks.  The 
older  daughter,  who  had  married  William  Hew- 
ett,  had  already  come  over  and  settled  in  Ken- 
tucky, as  had  also  the  sons,  Robert,  George 
and  John,  the  first  two  sons  finally  coming  to 
Illinois.  After  reaching  New  York,  John  Prin- 
gle and  family  went  on  immediately  to  Pitts- 
burg by  way  of  the  canal  and  railroad.  The 
sons  Robert  and  Patterson  here  bought  a  flat- 
boat,  upon  which  they  loaded  the  family  effects 
and  proceeded  down  the  Ohio  River.  This  was 
in  the  fall  of  the  year,  and  although  the 
river    was    low    and    the    young    men    were 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


without  boating  experience,  and  were  often 
stranded  on  sand-bars,  they  finally  reached 
their  destination  at  the  old  pioneer  town  of 
Maysville,  Ky.,  the  journey  of  450  miles  oc- 
cupying three  weeks.  Going  into  the  country 
thirty  miles  from  Maysville,  they  rented  a  farm 
upon  which  they  remained  three  years.  In  the 
fall  of  1842  they  came  to  Illinois  by  steamer 
by  way  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers, 
settling  in  the  vicinity  of  Galena.  Here  the 
sons  worked  for  some  time  in  the  lead  mines, 
but  in  1848  the  family  removed  to  McHenry 
County,  locating  in  Marengo  Township,  where 
the  sons  George  and  Patterson  had  bought  350 
acres  of  land.  The  land  purchased  by  George 
was  well  improved  and  is  still  occupied  by  his 
descendants.  That  selected  by  Patterson  had 
little  improvement  except  an  old  log  house. 
He  settled  here  in  1849  and,  by  industry  and 
frugal  management,  transformed  his  wild 
land  into  a  well  cultivated  farm  and  good 
home,  meanwhile  adding  to  his  holding  until 
he  is  now  the  owner  of  272  acres.  October  24, 
1849,  he  was  married  in  Ogle  County,  111.,  to 
Isabella  Donaldson,  who  was  born  within  eight 
miles  of  Toronto,  Province  of  Ontario,  Canada, 
March  28,  1829,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Is- 
abella (McDonald)  Donaldson.  Both  her  par. 
ents  were  natives  of  Scotland,  but  had  English 
blood  in  their  veins,  the  father  being  a  native 
of  Mindrum,  Scotland,  while  the  mother  belong- 
ed to  the  famous  Highland  Clan  of  McDonalds. 
They  were  married  in  Scotland,  but  after  liv- 
ing in  England  for  a  time,  in  1822  removed  to 
Canada,  settling  in  the  woods,  where  Mr.  Don- 
aldson cleared  up  a  farm.  Their  children  were: 
Walter,  James,  John,  Margaret,  William,  Isa- 
bella, Elizabeth,  Jane  and  Flora — all  born  in 
America,  except  Walter,  the  oldest,  who  was  a 
native  of  Scotland.  May  7,  1839,  William  Don- 
aldson and  family  left  their  Canadian  home 
for  Illinois,  arriving  at  Buffalo  Grove,  Ogle 
County,  May  24  following.  Mr.  Donaldson 
bought  a  claim  here,  finally  entering  a  half 
scetion  of  prairie  and  timber  land  at  the  Gov- 
ernment Land  Office.  This  land  he  improved, 
becoming  a  prosperous  and  well-to-do  farmer. 
This  land  is  still  occupied  by  his  descendants. 
Mr.  Donaldson  was  a  Scotch  Presbyterian  in 
religious  belief,  a  man  of  strong  character  and 
high  integrity.  He  died  on  his  farm  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years. 


After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patterson 
Pringle  settled  on  his  farm  in  Marengo  Town- 
ship, which  he  proceeded  to  improve,  erecting 
upon  it  substantial  buildings.  Here  their  chil- 
dren were  born  as  follows:  Isabella  Jane,  Aug. 
20,  1850:  Flora  Smith,  Jan.  22,  1853;  John  Don- 
aldson, Feb.  3,  1855;  William  Patterson,  Nov. 
17,  1856,  died  April  15,  1893,  aged  thirty-six 
years;  Mary  Ann,  Nov.  7,  1858;  Sarah  Stevens, 
June  30,  1860,  died  July  12,  1895;  Rachel  Eliz- 
abeth, Aug.  22,  1863,  died  a  married  woman, 
April  4,  1900,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years; 
Ethel  McDonald,  Sept.  19,  1871. 

Of  the  living  members  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prin- 
gle's  family,  Isabella  Jane  was  married  Nov. 
9,  1891,  to  Frank  M.  Elliott,  who  is  an  express 
messenger. 

Flora  Smith  married  Dec.  22,  1875,  Clinton  H. 
Pease,  who  is  a  farmer  in  Marengo,  and  they 
have  two  children — Bessie  and  Jessie. 

John  D.  is  a  farmer  living  near  the  home 
farm;  married  Nellie  O.  Watson,  May  31,  1881, 
and  they  have  had  children  named  Madge, 
two  sons  named  Hall  and  Patterson  (who  died 
in  infancy),  Gretchen,  Dorothy  and  Jeanette. 
His  wife  having  died  Nov.  17,  1897,  on  Jan.  18, 
1899,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Margaret  Liv- 
ingstone, a  widow  (nee  Swanson),  and  they 
have  one  daughter,  Margaret. 

Mary  Ann  married  Dec.  21,  1881,  Henry  W. 
Sears,  a  farmer  now  living  near  Belvidere,  111., 
and  they  have  had  children  named  Bertha  (de- 
ceased), Louie  and  George. 

Sarah  Stevens  married  Oct.  10,  1883,  Dr. 
George  L.  Boyington,  a  dentist  of  Marengo;  she 
is  now  deceased,  leaving  no  children. 

Rachael  E.  married  Dec.  22,  1886,  Dr.  W.  J. 
Casely;  she  is  deceased,  leaving  no  children. 

Ethel  McDonald  married  Nov.  29,  1897,  Daniel 
Echtermach,  who  is  a  rural  free-delivery  mail- 
carrier,  and  they  have  one  son,  Malcom  Gerald. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pringle  are  devout  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  has  been 
an  elder  for  nearly  fifty  years.  He  is  one  of 
the  small  group  of  pioneer  settlers  of  McHen- 
ry County  still  surviving,  and  during  his  resi- 
dence of  over  fifty  years,  has  maintained  a  rep- 
utation for  straight-forward  integrity  and  high 
moral  character.  The  beautiful  old  home  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pringle  is  appropriately 
called  "Woodlawn." 


946 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


GEORGE    E.    PARKS. 

George  E.  Parks,  of  Nunda,  111.,  belongs  to  a 
pioneer  family  of  McHenry  County,  who  were 
of  English  and  Massachusetts  colonial  descent. 
His  grandfather,  Abija  Parks,  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Middlesex  County,  Mass.,  and  married 
Mary  Ferguson,  who  bore  him  the  following 
named  children:  Jonathan  Hapgood,  Charles 
H.,  Samuel,  Nancy,  Sarah,  Ann  and  Hannah. 
Mr.  Parks  spent  his  life  upon  his  farm,  about 
twenty-five  miles  from  Boston,  where  he  died, 
aged  about  fifty-five  years.  He  was  a  Univer- 
salist in  religious  belief,  well-informed  and 
prominent  in  public  affairs,  being  in  early  life 
a  member  of  the  State  Legislature.  His  son 
Jonathan  Hapgood,  was  born  at  Ashburnham, 
Worcester  County,  July  6,  1802,  received  a  su- 
perior education  for  that  day,  and,  having  adop- 
ted the  life  of  a  farmer,  on  Feb.  12,  1829,  was 
married  in  Stowe  Township,  Middlesex  County, 
to  Almira  Elliott,  who  was  born  Nov.  13,  1806, 
the  daughter  of  Stephen  Elliott.  Her  father 
was  of  English  descent,  through  an  old  colonial 
family  of  Vermont,  while  his  daughter  was  a 
grand-niece  of  Gen.  Israel  Putnam  of  Revolu- 
tionary fame.  Two  cousins  of  Stephen  Elliott 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  one  on 
the  Patriot  and  the  other  on  the  British  side. 
They  met  on  the  day  of  the  battle  after  it  oc- 
curred and  one  said  to  the  other:  "We  gave  it 
to  you  rather  hot  this  forenoon;"  to  which  the 
other  responded:  "No  better  than  you  had  to' 
take."  Mr.  Elliott  conducted  a  farm  in  Stowe 
Township,  Middlesex  County,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  His  children 
were:  George  Alexander,  Almira,  Mary,  So- 
phia, Louisa,  and  another  daughter,  prob- 
ably named  Anna,  who  married  a  Mr.  Rice. 
Mr.  Elliott  was  a  member  of  the  Universalist 
church. 

Jonathan  H.  Parks  lived  on  a  farm  in  Stowe 
Township,  Middlesex  County,  Mass.,  until  1845, 
when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  where  he  arrived  Oct.  20,  1845, 
coming  by  the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  lakes  to  Chi- 
cago, the  journey  from  Lake  Champlain  occupy- 
ing twenty  days.  He  settled  in  McHenry 
Township,  three  mile's  west  of  the  Village  of 
McHenry,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of 
prairie  land.  Here  he  improved  a  farm,  built 
an  excellent  frame  house  and  increased  his 
real  estate  holdings  to  100  acres.    He  spent  the 


remainder  of  his  life  on  his  farm,  dying  there 
July  26,  1857.  He  was  an  industrious  and  rep- 
utable citizen,  in  politics  a  Democrat  and  in  re- 
ligious views  a  Universalist.  His  children 
were:  George  E.,  Martha,  Mary,  Sarah. 
Charles  and  Hannah. 

George  E.  Parks,  the  oldest  cnild  of  this  fam- 
ily, was  born  in  Stowe  Township,  Middlesex 
County,  Mass.,  June  25,  1830,  received  a  good 
education  in  the  New  England  schools,  and,  at 
fifteen  years  of  age  (1845),  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  McHenry  County.  Here  he  attended 
the  district  school  taught  by  Robert  Tuttle, 
some  of  his  schoolmates  being  John  and  Ber- 
nard Rockwood,  George  Harrison  and  Richard 
Thomas  Carr.  Mr.  Parks  was  reared  as  a  farm- 
er, and,  on  May  1,  1855,  was  married  in  Nunda 
Township  to  Charlotte  Kimball,  who  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Elgin.  Her  parents 
were  Sidney  A.  and  Martha  M.  (Kimball)  Kim- 
ball. The  Kimball  family  were  of  New  England 
colonial  stock,  this  branch  of  the  family  com- 
ing from  New  Hampshire.  Samuel  Kimball, 
who  was  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Parks,  was 
also  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  His  children 
were:  Jefferson,  Nancy,  Laura,  Polly,  Nathan- 
iel, Sidney,  Frank,  John,  Fayette,  George  and 
Jonathan,  all  born  in  New  Hampshire.  Samuel 
Kimball  came  to  Illinois  with  his  family  in 
1833,  making  the  journey  from  New  Hampshire 
overland  with  horses  and  wagons.  Another 
family  of  the  same  name  came  about  the  same 
time,  built  a  log  house  on  the  bank  of  Fox  Riv- 
er about  the  site  of  the  present  Waverly  House 
in  Elgin,  and  opened  there  the  first  tavern  in 
that  place.  Samuel  Kimball  and  family  set- 
tled three  miles  west  of  Elgin,  on  what  was 
called  Tyler  Creek,  and  they  were  the  first  set- 
tlers in  that  locality.  He  died  on  his  farm  there 
at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  quite  a  prominent 
citizen,  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  had  been  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  and  member  of  the  State  Legisla- 
ture in  New  Hampshire  before  coming  west. 

Sidney  A.  Kimball,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Parks, 
received  a  good  common  school  education,  came 
west  with  his  father's  family  while  still  a  sin- 
gle man,  and  became  a  teacher  in  Elgin.  Here 
he  married  Martha  M.  Kimball,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Betsy  (Flanders)  Kimball.  The 
children  of  Jonathan  Kimball  and  wife  were: 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


947 


Martha,  Charles,  Judith,  Lydia,  Russell  and  Lu- 
ther. Although  coming  to  McHenry  County 
from  the  same  State  and  about  the  same  time, 
the  respective  families  of  Jonathan  and  his 
wife,  Martha  Kimball,  were  not  closely  relat- 
ed. Jonathan  Kimball  died  in  Elgin  at  the  age 
of  about  sixty  years. 

After  marriage  Sidney  A.  Kimball  settled  on 
a  farm,  but  about  1846  moved  to  what  was 
known  as  the  Philip  Hoffman  farm,  a  few  years 
later  removing  to  another  farm  in  McHenry 
Township,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  at 
the  age  of  about  fifty-two  years.  He  and  his 
wife  were  Universalists  in  religious  belief. 
Their  children  were:  Charlotte  (now  Mrs, 
Parks),  born  May  22,  1836;  Alonzo,  born  Nov. 
17,  1837;  John  W.,  born  Aug.  1,  1840;  Julia, 
born  Sept.  19,  1842;  Jane,  born  Oct.  6,  1844; 
Ellen,  born  April  9,  1847;  David,  born  Sept.  3, 
1848;  Frank,  born  Aug.  30,  1849;  Edward,  born 
Nov.  10,  1851,  and  Walter  Scott,  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mrs.  Kimball  died  Nov.  14,  1850,  and 
Mr.  Kimball,  Dec.  17,  1874. 

When  Mrs.  Parks  was  a  child,  Elgin  was  a 
frontier  settlement,  and,  it  is  said  that  about 
the  time  of  her  birth,,  her  father  waded  Fox 
River  twice  to  secure  the  services  of  Dr.  Tifft, 
who  lived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  At 
that  time  the  woods  along  the  road  were  in- 
fested by  large  grey  timber  wolves,  and  it  was 
dangerous  to  be  exposed  to  their  attack  at 
night.  Mrs.  Parks  was  about  ten  years  of  age 
when  her  father  removed  to  McHenry  County, 
and  was  seventeen  at  the  time  of  her  marriage 
to  Mr.  Parks. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parksi  set- 
tled three  miles  west  of  the  old  Parks  home- 
stead, where  they  continued  to  reside  until 
1898.  Here  he  prospered  and  added  to  his 
property  until  he  was  the  owner  of  150  acres, 
on  which  he  had  erected  substantial  farm  build- 
ings. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parks  have  had  the  follow- 
ing named  children:  Libbie  C,  born  Dec.  28, 
1857;  Emma:  J-,  born  March  14,  1860;  Jonathan 
H.,  born  Oct.  26,  1862;  Etta  M.,  born  Feb.  26, 
1868,  and  Miner  M.,  born  June  3,  1871.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Parks'  children  are  all  well  educated  and 
are  residents  of  McHenry. 

In  politics  Mr.  Parks  is  a  Republican,  and 
cast  his  early  votes  for  President  in  support  of 
John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  and  liberal  sup- 


porters of  the  Universalist  church  at  McHenry. 
In  1899  Mr.  Parks  removed  to  Nunda,  where 
he  bought  residence  property  and  has  since 
resided,  enjoying  in  his  retirement  the  respect 
of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


EMIL    PFEIFFER. 

One  of  the  well-known  citizens  of  Wood- 
stock, McHenry  County,  and  the  head  of  a  rep- 
utable family,  is  Emil  Pfeiffer,  whose  name 
stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Pfeiffer 
is  a  native,  of  Cook  County,  111.,  where  his 
father  settled  in  the  early  '50s,  and  his  life 
has  been  spent  in  his  native  State. 

Lawrence  Pfeiffer,  the  father  of  Emil,  was 
born  in  1817,  in  Sundhausen  (or  Sundhofen),  in 
the  Province  of  Alsace,  then  in  France,  but  as 
the  result  of  the  Franco-German  war  of  1870, 
now  a  part  of  the  German  Empire.  His  parents 
were  farmers,  and  he  received  a  good  educa- 
tion in  his  native  country  in  both  French 
and  German.  He  was  married  in  his  native 
village  to  Mary  Stahl,  who  was  then  only  six- 
teen years  of  age,  and  who  was  born  in  the 
same  place.  Having  inherited  property  from 
their  respective  families,  they  settled  there. 
Mrs.  Pfeiffer's  parents  were  the  owners  of 
considerable  property.  In  1851  Lawrence 
Pfeiffer  emigrated  with  his  family  to  Amer- 
ica, arriving  in  New  York  whence  they  came 
directly  to  Cook  County,  111.,  where  he  bought 
160  acres  of  improved  land  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  village  of  Wheeling.  After  remaining 
there  three  years,  they  removed  to  Kankakee 
County,  where  Mr.  Pfeiffer  bought  an  im- 
proved farm  of  160  acres,  and  where  he  died, 
aged  about  sixty-one  years.  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  also 
died  in  Kankakee  County.  They  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children:  Mary,  Elizabeth, 
Lena,  Caroline,  Emil,  August,  Minnie  and  Em- 
ma. The  first  three  of  these  were  born  in 
Alsace,  and  the  others  in  Illinois — the  birth 
of  Emil  occurring  soon  after  the  arrival  of  his 
parents  in  Cook  County.  Of  the  other  child- 
ren, August  died  in  infancy;  Minnie  died  a 
married  woman,  and  Emma  while  still  young. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  were  Presbyterians  in 
religion,  and  politically  Mr.  Pfeiffer  was  a  Dem- 
ocrat. They  were  frugal  and  industrious  and 
reared  a  respectable  family. 
Emil   Pfeiffer   was   born   during  the  August 


948 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


following  the  arrival  of  his  parents  in  Cook 
County,  in  1851.  When  he  was  one  month  old, 
the  family  had  an  almost  tragic  experience  in 
consequence  of  a  cyclone  which  struck  the 
house  in  which  they  were  living,  while  the 
family  were  seated  at  the  supper-table  and 
the  infant  Emil  lying  in  his  cradle.  The  house 
was  lifted  from  its  foundation  and  twisted 
around  by  the  force  of  the  storm.  The  older 
members  of  the  family  escaped  uninjured, 
but  Emil  received  a  few  scratches. 

Emil  received  a  commpn-school  education, 
and,  at  sixteen  years  of  age,  began  to  learn 
the  blacksmith  trade,  working  at  Morris, 
Grundy  County,  three  years.  He  then  went 
to  Peoria,  where  he  worked  for  some  time 
in  one  of  the  plow-shops.  In  1870  he  came 
to  Chicago,  and  was  there  employed  for  some 
months  in  a  carriage  factory.  In  the  spring 
of  1871  he  removed  to  Woodstock,  where  he 
engaged  for  a  time  at  his  trade  as  a  black- 
smith, but  soon  took  up  farm  work.  On  June 
1,  1872,  he  was  married,  in  Queen  Ann  Prairie, 
McHenry  County,  to  Christina  Herdklotz,  who 
was  born  Jan.  18,  1852,  the  daughter  of  P.  J. 
Herdklotz.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  remained  on 
the  Herdklotz  homestead  and  for  eighteen 
years  he  worked  on  the  farm,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Woodstock  and  there  engaged  in 
dealing  in  horses  for  a  time.  In  1894  he  en- 
tered into  the  saloon  business  in  Woodstock 
in  company  with  Henry  Shay,  which  he  has 
since  continued,  his  partner  at  the  present 
time  being  Peter  Nester.  They  now  have 
the  largest  saloon  in  Woodstock,  which  is  con- 
ducted in  an  orderly  manner  and  in  compliance 
with  the  provisions  of  law  in  every  respect. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  are  members  of  the 
German  Presbyterian  church.  In  politics  he 
was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  during  the  last 
two  Presidential  campaigns,  he  has  acted  in  co- 
operation with  the  Democratic  party  on  nation- 
al issues.  While  upon  the  farm  he  filled  the 
offices  of  School  Director  and  Road  Commis- 
sioner for  a  time,  and  was  regarded  as  a 
prominent  and  public-spirited  citizen. 

In  1873  Mr.  Pfeiffer  bought  residence  prop- 
erty in  Woodstock  removing  to  that  place  in 
1887.  In  1891  he  erected  there  a  residence  in 
the  modern  style  of  architecture  and  with 
modern  conveniences,  where  he  now  enjoys  the 
comforts  of  a  pleasant  and  attractive  home. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  are  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Henry  Alvin, 
born  June  1,  1873;  Emma  Katherine,  born  Nov. 
30,  1887;  Raymond  Peter,  bom  Jan.  19,  1893. 

Mr.  Pfeiffer  is  a  man  of  straight-forward 
character,  and  has  always  maintained  the  rep- 
utation in  the  community  of  a  good  citizen. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pfeiffer  are  being 
well  educated. 


JEREMIAH    QUINLAN. 

Jeremiah  Quinlan  (deceased),  Woodstock, 
111.,  belonged  to  one  of  the  most  widely  known 
pioneer  families  of  McHenry  County,  having 
come  to  this  vicinity  with  his  widowed  mother, 
four  brothers  and  two  sisters  in  1837.  Mr. 
Quinlan  was  born  at  Clonakilty,  County  Cork, 
Ireland,  Aug.  20,  1821,  the  son  of  John  and 
Ellen  (Crowley)  Quinlan,  and  lived  to  be  one 
of  the  most  venerable  citizens  of  Woodstock, 
his  death  occurring  Feb.  1.  1902.  His  father. 
John  Quinlan,  was  a  native  of  County  Cork, 
grew  up  a  farmer  and  married  Ellen  Crowley, 
and  they  had  children  named  Catherine, 
Humphrey,  Cornelius,  John,  Dennis,  Jeremiah 
and  Ellen — the  last  two  twins.  The  family 
were  communicants  of  the  Catholic  church. 
The  father  died  in  Ireland  about  1823,  and  in 
1827  his  widow  came  to  America  bringing 
with  her  her  three  oldest  children.  The 
voyage  to  Quebec  was  made  in  a  sailing-vessel, 
occupying  nine  weeks  and  three  days.  From 
Quebec  the  family  went  to  Ottawa,  Canada 
West,  where  they  lived  several  years.  In  the 
meantime,  having  with  the  aid  of  her  children 
earned  money  to  enable  her  to  do  so,  Mrs. 
Quinlan  returned  to  Ireland  in  1829,  to  bring 
over  the  rest  of  her  family — being  unwilling 
to  trust  that  duty  to  any  one  else — the  return 
voyage  being  made  in  three  weeks  less  time 
than  her  first  voyage  of  two  years  earlier. 
Thus  this  indomitable  woman  made  three  trips 
across  the  Atlantic  in  a  slow,  cramped  sailing- 
vessel  without  the  comforts  and  conveniences 
to  be  found  on  the  great  ocean-liners  of  the 
present  day,  each  voyage  occupying  four  or 
five  times  as  long  as  that  now  considered 
necessary.  After  her  return  from  Ireland, 
the  family  remained  in  Canada  until  the  fall 
of  1833,  when  they  removed  to  Oswego,  N.  Y., 
and,  during  the  next  year,  the  sons  found  em- 
ployment on  the  canal,  then  in  course  of  con 


rt  LslJ  £  ^c*^ 


U.  QY^f^^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


949 


struction.  In  1837  they  removed  to  Chicago, 
and  have  ever  since  been  identified  with  Illi- 
nois history.  Mrs.  Quinlan  was  a  woman  of 
strong  Celtic  character,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  to  join  in  the  great  exodus  of  the  Irish 
people  which  began  about  1825.  She  lived 
to  the  extraordinary  age  of  one  hundred  and 
three  years. 

Jeremiah  Quinlan  was  between  eight  and 
nine  years  of  age  when,  on  his  mother's  second 
voyage  to  America,  he  was  brought  over  with 
the  younger  members  of  the  family.  After  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  New  York  he  at- 
tended school  at  Oswego  and  Port  Crane  on 
the  Chenango  Canal,  receiving  a  limited  com- 
mon-school education.  Having  determined  to 
come  west,  the  family  made  the  journey  in 
a  covered  wagon  from  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  to 
Buffalo,  where  they  took  passage  on  a  lake 
vessel,  the  "Commodore  Perry,"  to  Toledo. 
They  had  contemplated  settling  in  Ohio,  but 
having  changed  their  plans,  continued  their 
journey  from  Toledo  by  land  to  Chicago,  and, 
the  following  winter  (1837-8),  proceeded  to 
Dundee  with  a  view  to  establishing  a  perma- 
nent home.  Here  they  began  the  erection  of  a 
log-house  about  two  miles  from  Dundee,  on 
land  claimed  by  an  earlier  squatter,  but  a 
party  of  settlers,  making  common  cause  with 
the  original  claimant,  under  what  was  known 
as  the  "club-right  law,"  tore  'down  the  partly- 
built  cabin  and  summarily  dispossessed  them. 
This  was  during  a  period  when  some  extrava- 
gant claims  were  being  set  up  on  the  basis  of 
"squatters'  rights,"  in  which  the  claimants 
were  supported  by  combinations  of  the  early 
settlers  without  regard  to  any  existing  laws, 
either  State  or  National.  One  object  of  this 
combination  was  to  exact  from  new-comers 
payment  for  the  privilege  of  settling  on  Gov- 
ernment land,  to  which  the  claimant  had  no 
title  except  that  established  by  plowing  a  fur- 
row around  as  large  a  tract  as  an  ox-team 
could  be  driven  around  in  a  single  day.  About 
this  time  John  Quinlan,  the  third  son,  went 
with  John  Farrell,  to  Hartland  Township, 
where  he  bought  from  Alexander  Smith  a  claim 
for  a  half-section  on  which  a  log-cabin  had 
been  built  and  seven  acres  of  land  broken, 
paying  therefor  $200.  Here  the  family — all 
being  single  at  that  time — settled,  and,  as  they 
married  and  established  homes  for  themselves, 


finally  became  the  owners  of  about  1300  acres, 
constituting  a  compact  community  which  bore 
no  small  part  of  the  development  of  McHenry 
County.  Jeremiah  Quinlan,  still  in  his  "teens" 
at  this  time,  assisted  in  improving  the  new 
homestead  and  became  personally  acquainted 
with  many  of  the  early  pioneers  of  that  region 
— the  men  who  established  the  first  claims, 
plowed  the  first  furrows  and  built  the  first 
cabins,  laying  the  foundation  for  the  wealth 
and  prosperity  which  exists  here  today.  In 
this  manner  Mr.  Quinlan  acquired,  in  this  true 
school  of  nature,  a  practical  training  which 
has  since  served  him  so  valuable  a  purpose  in 
dealing  with  the  realities  of  life.  During 
this  period  he  spent  some  time  in  the  old 
Catholic  academy,  "St.  Mary's  of  the  Lake," 
in  Chicago,  and  in  1850  made  the  journey 
across  the  plains  to  California,  going  by  way 
of  Salt  Lake  City,  where  he  visited  the  orig- 
inal Mormon  temple,  and  heard  the  Mormon 
creed  expounded  by  one  of  the  followers  of 
Joseph  Smith.  After  spending  three  and  a  half 
years  mining  in  California,  Mr.  Quinlan  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  selling  horses,  traveling 
extensively  through  Missouri  and  the  West. 
He  finally  bought  240  acres  of  improved  land, 
and  his  brothers  and  sisters  having  married, 
his  mother  made  her  home  with  him.  At  first 
he  built  a  log-house,  which  he  afterwards  re- 
placed with  a  frame  dwelling. 

On  July  16,  1862,  Mr.  Quinlan  was  married 
to  Mary  Agnes  Scully,  who  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  Oct.  29,  1841,  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Duggan)  Scully.  Her  father,  who 
was  born  in  County  Cork,  Ireland;  in  1796, 
was  well  educated  for  his  day,  and  while  still 
a  young  man,  came  to  America,  his  family  re- 
maining in  London,  England,  their  place  of 
residence  at  that  time.  After  coming  to  New 
York,  he  was  employed  as  clerk  for  a  time 
by  the  firm  of  Ferris  &  Smith.  Having  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  Duggan,  in  New  York  City,  in 
1843  they  came  to  Illinois  by  way  of  the  lakes, 
arriving  in  Hartland  Township,  August  3.  Her© 
he  bought  forty  acres  of  land  upon  which  there 
was  a  log-house,  making  subsequent  additions 
until  he  was  the  owner  of  280  acres  of  un- 
improved lands,  which  he  bought  at  the  Gov- 
ernment price  or  a  small  advance.  Here  he 
erected  a  good  farm  house  and  became  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  of  his  township.     Mr. 


950 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Scully's  children  were:  Margaret,  Daniel, 
Mary  and  John,  all  of  whom  were  well  edu- 
cated. Daniel  received  a  liberal  education  in 
the  Academy  of  St.  Mary's  of  the  Lake  and  in 
the  Chicago  Law  School,  finally  becoming  one 
of  the  best  known  Justices  of  that  city.  He  is 
now  deceased.  John  M.,  another  son,  became 
a  prosperous  farmer  of  Hartland  Township, 
where  he  reared  a  large  family,  and  in  1891 
removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  still  lives.  John 
Scully,  Sr.,  and  wife  were  prominent  members 
of  the  Catholic  church  in  Hartland,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  founders.  He  died  Oct. 
2,  1875,  aged  about  eighty-four  years,  and  his 
wife  May  1,  1887,  having  reached  about  the 
same  age  as  her  husband. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Quin- 
lan  settled  on  his  home  farm,  where  they  re- 
mained until  May  22,  1895,  when  they  removed 
to  Woodstock,  which  has  since  been  their 
residence.  By  industry  and  good  business  man- 
agement, Mr.  Quinlan  became  one  of  the  suc- 
cessful citizens  of  Greenwood  Township,  where 
he  now  owns  544  acres  of  land.  Originally  a 
Democrat  in  political  opinions,  he  has  of  late 
years  been  a  supporter  of  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quinlan  had 
children  named:  Nellie,  John  (deceased),  Mary, 
Daniel,  Catherine,  Jeremiah,  Cecilia,  Lucy  and 
Alphonso.  In  religious  belief  his  family  follow 
the  faith  of  their  forefathers,  and  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  church.  Mr.  Quinlan  was 
an  excellent  example  of  the  Celtic  American 
pioneer.  He  retained  his  faculties  in  an  emi- 
nent degree  to  the  last,  and  to  his  retentive 
memory  the  seeker  after  facts  of  local  history 
of  the  present  day  is  indebted  for  many  inter- 
esting incidents  and  reminiscences  of  pioneer 
life  in  McHenry  County.  Since  the  above  was 
written,  Mr.  Quinlan  died,  Feb.  1,  1902. 


DANIEL  F.  QUINLAN. 


Daniel  F.  Quinlan,  real-estate  dealer,  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  among 
the  younger  business  men  of  his  home  city, 
and  a  leading  real-estate  operator  of  Northern 
Illinois.  Mr.  Quinlan  was  born  in  Greenwood 
Township,  McHenry  County,  111.,  Oct.  14,  1870, 
the  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Mary  A.  Quinlan,  and 
grew  up  among  the  healthful  environments  of 


the  home  farm,  where  he  was  trained  to  a  life 
of    industry,    beginning    work    upon   the    farm 
when   old   enough   to   hold   the  plow.     He   re- 
ceived  his   primary   education   in   the   district 
school,  and  later  attended  the  graded  and  high 
school  at  Woodstock.     He  then  read  law  for 
a  time  in  the  office  of  Judge  Donnelly,  prepar- 
atory to  engaging  in  the  real-estate  business, 
opening  the  first  office  in  this  line  in  Wood- 
stock or  McHenry  County.     In  order  to  equip 
himself  more  fully  for  his  new  pursuit  in  life, 
he  also  took  a  two  years'  course  in  the  Chi- 
cago College  of  Law.     He  found  strenuous  ef- 
fort necessary  in  the  first  year  or  two  after 
engaging  in  business,  but  by  close  application 
and   combining  perseverance  with  determined 
energy,  he  has  succeeded  in  building  up  a  large 
and  prosperous  trade.    He  has  thus  become  an 
extensive  trader  in  farming  lands,  as  well  as 
city  property  of  various  kinds,  and  now  carries 
on   a   large   business    in   this    line    throughout 
the  West.     During  the  past  year  his  sales  have 
amounted    in    the    aggregate    to    hundreds    of 
thousands   of   dollars.     Careful   and   conserva- 
tive in  his  methods  and  in  his  investigations 
in    reference    to    real-estate    matters,    he    has 
proved  himself  a  shrewd  and  quick  trader,  his 
natural   sagacity  enabling  him  to  see   clearly 
through  a  complicated     business     transaction. 
Having    been    born    and    reared    in    McHenry 
County,  he  is  intimately  acquainted  with  local 
conditions.     His  life  has  been  an  open  record 
and,  while  known  to  all,  he  has  always  main- 
tained   a   reputation   for   fair   dealing.     In   po- 
litical opinions  Mr.  Quinlan  is  a  strong  Repub- 
lican, and  socially  is  a  member  of  the  Hamilton 
Club  of  Chicago.     Personally  he  inherits  from 
Celtic  ancestry  that  resistless  energy  and  force 
of  character  which  has  placed  his  race  in  the 
front  rank  of  the  most  progressive  people  of 
the  earth.     Possessing  strong  independence  of 
character,    he    deservedly    ranks    among    the 
progressive  and  rising  young  business  men  of 
Northern  Illinois. 

Mr.  Quinlan  married  April  23,  1902,  at  Mont- 
pelier,  Ohio,  Mary  Grayce  Roberts,  who  was 
born  April  27,  1880,  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Abbie   (Parkhurst)   Roberts. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


951 


CHARLES   F.   RENICH. 

Charles  F.  Renich  is  the  popular  and  effi- 
cient Postmaster  of  Woodstock  and  one  of  the 
editors  and  proprietors  of  "The  Volksblatt" 
of  that  city.  His  parents  were  Frederick  and 
Catherine  (Stein)  Renich,  the  former  being 
a  native  of  the  Alpine  republic,  Switzerland, 
in  Europe.  Frederick  Renich's  parents  were 
also  natives  of  Switzerland,  his  father  being  a 
piano-maker  by  trade  and  a  resident  of  Berne 
for  many  years.  Their  children  were  Emil, 
Frederick  and  Edward.  The  senior  Mr.  Ren- 
ich, the  father  of  this  family,  came  to  America 
after  his  sons  had  settled  here,  and  reached 
Pittsburg,  Penn.,  but  was  never  heard  of  after. 
His  wife  died  in  Switzerland. 

Emil  Renich,  the  oldest  son,  received  a  uni- 
versity education  in  his  native  country,  came 
to  New  York,  and  in  1861  enlisted  for  the  Civil 
War  in  one  of  the  New  York  Volunteer  Regi- 
ments, served  through  the  war  and  was  mus- 
tered out  in  1865.  He  was  wounded,  taken 
prisoner  and  confined  in  the  celebrated  Libby 
prison  at  Richmond.  After  the  war  he  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  married  and  reared  a  fam- 
ily. During  some  eighteen  or  nineteen  years 
previous  to  his  death  he  was  in  Uncle  Sam's 
employ,  in  the  capacity  of  a  letter-carrier  at- 
tached to  the  Chicago  postoffice.  He  died  in 
1896. 

Frederick  Renich,  the  second  son,  was  born 
in  Berne,  Switzerland,  March  19,  1842.  Dur- 
ing his  boyhood  he  attended  the  Industrial 
School  in  Berne.  He  learned  the  trade  of 
confectioner  and  was  employed  as  such  in  dif- 
ferent, cities  of  Switzerland,  Germany  and  Den- 
mark, until  1864  when  he  embarked  for  this 
country  and  came  to  Chicago,  where  he  en- 
listed in  the  Ninth  Regiment  Illinois  Cavalry. 
In  April,  1865,  he  was  mustered  out  and  re- 
turned to  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  cigars.  August  26,  1866,  he 
was  married  to  Elizabeth  Stein,  of  Chicago. 
In  1867  he  removed  to  Woodstock,  where  he 
continued  the  manufacture  of  cigars.  After 
fourteen  months  of  wedded  life,  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth died,  Oct.  24,  1867,  in  Woodstock.  Sept. 
22,  1870,  he  married  Katherine  Stein,  a  sister 
of  his  former  wife,  and  a  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Magdelene   Stein. 

Mr.  iStein,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Renich,  was  a 


native  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  who  came 
to  Chicago  in  1835  and  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  and  a  pioneer  tavern-keeper  in  that 
city.  Mr.  Stein  held  the  office  of  Street  Com- 
missioner in  Chicago  at  an  early  date,  and  was 
one  of  the  eight  founders  of  the  St.  Paul's 
Evangelical  Society,  the  oldest  German  church 
society  in  Chicago.  This  society  now  occupies 
the  southwest  corner  of  Ohio  and  LaSalle 
Streets  with  a  splendid  church  edifice.  In  poli- 
tics he  was  a  Democrat  and  contemporaneous 
with  "Long"  John  Wentworth.  He  died  in 
Blue  Island,  Cook  County,  in  1882,  aged  sixty- 
six  years.  His  daughter  Catherine,  who  be- 
came Mrs.  Renich,  was  born  and  brought  up  in 
Chicago,  and  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  scenes 
and  incidents  connected  with  her  girlhood  life 
in  that  city.  Among  these  is  the  hearing  of 
both  Lincoln  and  Douglas  speak  from  the  bal- 
cony of  the  old  Tremont  House. 

After  a  career  of  some  twenty  years  as  a 
wholesale  tobacconist  and  manufacturer  of  ci- 
gars— during  which  time  he  employed  as  high 
as  twenty  men  at  one  time,  the  product  of 
his  factory  enjoying  an  enviable  reputation — 
Fred.  Renich  discontinued  the  manufacture  of 
cigars.  In  October,  1885,  he  became  the  editor 
and  proprietor  of  the  "McHenry  County  Volks- 
blatt," since  changed  to  the  name  "Das  Volks- 
blatt." Uuder  his  management  the  paper  pros- 
pered and  secured  a  wide  circulation  among 
the  Germans  of  McHenry  and  adjoining  coun- 
ties. Mr.  Renich  was  a  member  of  the  German 
Presbyterian  church,  honest  and  upright,  and 
highly  respected.  Politically  he  was  a  stanch 
Democrat,  and  fraternally  a  Mason,  being  a 
member  of  Calvary  Comxaandery,  No.  25, 
Knights  Templar.  During  his  residence  in 
Woodstock  he  was  a  member  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil two  or  three  terms,  and  also  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Education.  He  died  of  a  sun- 
stroke at  Rockford,  111.,  June  28,  1890,  aged 
forty-eight  years,  leaving  a  wife  and  seven 
children:  Charles  F. ;  Charlotte,  now  Mrs.  P. 
Benjamin  Anderson;  Frederick  L.,  now  bus- 
iness manager  of  the  newspaper  interests; 
Mary  E.,  at  present  in  her  third  year  as  a 
student  at  the  State  Normal  Institute  at  Nor- 
mal, 111.;  Edward  A.,  a  student  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois,  at  Champaign,  111.;  Amanda 
B.  and  Katherine,  both  attending  the  Wood- 
stock High  School. 


952 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Charles  F.  Renich,  the  oldest  of  this  family, 
whose  name  heads  this  article,  was  born  at 
Woodstock,  111.,  Dec.  19,  1871,  and  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city 
When  about  16  years  of  age  he  was  taken  into 
his  father's  office  to  learn  the  newspaper  busi- 
ness, beginning  at  the  bottom.  His  father  hav- 
ing died  when  he  was  a  little  over  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  succeeded  to  the  management 
of  "Das  Volksblatt,"  which  he  continued  until 
the  accession  of  his  brother  Frederick  to  the 
concern.  In  May,  1895,  he  formed  a  co-part- 
nership with  Mr.  Benedict  Stupfel,  of  Wood- 
stock, and  they  established  themselves,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Stupfel  &  Renich,  in  the 
grocery  business.  After  a  few  years  Mr.  Stup- 
fel retired  from  the  business,  Mir.  Renich 
continuing  it  alone.  A  year  later  he  associ- 
ated himself  in  the  same  establishment  with 
Mr.  Stark  L.  Hart,  which  firm  still  continues 
in  business. 

In  December,  1899,  Mr.  Renich  was  appointed 
Postmaster  for  the  City  of  Woodstock,  receiv- 
ing his  commission  from  President  William 
7>IcKinley.  November  14,  1894,  he  was  married 
at  Barrington,  111.,  to  Miss  Lucy  H.  Hennings, 
a  daughter  of  Charles  C.  and  Caroline  (Mund- 
henk)  Hennings.  Mrs.  Renich  was  born  at 
Palatine,  111.,  Sept.  30,  1875.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Renich  have  one  child,  Florence,  born  March 
14,  1896. 

Mr.  Renich  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
order,  affiliated  with  St.  Mark's  Lodge  at  Wood- 
stock, and  also  identified  with  several  other 
orders.  In  politics  he  is  a  zealous  Repub- 
lican and  has  always  taken  an  active  interest 
in  matters  political,  especially  in  association 
with  the  younger  men  of  his  section  of  the 
State.  His  active  business  career,  upon  which 
he  entered  while  many  young  men  of  his  age 
were  still  in  school,  coupled  with  his  straight- 
forward character,  has  won  for  him  the  con- 
fidence of  the  community  and  a  high  degree 
of  popularity,  especially  among  his  German 
fellow-citizens. 


GEORGE  F.  RUSHTON. 

George  F.  Rushton  is  one  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty's respected  and  representative  citizens;  his 
private  character  is  one  to  be  emulated;  his 
public  record  is  without  a  blemish.  Through- 
out his  life  he  has  been  actuated  by  pure  mo- 


tives and  manly  principles,  and  by  following 
a  fixed  purpose  to  make  the  most  and  best  of 
himself,  he  has  overcome  many  difficulties  and 
risen  step  by  step  to  a  place  of  influence 
and  honor  among  public-spirited  men.  A  na- 
tive of  the  "Badger  State,"  he  was  born  in 
Walworth  County,  Wis.,  Sept.  27,  1855,  the  son 
of  Charles  and  Susan  (Mabbott)  Rushton.  He 
was  reared  on  the  farm  and,  from  early  boy- 
hood, trained  to  habits  of  industry.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  district  school, 
Sharon  Academy  and  the  Northern  Indiana 
Normal  College  at  Valparaiso,  Ind.  For  sev- 
eral winters  he  taught  in  the  district 
schools  of  McHenry  County,  and  worked  at 
farm  labor  during  the  intervening  summer 
months.  He  taught  the  village  school  at 
Alden  two  winter  terms,  one  term  in  the  vil- 
lage school  at  Chemung,  also  one  term  in 
Dunham,  and  the  remainder  of  the  time  in  Al- 
den Township. 

In  1881  he  engaged  in  the  "United  States 
railway  mail  service,  his  route  being  from  Chi- 
cago to  Minneapolis  over  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  Railroad.  He  continued 
on  this  route  three  years,  and  was  then  pro- 
moted to  a  higher  grade  in  the  service,  and 
transferred  to  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
Railroad,  making  the  run  between  Chicago 
and  Green  Bay.  In  1888  he  contracted  a  se- 
vere case  of  typhoid  fever,  and  for  three  years 
did  not  regain  his  health  sufficiently  to  resume 
work,  and  has  never  since  recovered  the  de- 
gree of  health  he  formerly  enjoyed. 

In  1893  Mr.  Rushton  was  elected  Supervisor 
of  Alden  Township  and  served  until  1894.  In 
November,  1894,  he  was  elected  County  Clerk 
of  McHenry  County,  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
by  a  majority  of  1,600  votes,  filling  this  im- 
portant office  so  much  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  people  that  he  was  re-elected  in  1898  by 
a  majority  of  2,000,  and  in  March,  1902,  re- 
ceived the  nomination  for  a  third  term.  That 
Mr.  Rushton  has  proved  himself  to  be  an  ef- 
ficient officer  is  best  shown  by  the  confidence 
reposed  in  him  by  the  electors  of  McHenry 
County.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  said 
of  him  that,  in  all  of  his  public  life,  he  has 
studied  and  endeavored  to  advance  the  best 
interests  of  his  county,  and  displayed  a  com- 
mendable trustworthiness  and  fidelity  in  his 
official  position.     Mr.  Rushton  has  been  a  Re- 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


95: 


publican  since  first  taking  any  part  in  politics, 
having  cast  his  first  vote  for  President  Hayes. 
Always  a  consistent  and  earnest  supporter  of 
his  party,  his  opinions  carry  weight  with  them, 
and  he  is  regarded  as  an  influential  adherent 
of  Republicanism.  Fraternally  he  is  a  mem- 
mer  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Woodstock  Command- 
ery,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  American,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Foresters  and  Court  of  Hon- 
or— all  of  Woodstock — and  also  of  Bay  Tree 
Camp  at  Alden.  He  has  held  several  import- 
ant offices  in  his  lodges,  and,  at  the  present 
time,  is  Chief  Ranger  in  the  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters  of  Woodstock.  Mr.  Rush- 
ton  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Woodstock,  in  which  he  is  one  of  the 
trustees.  He  is  also  a  member  of  a  Layman 
Committee  of  five,  representing  Rockford  Dis- 
trict on  publications,  and  is  President  of  the 
Grant  County  Land  &  Live  Stock  Company, 
a  company  composed  of  Woodstock  capitalists 
who  own  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Grant  County, 
South  Dakota,  and  are  engaged  in  raising 
live  stock  and  grain,  and  is  one  of  the  Di- 
rectors of  the  American  National  Bank  of 
Woodstock,    111. 

Like  many  other  successful  men  of  McHenry 
County,  Mr.  Rushton  learned,  in  his  youth,  to 
depend  upon  himself.  He  spent  his  boyhood 
and  youth  in  the  usual  manner  of  most  farm 
lads,  and  when  quite  young,  engaged  at  farm 
labor  for  a  small  compensation.  Personally 
he  is  a  courteous  gentleman  and  genial  towards 
all  who  call  at  his  office  for  business  informa- 
tion or  a  personal  interview.  He  stands  de- 
servedly high  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  and  has  done  his  share  in  promoting 
the  best  interests  of  McHenry  County. 


CHARLES  RUSHTON. 

Charles  Rushton,  one  of  the  highly  respected 
pioneer  settlers  in  Chemung  and  Alden  Town- 
ships, McHenry  County,  is  of  English  birth. 
He  was  born  at  Newark,  Nottinghamshire,  Eng- 
land, Sept.  8,  1825,  the  son  of  John  and  Ann 
(Stuffings)  Rushton.  His  parents  spent  their 
entire  lives  in  Newark,  England,  which  had 
been  the  home  of  the  family  for  generations. 

John  Rushton,  the  father  of  Charles  Rush- 
ton,  was  a  wool  merchant  in  early  life,  and 
at  one  time  was  a  well-to-do  man,  but  later  lost 


his  property.  September  20,  1821,  he  married 
Miss  Ann  Stuffings,  and  lived  in  Newark, 
but  in  later  life  moved  to  Nottinghamshire, 
where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  He  died  in  Nottinghamshire  when  about 
fifty  years  of  age,  and  his  wife  died  at  the 
age  of  about  forty-five.  They  were  the  parents 
of  William,  born  Oct.  20,  1823;  Charles,  born 
Sept.  8,  1825,  and  Sophia,  born  Feb.  4,  1830. 

Charles  Rushton  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
town,  and  when  about  eleven  years  of  age, 
engaged  to  tend  sheep  on  a  farm  for  sixpence 
per  day.  He  soon  began  to  work  at  farm 
labor  and,  when  a  large,  strong  boy,  received 
about  $15  per  year,  and  later,  when  a  full-grown 
man,  received  but  $75  per  year  for  hard  farm 
labor.  He  continued  at  this  kind  of  work 
until  he  came  to  America,  in  the  meantime 
being  employed  by  several  different  farmers 
in  Lincolnshire.  On  May  19,  1851,  when 
twenty-six  years  of  age,  he  married,  at  Kirby 
Green,  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  Susan  Mab- 
bott,  born  at  Kirby  Green,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Kennedy)  Mabbott. 

Thomas  Mabbott  was  born  at  Kirby  Green, 
and  his  children  were:  Ann,  Mary  and  Susan. 
He  lived  to  be  about  sixty-five  years  of  age, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  at  the  same 
time  and  were  buried  together.  The  family 
were  all  members  of  the  Church  of  England. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rushton  came 
directly  to  America,  sailing  from  Liverpool, 
England,  in  a  sailing  vessel,  the  "Waterloo 
Red  Star,"  and  were  five  weeks  on  the  passage. 
They  arrived  in  New  York,  July  3,  1851,  and 
came  directly  to  Albany  by  steamboat,  thence 
by  rail  to  Buffalo,  and  by  lake  steamer  to 
Milwaukee,  completing  the  journey  with  a  farm 
wagon  to  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  where,  at 
Douglass  Corners,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rushton  had 
acquaintances  among  the  early  settlers.  Mr. 
Rushton  engaged  there  at  farm  work  for  two 
years  and  then  rented  land.  He  had  made 
two  settlements  in  McHenry  County,  return- 
ing each  time  to  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  but 
in  1866  he  made  his  permanent  settlement 
in  Illinois.  He  rented  land  in  Alden  Town- 
ship two  years,  then  purchased  a  farm 
of  seventy-three  and  a  half  acres,  upon  which 
he  made  good  improvements  and  which  he 
still   owns.      Mr.    Rushton   lived   on   his   farm 


954 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


until  1894,  when  he  retired  from  active  life 
and  then  removed  to  Woodstock.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rushton  were  the  parents  of  the  fol- 
lowing named  children,  all  of  whom  were  born 
in  Walworth  County,  Wis.:  Thomas  H.,  born 
April  2,  1852;  George  F.,  born  Sept.  27,  1855; 
Mary  A.;  Sarah  E.,  died  Oct.  30,  1859,  and 
Carrie  M.  The  parents  were  both  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  in  which  Mr.  Rushton 
had  been  a  trustee  for  several  years.  Politically 
Mr.  Rushton  believes  in  the  principles  ad- 
vocated by  the  Republican  party.  He  has  al- 
ways been  an  industrious  and  hard-working 
man,  upright  and  honest  in  character.  By  all 
his  acquaintances  he  is  held  in  high  esteem 
as  a  man  of  honor,  and  one  whose  ex- 
cellent qualities  have  won  for  him  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 

Concerning  Mr.  Rushton's  children,  the  fol- 
lowing is  of  interest:  Mary  A.  received  her 
educational  training  at  the  Sharon  Academy 
and  Harvard  High  School,  and  later  attended 
the  Chicago  University.  She  taught  school 
in  Alden  Township  about  five  years,  in  De 
Kalb  eight  years,  and  in  Harvey,  Cook  County, 
four  years.  She  is  now  (1903)  engaged  as  a 
teacher  in  Woodstock,  where  she  is  held  in 
high  esteem  for  her  abilities  as  an  educator 
and  her  excellent  traits  of  character.  Thomas 
J.  Rushton  received  his  education  at  the  Shar- 
on Academy,  and  at  the  University  of  Law  of 
Iowa,  and  also  read  law  with  Judge  Smith 
of  Woodstock.  He  is  now  a  successful  lawyer 
of  Elgin,  111.,  and  has  been  Judge  of  the  Po- 
lice Court  for  several  years.  Carrie  May  re- 
ceived a  good  education  at  the  Elgin  Academy, 
and  afterwards  remained  at  home  and  cared 
for  her  mother,  who  had  been  an  invalid  for 
several  years.  George  F.  Rushton  is  County 
Clerk  of  McHenry  County.  OSee  sketch  in  this 
volume.) 

The  Rushton  family  came  from  the  middle 
class  of  England,  from  which  many  of  our 
best  colonial  families  descended.  They  were 
members  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  their 
ancestral  records  are  preserved  in  the  Parish 
church  in  England.  Mrs.  Rushton  died  Sept. 
12,  1902. 


thomas  Mcdonough  richards. 

Thomas   McDonough  Richards,  who  was  an 
early  settler  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  is 


at  this  time  a  prominent  citizen  of  Woodstock, 
is  descended  from  colonial  ancestors  in  Massa- 
chusetts, who  traced  their  lineage  to  Welsh 
and  English  stock.  Ezra  Richards,  father  of 
Thomas  McDonough  Richards,  was  born  in 
Bridgewater,  Mass.  He  located  at  Plainfield, 
Hampshire  County,  Mass.,  married  Martha 
Nash,  and  there  farmed  and  worked  at  his  trade 
as  wheel-wright,  making  many  spinning  wheels, 
both  large  and  small.  He  removed  to  Ham- 
ilton Township,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  on  a 
comparatively  new  farm  which  he  improved, 
and  on  which  he  lived  over  a  half  century, 
until  his  death  in  1884.  Besides  Thomas  Mc- 
Donough Richards,  Ezra  and  Martha  (Nash) 
Richards  had  other  children  named:  Rhoda, 
Noble  F.,  Thomas  J.,  Solomon  N,  Lawrence  C, 
Jeanette,  John  B.  and  Martha  A. — all  of  whom, 
except  Martha  A.  and  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  were  born  in  Massachusetts.  Ezra 
Richards  was  a  hard-working,  strictly  honor- 
able man  who  was  highly  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  He  was  an  old  line  Whig, 
and  always  voted  the  Whig  ticket. 

Thomas  McDonough  Richards  was  born  in 
the  town  of  Hamilton,  Madison  County,  N.  Y., 
April  18,  1819.  He  received  his  primary  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  and  attended  a 
select  school  at  Earlville  three  winter  terms, 
and  later  was  a  student,  during  two  winter 
terms  of  fifteen  weeks  each,  at  Clinton  Lib- 
eral Institute,  working  on  his  father's  farm 
between  terms.  One  of  his  teachers  at  the 
institute  was  Prof.  George  R.  Perkins,  author 
of  several  books  on  higher  mathematics  and  a 
leading  mathematician  of  his  day,  under  whose 
instruction  young  Richards  made  good  ad- 
vancement in  his  mathematical  studies. 

In  the  winter  of  1840  Mr.  Richards  began 
teaching  school  at  Hamilton,  N.  Y.  In  the 
summer  of  1841  he  took  charge  of  a  school  in 
Brown  County,  Ohio,  where  he  taught  suc- 
cessfully for  four  years  and  a  half.  Several 
of  his  Ohio  pupils  became  prominent  in  after 
life,  among  them  being  Judge  Clinton  Loudon, 
a  veteran  of  the  Mexican  War  who  served 
with  the  rank  of  Colonel  in  the  Civil  War. 
and  was  afterwards  distinguished  as  a  jurist, 
and  who  maintained  a  correspondence  witb  Mr 
Richards  during  his  life.  In  1845  Mr.  Richards 
returned  to  New  York  State  and  farmed  the 


J^u  O^Jk^&J^^^o 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


955 


family  homestead  that  year.  In  the  spring  of 
1846  he  came  to  Illinois,  journeying  as  far  as 
Buffalo  on  the  Erie  Canal  and  thence  by 
steamer  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  arriv- 
ing at  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  in  May. 
He  bought  160  acres  of  land  in  Seneca  Town- 
ship, one-third  of  which  was  quite  heavily 
timbered  and  the  remainder  prairie,  forty  acres 
cf  which  had  been  put  under  the  plow.  He 
repaired  a  log  house  and  made  some  improve- 
ments and,  in  the  fall,  went  back  to  Brown 
County,  Ohio,  and  taught  his  old  school  there 
during  the  succeeding  "winter.  In  the  spring 
of  1847  he  came  back  to  McHenry  County  and 
was  there  married  on  June  14,  following,  to 
Julia  Antoinette  Webb,  who  was  born  in  Co- 
lumbia County,  N.  Y.,  in  1824.  Mrs.  Richards' 
father,  S.  P.  Webb,  came  of  an  old  New  Eng- 
land family  and  located  in  New  York  State 
early  in  life.  His  first  wife  died  in  Columbia 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  by  a  second  marriage  he 
had  children  named:  Julia  A.  (Mrs.  Richards), 
George  W.,  Pollie  M.,  Albert  and  Elias  H.  The 
only  issue  by  his  first  marriage  was  a  son 
named  Sylvester  T.  During  the  pioneer  days 
in  Wisconsin,  Mr.  Webb  located  at  Lowville, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  He 
was  a  respected  citizen  and  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Richards  brought  his  bride  from  her  old 
home  in  Wisconsin  to  the  home  he  had  pre- 
pared for  her  in  Illinois,  in  a  lumber-wagon 
drawn  by  two  horses,  and  they  were  three 
days  on  the  way.  He  had  journeyed  to  and 
fro  on  horse-back  during  the  days  of  his  court, 
ship,  through  country  so  sparsely  settled  that, 
>at  one  point,  a  space  of  seventeen  miles  inter- 
vened between  settlers'  houses.  They  kept 
house  in  Mr.  Richards'  log  cabin  from  1847 
to  1856,  when  they  moved  into  a  new  frame 
house  which  was  then  completed.  This  farm 
he  carried  on  for  33  years.  They  prospered 
so  well  that  in  time  Mr.  Richards  came  to  own 
about  300  acres  of  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rich- 
ards had  children  named:  Ada  R.,  George  B., 
Louis  H.,  Charles  L.  and  Hattie — of  whom  the 
last  mentioned  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Julia 
Antoinette  (Webb)  Richards  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a  woman  of 
rare  gifts  and  a  natural  leader.  An  early  and 
prominent  member  of  the  "Seneca  Ladies'  Lit- 


erary Society,"  she  served  for  many  years 
either  as  its  Secretary  or  President.  This 
society  (in  1903  nearly  a  half  century  old)  is 
still  nourishing,  and  owns  a  large  and  valu- 
able library.  Its  members,  in  honor  of  their 
former  associate  and  leader,  strew  flowers 
upon  her  grave  annually.  She  was  a  model 
teacher  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  Infant 
Class  in  the  Franklinville  Methodist  Episcopal 
Sunday  School.  During  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion two  of  her  brothers  rendered  valuable 
service  in  the  field  to  the  cause  of  the  Union. 
To  know  her  always  led  to  respect  and  admir- 
ation of  her  character.  Her  hand  and  brain 
were  employed  for  the  public  good  and,  under 
her  leadership,  the  Ladies'  Literary  Society 
and  citizens  of  Seneca,  during  the  Civil  War, 
sent  many  a  parcel  to  comfort  and  cheer  the 
"Boys  in  Blue." 

Mr.  Richards'  second  marriage  was  in  1883 
to  Martha  J.  (Williamson)  Streets,  widow  of 
John  W.  Streets,  who  died  in  1876,  at  Crete, 
111.,  where  his  wife  had  been  reared.  Previous 
to  her  last  marriage  she  was  a  resident  of 
Seneca  and  a  near  neighbor  of  Mr.  Richards. 
She  took  a  prominent  part  in  social  affairs  and 
became  a  leading  member  of  the  Ladies'  Liter- 
ary Society,  as  the  first  Mrs.  Richards  had 
been  before  her.  She  was  also  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Chautauqua  Assembly  of  Monona 
Lake,  Wis.,  for  a  number  of  years.  Her  death 
occurred  August  17,  1897. 

Mr.  Richards  retains  his  mental  faculties 
to  a  wonderful  degree  and  has  lost  none  of  his 
old  enthusiasm  for  mathematics.  His  interest 
in  the  public  schools  of  Seneca  Township  was 
active  and  beneficial,  and  he  assisted  in  form- 
ing a  large  district,  where  he  was  School 
Director  for  twenty  years.  In  1854  he  was 
elected  County  Surveyor  of  McHenry  County 
and  filled  that  office  two  years.  By  request 
of  the  Supervisors  he  purchased  and  kept  the 
first  Surveyor's  Record  of  McHenry  County. 
He  has  been  several  times  appointed  Deputy 
County  Surveyor,  and  is  serving  in  that  po- 
sition at  this  time  under  County  Surveyor  C. 
H.  Tryon,  and  from  time  to  time  does  active 
work  in  the  office.  He  has  several  times  been 
Supervisor  of  his  township  and  has,  in  all  ways 
at  his  command,  encouraged  its  development 
and  -prosperity. 


95(5 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


George  B.  Richards,  son  of  Thomas  McDon- 
ough  Richards,  was  born  in  McHenry  County, 
Jan.  2,  1850,  and  was  educated  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  the  high  school  at  Sycamore, 
111.,  and  the  State  University  at  Champaign, 
111.  At  twenty  years  of  age  he  began  teach- 
ing in  the  district  schools  of  Seneca  Township. 
He  did  farm  work  during  the  summer  months 
until  he  completed  his  education.  He  married 
in  Seneca  Township,  April  8,  1874,  Miss  Ida 
Chase,  who  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
a  daughter  of  Isaiah  G.  and  Amanda  (Hoyt) 
Chase.  For  a  time  after  his  marriage  he  was 
a  merchant  at  Rowley,  Iowa.  Returning  to 
Illinois  he  bought  the  interest  of  his  brother 
Charles  in  the  Richards  homestead,  on  which 
he  lived  until  1896,  when  he  was  elected  Cir- 
cuit Clerk  and  Recorder  of  McHenry  County. 
He  is  a  Republican,  influential  in  county  poli- 
tics, having  served  as  Township  Clerk,  and  for 
twelve  years  Supervisor  of  Seneca  Township, 
and  several  terms  as  tax  collector.  He  is  a 
Knight  Templar  Mason,  of  Calvary  Command- 
ery,  No.  25,  Woodstock,  and  has  held  all  offices 
in  Saint  Mark's  Lodge,  No.  63,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
including  those  of  Junior  and  Senior  Warden 
and  Master;  has  passed  the  chair  of  Noble 
Grand  in  Coral  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Woodstock; 
and  is  a  member  of  the  orders  of  Foresters, 
Modern  Americans,  Court  of  Honor  and 
Knights  of  the  Globe.  George  B.  and  Ida 
(Chase)  Richards  have  children  named  Charles 
A.,  Edith,  Don,  Effie,  Lynn  W.,  Waite  W.,  Ada 
and  J.  Glenn. 


FREDERICK   ROWLEY. 

Frederick  Rowley,  an  early  settler  of  Mc- 
Henry County,  is  a  son  of  Amos  Rowley,  one 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Du  Page  County,  111. 
The  Rowley  family  were  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  New  York,  and  the  grandfather,  Amos 
Rowley,  was  a  farmer  in  Chenango  County  of 
that  State.  His  children  were:  Joseph,  Jacob, 
Solomon,  Joel,  Judah,  William  and  Amos. 

The  father,  Amos  Rowley,  was  born  in 
Chemung  County,  N.  Y.,  raised  on  a  farm,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and  married 
Lucy  Ann  Vaughn,  who  was  born  in  Chemung 
County.  Her  parents  were  of  Holland-Dutch 
and  Scotch  ancestry  and  were  early  settlers  of 
New  York.  After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Amos  Rowley   settled     on     the     old     Rowley 


homestead  in  the  town  of  Big  Flats,  Chemung 
County,  N.  Y.,  which  is  still  in  the  possession 
of  their  descendants.  They  were  the  parents 
of  Dyer,  Frederick,  Elizabeth,  Vincent,  Amanda, 
John,  Charles  and  Mary  Ann.  Mr.  Rowley 
moved  to  Illinois  about  1840,  making  the 
journey  with  horses  and  wagon  to  Buffalo, 
where  he  shipped  his  team  by  way  of  the  lakes 
to  Chicago,  the  family  coming  by  the  same 
route  as  far  as  Milwaukee.  The  children  be- 
ing taken  sick  at  Milwaukee,  the  ramily  were 
obliged  to  stop  there  and  finish  the  journey 
by  wagon  to  Du  Page  County,  where  Mr.  Row- 
ley settled  on  land  two  miles  west  of  Naper- 
ville.  After  making  this  his  home  for  two 
years,  he  moved  to  Algonquin  Township  (now 
Crystal  Lake),  McHenry  County,  afterward3 
purchasing  land  in  Nunda  Township,  which  is 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  Charles.  Mr. 
Rowley  made  extensive  improvements  upon 
his  land  and  enjoyed  the  comforts  of  a  pleasant 
home  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying 
at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  Mr.  Rowley  was  an 
industrious  and  reputable  citizen  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  for  more  than 
fifty  years. 

Frederick  Rowley,  born  in  Chemung  County, 
N.  Y.,  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  was  about 
sixteen  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to 
Illinois.  He  was  fond  of  hunting,  and  on  his 
journey  to  Illinois  traded  a  watch  for  a  gun, 
from  which  he  derived  a  great  deal  of  pleasure 
killing  prairie  chickens  and  other  game.  He 
attended  the  public  school  at  Crystal  Lake,  Dr. 
Ballou  of  Nunda  being  his  teacher,  and  in 
Nunda  Township,  Feb.  10,  1853,  he  married 
Charlotte  A.  Palmer,  born  at  Portage,  Living- 
ston County,  N.  Y.,  July  3,  1863,  the  daughter 
of  Gustavus  A.  and  Henrietta  (Gerheart)  Pal- 
mer, a  family  of  Puritan  ancestry  and  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Connecticut. 

Gustavus  Palmer  was  a  farmer  in  Livingston 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  a  native  of  the  same  State. 
He  and  Mrs.  Palmer  were  the  parents  of  John 
H.  and  Charlotte  A.  In  the  fall  of  1841  they 
moved  from  New  York  to  Crystal  Lake,  111., 
making  the  journey  in  three  weeks  with  a 
team  of  horses  and  a  covered  wagon,  shipping 
their  goods  by  way  of  the  lakes.  Mr.  Palmer 
first  entered  eighty  acres  of  land,  upon  which 
he  built  a  small  frame  house  and  through 
industry,  economy  and  good  management, 
added  to  his  original  purchase  until  he  owned 
over  300  acres.     He    lived  on    the    old    home- 


J/L^  A  te^t**^. 


1H01*« 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


957 


stead  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  De- 
cember, 1884,  aged  eighty  years.  He  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick 
Rowley  moved  to  Iowa,  starting  from  Nunda 
Township,  June  16,  1853,  with  a  team  of  horses 
and  covered  wagon  ,and  taking  with  them  all 
the  provisions  they  could  carry  besides  several 
necessary  household  utensils,  including  a 
cook-stove,  which  they  bought  in  Elgin,  111. 
Mr.  Rowley  had  eighty  dollars  in  cash  and 
Mrs.  Rowley  about  twenty  dollars,  which  had 
been  given  her  by  her  father.  They  crossed 
the  Mississippi  River  at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  arriv- 
ing at  their  destination  July  2,  1853,  after  a 
journey  of  three  weeks  from  Nunda  Township. 
On  the  way  they  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of 
friendly  settlers  with  whom  they  spent  their 
nights.  Here  Mr.  Rowley  bought  a  claim  (sec- 
ond-hand) consisting  of  300  acres  at  $1.25  per 
acre,  after  making  the  first  payment  having 
but  five  dollars  left,  built  a  log  cabin,  and  he 
and  his  helpful  wife  went  cheerfully  to  work 
to  build  up  a  home.  Game  was  plentiful; 
seldom  a  day  passed  without  deer  being  in 
sight,  and  Mr.  Rowley  being  an  expert  marks- 
man, venison  constituted  their  meat  for  a  long 
time.  The  first  meat  for  domestic  use  they 
had  was  half  of  a  pig's  head,  which  Mr.  Rowley 
obtained  by  walking  seven  miles.  Fortunately 
they  carried  their  seed  potatoes  with  them 
and  during  the  first  season  raised  a  good  crop. 
Postage  in  those  days  was  very  high,  and 
owing  to  the  scarcity  of  money,  news  from 
home  was  not  frequent.  Mr.  Rowley  hauled 
the  first  load  of  lumber  from  Yellow  River  to 
Waukon,  Alamakee  County,  Iowa,  which  was 
used  in  building  the  first  store  at  Waukon. 
Wages  were  very  low,  and  Mr.  Rowley  worked 
with  a  good  team  through  the  first  winter  at 
$1.50  per  day.  They  were  among  the  first  set- 
tlers and  enjoyed  pioneer  life  immensely.  They 
found  the  people  friendly  and  hospitable,  and 
the  remembrance  of  their  struggles  in  Iowa 
is  a  source  of  great  pleasure.  They  were  there 
during  the  Indian  troubles  and  during  the  Civil 
War,  when  many  of  the  settlers  sought  shelter 
in  the  neighboring  towns  and  forts,  the  women 
and  children  being  taken  to  places  of  safety 
while  the  men  guarded  their  homes  and  other 
property.  Mr.  Rowley  and  his  wife  spent  six- 
teen years  here,  during  which  he  improved  his 
farm,  but  in  1858  sold  out  and  returned  to  Illi- 


nois, where  he  purchased  140  acres  of  land  in 
Nunda  Township,  and  130  acres  in  Dorr  Town- 
ship. He  and  Mrs.  Rowley  lived  here  until 
1899,  when  they  moved  to  Nunda  and  retired 
from  active  life.  They  are  the  parents  of 
three  children:  Henry,  Lucy  and  Emma.  In 
politics  Mr.  Rowley  is  a  Republican. 


JOHN    F.    RANDALL. 

John  F.  Randall  is  a  son  of  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Rutland,  Kane  County,  111.,  and  a 
descendant  of  the  old  Randall  family  of  New 
York.  The  father,  Dr.  Joseph  Randall,  was 
born  in  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  about  1795,  and 
there  he  married  Eleanor  Fowler,  born  in  the 
same  county  in  1799,  and  whose  ancestors  had 
long  been  settled  in  that  State.  Dr.  Randall 
first  settled  in  Orange  County,  and  about  1825 
moved  to  Canada,  where  he  lived  about  fifteen 
years  on  a  farm  near  Toronto,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Michigan  and  settled  on  land  near 
Detroit.  In  June,  1840;  he  moved  to  Kane 
County,  111.,  and  bought  100  acres  of  land  from 
the  United  States  Government.  He  improved 
this  land,  erected  on  it  good  buildings  and 
added  to  the  original  purchase  until  he  owned 
146  acres.  Dr.  Randall  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
physicians  of  Kane  County,  and,  in  the  pioneer 
days,  practiced  over  an  extensive  territory. 
He  was  famous  for  his  skill  in  the  treatment  of 
children's  diseases,  and  was  well  known 
throughout  his  section.  He  died  on  the  farm 
aged  about  sixty-nine  years.  The  Doctor  was 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  when 
young,  but  later  united  wtih  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  Politically  he  was  a  Republi- 
can, but  previous  to  the  organization  of  that 
party,  an  old-line  Whig.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  and  served  on  Staten  Island 
in  the  defense  of  New  York  City.  His  broth- 
ers and  sister  were  named:  James,  John, 
William,  David  and  Katie.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ran- 
dall were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  who,  in 
the  order  of  their  birth,  were  named  as  fol- 
lows: Mary,  Matilda,  Jane,  James,  Eleanor, 
Felix,  Joseph,  Catherine,  William,  John  and 
Jacob. 

John  F.  Randall  was  born  near  Toronto, 
Canada,  May  27,  1836,  and  came  to  Michigan 
with  his  parents  when  about  two  years  old. 
The  journey  was  made  with  a  wagon  and  a 
yoke  of  oxen,  the  parents  being  accompanied 
by  all  of  their  children,  except  Mary,  who  was 


958 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


then  a  married  woman,  William  who  died  in 
infancy,  and  Jacob  who  was  born  in  Illinois. 
The  family  camped  out  of  nights  during  the 
journey.  Dr.  Randall  had  built  a  log  house  on 
his  land  in  the  early  spring  before  the  family 
moved,  but  it  had  no  roof,  floor  or  door,  and 
the  mother  and  children  slept  in  the  ox-wagon 
for  some  time  after  their  arrival.  John  Ran- 
dall remembers  the  pioneer  school,  taught  by 
Alexander  Adams,  which  he  attended  when 
only  eight  years  old.  Among  his  schoolmates 
were  Felix  and  Joseph  Randall.  Mr.  Randall 
attended  the  district  school  during  the  winter 
season,  until  he  was  about  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  then  spent  one  term  at  the  Marengo 
Academy.  He  then  taught  school  in  his  home 
district  one  winter  term.  Mr.  Randall  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm  and  married  at  Elgin,  111., 
Oct.  6,  1862,  Esther  A.  Huntington,  born  June 
3,  1844,  at  Harmony,  McHenry  County,  111  the 
daughter  of  Calvin  and  Ann  Lida  (Braught) 
Huntington. 

Calvin  Huntington  was  born  in  Oneida  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  July  29,  1806,  the  son  of  Calvin,  Sr., 
and  Elizabeth  (Campbell)  Huntington.  The 
Huntingtons  were  of  old  colonial  Puritan  stock, 
and  emigrated  from  England. 

Calvin  Huntington,  iSr.,  moved  as  a  pioneer 
from  Vermont  to  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
cleared  up  a  farm.  In  his  old  age  he  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  son  Calvin,  and  died  in  Mc- 
Henry County,  when  about  seventy  years  old. 
His  children  were:  William,  Luther,  Levi,  Alma, 
Phoebe  and  Ruth.  Mrs.  Huntington  died  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Huntington  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

Calvin  Huntington,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ran- 
dall, received  a  common-school  education  and 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  married  in 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  Ann  Lida  Braught,  born 
in  New  York  State,  of  Holland-Dutch  parent- 
age. Their  children  were:  Harriet,  Alfred, 
who  died  at  about  two  years  of  age;  Almira, 
Hannah,  George,  Emily,  Esther,  and  three 
others  (Eunice,  Amanda  and  John  Calvin), 
who  died  when  young.  Mr.  Huntington  settled 
in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and  later,  in  1837, 
moved  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  the 
lakes  to  Chicago,  and  thence  by  team  to  Har- 
mony, Coral  Township,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  made  a  claim  of  120  acres  of  land, 
partly  timber  and  partly     prairie,     which     bo 


afterwards  bought  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment. At  first  he  built  a  log  shanty  and 
later  a  log  house,  in  which  he  lived  for  several 
years,  and  then  built  a  frame  house.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Huntington  were  both  members  of  the 
Methodist  church.  The  pioneer  school  houso 
was  built  on  Mr.  Huntington's  land,  and  in  it 
the  early  Methodist  meetings  were  held. 
Previous  to  this,  however,  the  earliest 
Methodist  circuit-rider  preached  in  the 
Huntington  log  cabin.  Mr.  Huntington  was  an 
early  class-leader,  otherwise  taking  an  active 
interest  in  the  church  and  liberally  assisting  in 
building  the  first  Methodist  church  edifice  in 
Harmony.  He  lived  to  the  venerable  age  of 
ninety-one  years,  and  died  Dec.  31,  1897.  When 
Mr.  Huntington  first  settled  in  Coral  Township 
he  had  no  neighbors  nearer  than  three  miles. 
One  son,  George  Huntington,  served  in  the 
Civil  War,  being  mustered  into  the  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  serving  to  the 
end  of  the  war.  He  participated  in  many  bat- 
tles and  veteranized  after  the  expiration  of  his 
first  term  of  enlistment.  Felix  Randall,  a 
brother  of  John  F.,  also  served  during  the  war 
in  a  Missouri  regiment. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Randall  settled  after  marriage 
in  Rutland  and  lived  there  until  1871.  They 
added  to  their  farm  until  they  owned  186  acres. 
In  1871  they  moved  to  Huntley  where  they 
built  a  pleasant  residence,  in  which  they  still 
reside.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Randall  have  been 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  and  have  always  contributed 
liberally  towards  its  support.  Their  children 
are:  Lida  E.  and  Helen  G.,  besides  three  who 
died  in  infancy.  Politically  Mr.  Randall  is  a 
Republican  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham 
Lincoln.  He  is  a  well-known  citizen  and  held 
the  office  of  Police  Magistrate  for  two  years. 


DAVID   REDPATH. 

David  Redpath,  Civil  War  veteran  and  prom- 
inent farmer,  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  is  a 
substantial  citizen  of  the  place,  owning  several 
large,  well-improved  farms,  from  which  he  is 
deriving  a  good  income.  He  was  born  Feb.  15, 
1845,  the  son  of  Alexander  and  Ann  (Pringle) 
Redpath. 

David  Redpath  (1),  grandfather  of  David  (2), 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  a  Scotch- 
man by  birth,  who,  in  his  native  country,  fol- 
lowed farming.     He    married     and     had    four 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


959 


children,  all  of  whom  settled  in  America: 
Robert,  near  Brantford,  Canada,  where  he  died, 
leaving  one  child  Emma;  David,  in  California, 
where  he  drove  with  an  ox-team,  and  where  he 
died,  leaving,  it  is  believed,  two  children;  and 
Sarah,  who  married  a  Mr.  Hudson,  and  settled 
in  Michigan.  Alexander  is  mentioned  below. 
The  parents  of  these  died  in  Scotland. 

Alexander  Redpath,  father  of  David  (2),  a 
mine  owner  and  farmer,  was  a  man  of  good 
ability  and  great  energy.  Born  in  Scotland  in 
1811,  he  there  received  a  good  common-school 
education,  evincing  a  taste  for  good  literature 
and  mathematics.  In  1838,  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-seven, he  came  to  Canada,  where  he  met 
Robert  Pringle,  with  whom  for  many  years  he 
was  associated  as  a  laborer.  After  a  short 
stay  in  Canada,  they  went  to  New  Orleans,  and 
from  there  to  Bath  County,  Ky.,  where  they  re- 
mained several  years,  filling  during  this  time 
a  contract  on  a  turnpike.  Severing  the  con- 
nection with  Mr.  Pringle,  Mr.  Redpath  later 
went  to  Ohio,  where  he  assisted  in  the  con- 
struction of  another  turnpike;  but  soon  after- 
ward, urged  by  Patterson  Pringle,  he  returned 
to  Kentucky,  and  entered  into  negotiations  for 
some  lead  mines  in  Illinois,  eighteen  miles 
from  Galena.  Making  a  success  of  the  venture, 
they  engaged  in  lead-mining  for  about  eight 
years.  Coming  to  McHenry  County  in  1845, 
Mr.  Redpath  purchased  a  partly  improved  120- 
acre  tract  of  land  (one-half  of  the  Enos  Pease 
farm)  two  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Mar- 
engo, where  he  settled  in  1847,  and  engaged  in 
farming.  He  greatly  improved  his  property, 
erecting  on  it  good  buildings,  and  here  re- 
mained for  the  rest  of  his  active  life.  He  died 
on  his  farm  in  1877  at  the  age  of  sixty-six 
years. 

About  1842  Mr.  Redpath  married  Ann  Prin- 
gle, daughter  of  John  and  Lydia  Pringle.  Mrs. 
Redpath,  who  was  a  devout  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  died  in  August,  1898.  Of 
this  union  there  were  six  children:  Sidney, 
born  in  Elizabeth,  111.,  died  there  at  the  age  of 
two  years;  David,  mentioned  below;  John  P., 
born  on  the  Marengo  farm,  in  1848;  Sarah, 
born  in  1850 ;  Robert,  born  in  1853,  and  George 
W.,  in  1860.  John  P.  and  Sarah  both  died  in 
1856. 

Mr.  Redpath's  successes  were  due  to  his 
courage,  untiring  energy,  and  happy  faculty  of 
readily  grasping  the  opportunities  life  offered. 


He  was  a  man  of  strong  religious  convictions, 
and  one  of  the  original  first  thirteen  members 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Marengo. 
He  carried  his  religion  into  the  every  day 
affairs  of  life,  was  a  good  citizen,  and  a  man 
of  absolutely  abstemious  habits. 

David  Redpath  (2)  was  taken  to  the  Marengo 
farm  when  about  two  and  a  half  years  old,  and 
in  the  common  schools  of  that  neighborhood 
received  his  early  education,  which  he  later 
supplemented  by  a  year's  course  in  a  high 
school,  the  same  period  at  Dr.  Miller's  select 
school,  and  one  year  in'  Clark's  Seminary — now 
Jennings  Seminary,  Aurora.  Reared  to  farm 
work,  upon  reaching  manhood  he  made  that 
occupation  the  main  business  of  his  life.  At. 
Marengo,  May  1,  1864,  he  enlisted  as  a  private 
in  Company  F.,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-first 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  one  hundred 
days'  service.  Much  of  the  time  of  service  of 
the  regiment  was  spent  on  guard  duty,  about 
Columbus,  Ky.,  finally  receiving  its  discharge 
at  Chicago,  after  serving  five  months. 

In  Marengo  Township,  March  26,  1872,  Mr. 
Redpath  married  Jeannette  Purves,  who  is 
mentioned  more  fully  under  the  sketch  of  An- 
drew and  Eliza  (Swift)  Purves.  Mrs.  Redpath 
died  about  three  and  a  half  years  after  mar- 
riage, and  in  Woodstock,  Sept.  13,  1879,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  A.  Lindsay,  who  was  born  in 
Dorr  Township,  Oct.  15,  1845,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Marian  Lindsay.  (See  sketch  of 
Thomas  and  Marian  Lindsay  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.)  By  the  first  marriage  there  were 
three  children,  all  of  whom  have  now  reached 
maturity:  Lizzie  Ann,  who  was  reared  by  her 
grandmother  Redpath;  Grace,  by  her  mother's 
sisters,  the  Misses  Purves;  and  William  P., 
who  was  but  three  days  old  when  his  mother 
died,  and  was  reared  by  his  grandmother  Red- 
path.  By  the  second  marriage  there  were  also 
three  children:  Charles  L.,  Maggie  M.  and 
Fannie. 

About  1870  Mr.  Redpath  purchased  of  the 
Government  160  acres  of  wild  land  in  Polk 
County,  Neb.,  where  he  erected  a  comfortable 
frame  house,  and  here,  after  his  first  marriage, 
he  settled,  and  began  making  improvements. 
Another  160  acres  joining  the  first  tract  he 
homesteaded,  making  another  valuable  farm. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  he  returned  to 
Marengo,  and  there  engaged  in  selling  wood 
for   some   time   with   good   results.       Then   in 


960 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1883  he  purchased  the  family  homestead,  where 
he  settled  and  followed  farming  successfully 
for  about  fifteen  years.  In  1899  he  returned  to 
Marengo,  buying  a  pleasant  home  there,  where 
he  still  lives.  He  has  since  purchased  the  old 
home  farm  two  ,and  a  half  miles  north  of  Mar- 
engo, which  he  has  improved,  and  which,  em- 
bracing 144  acres,  is  now"  considered  one  of  the 
most  valuable  pieces  of  property  in  the  vi- 
cinity. As  a  farmer  he  has  been  a  prudent 
manager,  and  has  kept  steadily  on  the  up-hill 
road.  Besides  his  property  in  McHenry  Coun 
ty,  111.,  he  still  owns  his  two  farms  in  Nebras- 
ka, from  which  he  derives  a  good  income. 

Mr.  Redpath  has  evinced  practical  common- 
sense  in  his  business  methods.  He  was  a  good 
soldier,  and  has  won  deserved  respect  as  a 
citizen.  While  in  Nebraska  he  served  as  Post- 
master of  Redville,  an  office  now  discontinued. 
The  Presbyterian  church  of  Marengo  counts 
him  among  its  most  esteemed  and  substantial 
members.  Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Re- 
publican party. 


HORACE   G.    READING. 

Horace  G.  Reading,  of  Solon  Mills,  McHenry 
County,  is  descended  from  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  McHenry  County,  with  which  the  fam- 
ily has  been  identified  for  the  last  half  century. 
His  father,  William  A.  Reading,  born  at 
Hackettstown,  N.  J.,  Sept.  17,  1822,  was  of 
German  descent  and  a  wagon-maker  by  trade. 
Having  lost  his  father  by  death  in  childhood, 
he  went  at  an  early  age  to  the  State  of  New 
York,  in  the  meanwhile  receiving  only  a 
moderate  education.  In  January,  1850,  he 
married  at  Spencer,  Tioga  County,  N.  Y.,  Sarah 
E.  Giles,  who  was  born  at  that  place  Dec.  12, 
1827,  the  daughter  of  Horace  and  Esther  Giles. 
Mr.  Giles  was  an  officer  in  the  State  militia 
and  known  as  Colonel  Giles. 

After  marriage  William  A.  Reading  settled 
near  his  wife's  parents  in  Tioga  County,  where 
he  engaged  in  business  as  a  wagon-maker.  In 
1853  he  moved  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  by  way 
of  Chicago,  going  directly  to  Woodstock,  where 
he  soon  after  bought  a  farm  two  and  a  half 
miles  south  of  Woodstock.  This  he  afterwards 
sold  and,  in  the  spring  of  1858,  bought  the  farm 
on  which  his  son  Horace  G.  now  resides.  Mrs. 
Reading  died  Sept.  7,  1862,  and  in  October, 
1863,  Mr.     Reading    married,     in     Woodstock, 


Emma  C.  Orvis,  the  daughter  of  Simeon  Orvis. 
The  children  by  the  first  marriage  were: 
Horace  G.,  Montgomery  D.,  William  F.  and 
Sarah  E.,  and  those  by  the  second  marriage, 
Simeon  A.  and  Angeline  A.  Politically  Mr. 
Reading  was  a  Democrat. 

Horace  G.  Reading  was  born  on  the  Giles 
homestead,  in  Tioga  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  4, 
1850,  and  was  three  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  moved  to  McHenry  County.  Here  he 
grew  up  among  the  pioneer  residents  of  the 
locality,  receiving  a  common-school  education, 
and  was  early  initiated  into  the  liie  of  a 
farmer.  When  he  had  reached  eighteen  years 
of  age,  he  began  to  work  out  for  wages,  and 
when  about  twenty-one  he  worked  at  La- 
Grange,  111.,  for  some  eight  months;  then,  re- 
turning to  Solon,  McHenry  County,  he  began 
farming  on  rented  land.  He  was  married  Oct. 
4,  1876,  at  Woodstock,  to  Alice  Effie  Gardner, 
who  was  born  near  Solon  Mills,  Sept.  21,  1858, 
the  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Sallie  (Miller) 
Gardner.  Alexander  Gardner  was  born  in 
Renfrewshire,  Scotland,  Jan.  31,  1812.  When 
about  four  years  of  age  he  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Dundee,  Canada,  and  entered  the 
United  States  in  1835.  He  married  Sally  Mil- 
ler at  Miller's  Grove,  in  1839,  and  settled  in 
McHenry  County.  Mrs.  Gardner  was  born  in 
New  York  State,  on  the  banks  of  the  Susque- 
hanna River,  April  18,  1819,  and  spent  the  early 
years  of  her  life  in  Southern  Indiana.  She 
came  with  her  brother  to  Miller's  Grove,  Cook 
County,  111.,  in  1833.  This  was  two  years  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  the  Indian  Rights  in  this 
region,  and  for  more  than  a  year  she  saw  no 
white  woman  except  her  mother  and  her  sister. 
She  died  at  Woodstock,  Jan.  30,  1873.  Mr. 
Gardner  was  one  of  the  gold-seekers  in  1849, 
spending  three  years  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gardner  were:  Mary, 
Jesse,  Mercy  Ann,  Alexander,  Alice  Effie  and 
Levi  Addison.  Mr.  Gardner  died  at  his  home 
in  Woodstock,  111.,  June  5,  1875. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reading  settled 
on  a  farm  northwest  of  and  near  Solon  Mills, 
where  they  continued  to  live  nearly  two  years. 
On  Feb.  14,  1879,  he  bought  forty  acres  of  the 
"Weller  farm,"  and  later  sixty  acres  of  the 
"Andrew  Bowen  farm,"  increasing  his  real 
estate  in  1898  by  the  purchase  of  eighty  acres 
of  the  old  Reading  homestead,  upon  which 
he  now  resides.     He  has  won  a  reputation  in 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


961 


the  community     for     industry     and     business 
energy,  which  has  been  rewarded  by  success. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reading  have  had  two  chil- 
dren: Walter  F.,  born  Sept.  12,  1877,  and 
Alice  E.,  born  Dec.  19,  1879.  Walter  F.  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Hebron  High  School  and  is  a 
practical  farmer.  He  married  Sadie  Jones  of 
Dodgeville,  Wis.,  Dec.  31,  1898,  and  they  have 
two  children,  Gladys  and  Erne.  The  daughter 
Alice  E.  is  a  graduate  of  the  Richmond  High 
School,  class  of  1898.  In  politics  Mr.  Reading 
is  a  Republican  and  is  a  representative  citizen 
of  his  township. 


WILLIAM   REED 

William  Reed,  retired  farmer,  Harvard,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  was  born  Feb.  22,  1825,  at 
Leeds,  England,  the  son  of  James  and  Ann 
(Hall)  Reed,  who  became  early  settlers  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.  James  Reed,  the  father,  was 
a  cloth-dresser  in  a  woolen  mill  at  Leeds, 
and  belonged  to  an  old  Yorkshire  family.  His 
children,  all  born  in  Yorkshire,  were:  William; 
John;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Elijah  Bower; 
Mary,  became  the  wife  of  John  Sills;  Sarah, 
married  George  Turner,  and  Martha,  married 
John  Jones  and  died  in  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

James  Reed,  the  father,  came  to  America  in 
1840,  bringing  his  family  with  him  and  making 
the  journey  from  Liverpool  to  New  York  in  a 
sailing  vessel,  the  voyage  across  the  Atlantic, 
on  account  of  stormy  weather,  occupying  a  per- 
iod of  three  months.  After  his  arrival  in  Amer- 
ica, Mr.  Reed  first  located  at  Northampton, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  employed  for  a  short  time 
in  a  woolen  mill,  but  later  removed  to  South- 
bridge,  where  he  worked  two  years.  In  1843 
he  came  west  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Southport 
— now  Kenosha — Wis.,  thence  going  to  Rich- 
mond Township,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where 
he  settled  on  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  land.  This 
land  was  entirely  unimproved,  and  was  Anally 
entered  by  him  at  the  Government  Land  Office 
at  $1.25  per  acre,  besides  forty  acres,  which  he 
entered  for  his  son  William.  Mr.  Reed  im- 
proved his  land,  erected  on  it  good  buildings 
and  had  begun  to  acquire  more  property,  when, 
in  1846,  he  died  at  the  age  of  about  sixty-five 
years.  He  was  a  member  ot  the  Church  of 
England,  an  industrious  citizen  and  reared  a 
respectable  family. 

William  Reed,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  re- 


ceived a  common  school  education  in  England 
and,  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  began  work- 
ing in  a  woolen  mill  in  his  native  city  of  Leeds. 
He  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  removed  to  America,  and  he  has  a 
lively  recollection  of  the  voyage  across  the  At- 
lantic. Soon  after  coming  to  America  he  began 
working  in  a  woolen  mill  at  Southbridge,  Mass.. 
where  his  father  was  employed,  later  accom- 
panying his  parents  to  Illinois,  where,  as  al- 
ready stated,  his  father  entered  forty  acres  of 
land  for  him.  He  then  worked  with  his  father 
in  improving  the  farm,  and,  on  the  death  of 
the  latter  some  three  years  after  coming  to 
Illinois,  being  the  oldest  male  member  of  the 
family,  assumed  charge  of  the  farm  and  family 
affairs. 

When  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age  Mr. 
Reed  was  married  at  Tryon's  Corners,  McHen- 
ry County,  to  Sarah  Sargent,  who  was  born  in, 
Cornwall,  England,  the  daughter  of  Stacy  and 
Sarah  Sargent.  The  father,  Stacy  Sargent,  who 
was  a  sailor  in  his  native  country,  died  there, 
leaving  some  property,  after  which  his  widow 
came  to  America  with  her  two  daughters,  Sa- 
rah and  Mary.  Mrs.  Sargent  married  Jacob  Val- 
kenburg  in  New  York  State,  and  they  later 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  they  set- 
tled on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land  near 
Tryon's  Corners.  Still  later  they  removed  to 
the  State  of  Missouri,  where  she  died. 

William  Reed  and  wife,  after  their  marriage, 
bought  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Wisconsin  on  the 
state  line  just  north  of  McHenry  County,  and, 
after  living  there  three  years,  returned  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  locating  near  Tryon's  Grove. 
Here  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  and,  on 
the  removal  of  Mrs.  Reed's  mother  to  Missouri, 
bought  her  farm,  then  amounting  to  140  acres. 
By  persevering  industry  and  good  management 
during  the  next  few  years,  he  made  several 
other  additions  to  his  landed  estate  until  he 
was  the  owner  of  about  400  acres  located  in 
Richmond  Township.  Besides  this  he  is  the 
owner  of  a  block  of  two  acres  in  the  village  of 
Richmond,  a  house  and  lot  in  Ringwood  and  a 
100-acre  farm  northeast  of  Woodstock,  making 
a  total  of  over  500  acres  in  McHenry  County. 
Mr.  Reed  has  prospered  as  the  result  of  his 
strenuous  industry,  business  sagacity  and  fru- 
gal habits.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  parents 
of   the    following   named    children:      Samuel; 


962 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


James,  who  died  a  married  man  at  the  age  of 
thirty-two  years;  William  H.;  Elsie,  who  mar- 
ried Chester  Valentine,  and  Frank.  All  the 
children  still  living  are  settled  on  land  given 
them  by  their  father. 

In  politics  Mr.  Reed  is  a  Republican  and  in 
religious  belief  and  association  a  Methodist. 
Of  frugal  and  industrious  habits,  he  has  spent 
his  life  quietly  following  his  occupation  as  a 
tarmer,  and  has  never  aspired  to  or  held  office. 
Mrs.  Reed  died  in  July,  1897,  and,  on  Oct.  16, 
1902,  he  was  married  to  Octavia  Alvira  Otis, 
who  was  the  widow  of  Ebenezer  Widger  Otis, 
and  the  daughter  of  Charles  Joseph  and  Bet- 
sy E.  (Phorf)  Williams.  Her  father,  Charles 
J.  Williams,  was  born  Oct.  23,  1788,  and  served 
as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812  under  Gen.  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison,  during  which  he  partici- 
pated in  the  recapture  of  Detroit  from  the 
British  and  their  Indian  allies.  He  also  took 
part  in  the  naval  engagement  with  the  British 
on  Lake  Erie.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
and  a  class  leader  and  local  preacher  in  the 
Methodist  church.  He  lived  in  Richmond 
Township,  McHenry  County,  a  number  of  years, 
later  he  became  a  resident  of  Antioch,  Lake 
County,  111.,  but  finally  removed  to  Berrien 
County,  Mich.,  where,  after  a  residence  of  four- 
teen years,  he  died,  aged  eighty-three  years. 
His  children  were:  Elizabeth,  John,  Susan, 
Sarah,  Caroline,  Ellen,  Benjamin,  Frances. 
Mariah,  Charles,  Octavia,  Guy  and  Melissa — all 
of  whom  grew  up  to  be  respected  citizens. 
Benjamin  served  as  a  soldier  during  the  Mexi- 
can War,  and  died  on  his  way  home  at  Cov- 
ington, Ky. 

Octavia  A.  Williams,  now  Mrs.  Reed,  was 
born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  July  28, 
1836,  and  was  nearly  thirteen  years  old  when 
her  father  came  to  Lake  County,  Mich.  She 
married  Ebenezer  Widger  Otis  three  months 
before  she  had  reached  her  thirteenth  year, 
and  they  settled  on  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in 
Antioch  Township,  Lake  County,  and  here  the 
following  named  children  were  born:  Benja- 
min C,  Mary  J.,  Betsy  E.,  Sarah  Amanda, 
Charles  W.,  Wiliam  R.,  Emma  J.  and  Eben- 
ezer W.,  and  here  Mr.  Otis  died,  aged  seventy- 
one  years.  Soon  after  the  Civil  War,  Mrs.  Reed 
(then  Mrs.  Otis)  went  to  Texas,  where  she  was 
for  fifteen  years  a  trained  nurse,  during  that 
time  traveling  extensively  over  the  State  and 


having  many  remarkable  experiences.     In  the 
meantime  she  saved   considerable  money. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  now  reside  in  Harvard, 
McHenry  County,  where  they  have  a  good 
property. 


WILLIAM    S.    ROSS. 

William  Swain  Ross,  a  pioneer  farmer  of 
Coral  Township,  has  proved  himself  a  man  of 
business  capacity  and  energy,  and  has  figured 
prominently  in  the  public  affairs  of  his  locality. 
His  intelligence,  industry  and  thrift — traits 
which  have  thus  brought  him  to  the  front — he 
has  undoubtedly  inherited  from  his  well-bred 
and  sturdy  Scotch  ancestors. 

The  family  was  a  noted  one  in  Scotland  and 
had  a  coat  of  arms,  inscribed  with  the  motto, 
"I  abide  my  time."  Representatives  of  the 
family  in  this  country  have  been  numerous,  and 
have  intermarried  extensively,  but  have  always 
been  a  healthy,  vigorous  race.  The  particular 
branch  with  which  we  have  to  deal  is  descended 
from  one  of  four  children,  the  sons  being 
George,  William  and  John,  who  came  from 
Scotland  to  America  at  an  early  date.  Mar- 
garet, a  daughter,  who  remained  in  Douglas 
Balniel,  Scotland,  married  James  Dalrymple, 
Lord  Viscount  Stair,  and  she  numbered  among 
her  grandchildren  the  famous  leader  of  the 
Commonwealth,  Oliver  Cromwell.  Her  daugh- 
ter, Janet,  who  was  at  one  time  engaged  to 
Lord  Edgar  Rutherford,  the  third,  of  Ravens- 
wood,  eventually  married  David  Dunbar,  a  bar- 
onet, of  Baldoon. 

William  Ross,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
three  brothers  mentioned  above,  and  great- 
grandfather of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  S. 
Ross,  was  a  pioneer  settler  of  Monroe  County, 
N.  Y.  Shortly  after  the  American  Revolution 
he  moved  by  ox-team  to  Penfield,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  settled  upon  a  tract  of  wild  land  and  began 
to  make  improvements.  This  place  he  event- 
ually converted  into  one  of  the  most  productive 
farms  in  that  vicinity,  where  he  became  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens.  He  died  in  Penfield 
and  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  there,  where, 
during  the  past  century,  nearly  two  hundred  of 
his  kinsmen  have  been  interred.  In  early  man- 
hood Mr.  Ross  married  Sarah  Coon,  and  they 
had  eight  children:  Samuel,  the  maternal 
grandfather  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  S. 
Ross;  William,  the     paternal     grandfather    of 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


963 


Mrs.  William  S.  Ross;  Nathan,  Thomas, 
Charles,  Benjamin,  Sallie,  who  married  Samuel 
Primer;  Abigail,  who  married  a  Mr.  Worthing- 
ton,  and  Libbeus,  who  is   mentioned  below. 

Libbeus  Ross,  grandfather  of  William  S. 
Ross,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  prob- 
ably born  in  Rhode  Island.  While  a  young  man 
he  married  and  became  the  father  of  eleven 
children:  William  C,  born  in  Preston,  R.  I., 
July  1,  1785;  Peleg,  born  in  New  Marlborough, 
Mass.,  Sept.  25,  1787;  Deborah,  born  Jan.  1, 
1788;  Abigail,  born  in  Sheffield,  Mass.,  Aug.  4, 
1789;  Libbeus,  born  Jan.  22,  1782;  Rhoda,  born 
Aug.  11,  1793;  Thaddeus,  born  March  10,  1796; 
Justus,  born  Oct.  22,  1797;  Hannah,  born  Aug. 
18,  1801.  Some  years  after  marriage  Mr.  Ross 
moved  by  ox-team  to  Penfield,  Monroe  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  settled  upon  a  tract  of  timber 
land  and  began  making  improvements.  Energy 
and  good  management  enabled  him  in  time  to 
convert  the  wild  tract  into  well-tilled  fields, 
and  he  in  time  became  one  of  the  prosperous 
farmers  of  that  locality.  He  died  at  Penfield 
aged  about  seventy-five  years. 

Thaddeus  Ross,  the  father  of  William  S. 
Ross,  was  born  at  Sheffield,  Mass.,  March  10, 
1796,  and  in  early  boyhood  moved  with  his  par- 
ents to  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.  Reared  to  farm 
work,  upon  reaching  manhood,  he  naturally 
chose  that  occupation,  and  for  the  most  part  he 
followed  it  with  marked  success  throughout  his 
active  career.  When  a  young  man  he  married 
Catherine  Ross,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Abi- 
gail (Rock)  Ross,  but  died  at  the  early  age  of 
thirty-three  years.  After  his  death  his  widow 
married  George  Maulson,  an  Englishman  ana 
carpenter  by  trade,  and  they  moved  to  Penn- 
sylvania, locating  near  Girard.  Later,  having 
returned  to  New  York,  they  settled  upon  a  farm 
in  Chautauqua  County,  and  from  there,  in 
1843,  moved  to  Coral  Township,  McHenry 
County,  111.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thaddeus  Ross 
were  born  four  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
maturity:  Alice,  George,  Hannah  and  William. 
By  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Maulson  the  mother  of 
these  had  three  more  children,  who  also  grew 
to  maturity:  John,  Polly  and  Nancy.  Mrs. 
Maulson  finally  died  at  Marengo  aged  seventy- 
five  years.  Mr.  Ross  was  a  man  of  ability  and 
marked  force  of  character.  He  was  popular 
and  his  word  carried  weight  in  local  affairs. 

William  Swain  Ross  was  born  in  Penfield,  N. 
Y.,  July   21,   1828,   and   was   only   about   eight 


months  old  when  his  father  died.  From  the  age 
of  three  to  six  he  resided  with  his  parents 
near  Girard,  Penn.,  and  from  six  to  fourteen 
in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where,  in  the 
schools  of  his  neighborhood,  he  obtained  his 
early  education.  At  the  end  of  this  period, 
in  1843,  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  a  farm 
in  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where 
he  grew  to  manhood.  By  assisting  his  step- 
father he  early  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  as  a  youth  he  followed  with  success  for 
some  time.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  years 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  after  marriage  he 
purchased  an  80-acre  tract  of  land  in  Coral 
Township,  where  he  settled  and  followed  this 
occupation.  Here  he  remained  for  about  eleven 
years,  during  which  time  he  put  the  farm  under 
good  cultivation,  adding  to  its  area  until  it  em- 
braced 120  acres,  erecting  good  buildings.  At 
the  end  of  this  period  he  moved  to  Coral  and 
resumed  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  Filling 
many  large  contracts,  he  remained  in  this  sec- 
tion for  about  eleven  years,  and,  then,  in  1873, 
moved  to  his  present  84-acre  farm  in  Coral 
Township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  This 
farm  he  has  improved  by  erecting  good  build- 
ings, and  now  has  one  of  the  pleasantest  rural 
homes  in  his  locality. 

In  Belvidere,  111.,  July  22,  1850,  Mr.  Ross  mar- 
ried Harriet  Adelia  Ross,  a  cousin,  who  was 
born  at  Penfield,  N.  Y,  Dec.  22,  1827,  the 
daughter  of  John  M.  and  Paulina  (Ross)  Ross. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  S.  Ross  have  been 
born  five  children:  Emily  Jane,  born  June  24, 
1851;  William  Alonzo,  born  Feb.  9,  1853; 
George  Alfonzo,  born  Jan.  15,  1856;  Lee  D., 
born  Oct.  15,  1858;  and  one  son  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

Emily  Jane  married  George  B.  Hovey,  and 
they  reside  on  the  home  farm,  having  two  chil- 
dren: Edmund  L.,  who  married  Essie  Harvey 
of  Capron,  111.,  and  has  two  children — Nellie 
and  George — and  May  A.,  who  married  Prof.  F. 
C.  Prowdley,  Superintendent  of  Schools  at 
Nashville,  Washington  County,  111.,  and  they 
have  one  child,  George  H. 

William  Alonzo  married  Retta  Drake,  and 
they  live  on  the  Ross  farm,  which  they  have 
purchased. 

George  Alfonzo  is  a  resident  of  Coral,  mar. 
ried  Emma  Hughes,  and,  after  her  death,  Nellie 
Morse. 


964 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Lee  D.  married  Hattie  Parker,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Cora,  Flora  and  Leora. 

Mr.  Ross  is  a  man  of  marked  force  of  char- 
acter, not  afraid  to  speak  his  mind,  and  his 
word  carries  weight  in  his1  community.  For 
four  years  he  served  as  Postmaster,  and  has 
also"  been  a  member  of  the  School  Board.  He 
is  a  man  of  high  moral  principle,  true  to  his 
convictions  and  an  earnest  advocate  of  tem- 
perance. Politically  he  is  a  strong  Democrat. 
Mrs.  Ross  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
For  large-hearted,  old-time  hospitality  the  fam- 
ily are  widely  known,  and  have  many  warm 
friends  throughout  the  country. 

William  Ross,  son  of  the  first  William  Ross 
who  represented  this  family  in  America,  was 
the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  William  iS.  Ross. 
He  married  Sarah  Manchester  of  English  par- 
entage, and  they  had  seven  children:  Sallie, 
Nancy,  William,  Naphthalia,  Patience,  Laura, 
Rebecca  and  Hannah.  Their  father  settled  in 
Penfield,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation for  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He 
died  in  Penfield. 

John  M.  Ross,  the  father  of  Mrs.  William 
S.  Ross,  was  born  in  Cherry  Valley,  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y.,  April  3,  1797.  He  was  reared 
to  life  as  a  farmer,  and  in  early  manhood  mar- 
ried Paulina  Ross,  and  they  had  two  children: 
Jane  and  Harriet.  After  marriage  Mr.  Ross 
settled  in  Penfield,  where  he  resided  for  some 
time,  but  in  1835  removed  to  Chautauqua 
County,  where  he  located  upon  a  new  farm 
which  he  managed  for  fourteen  years.  In  Oct- 
ober, 1851,  he  came  to  Coral  Township,  McHen- 
ry  County,  111.,  where  he  afterward  made  his 
home,  and  where  he  died  in  1876.  His  wife, 
who  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  died  in  March,  1880. 

Samuel  Ross,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  S.  Ross,  and  oldest 
son  of  the  first  American  William  Ross,  was 
born  in  Massachusetts,  but  resided  at  different 
times  in  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  and  at  Ber- 
gen in  the  same  State.  He  later  moved  to 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared  up 
a  farm.  He  passed  his  last  days  with  his  son 
Samuel,  a  farmer,  near  Mammoth  Cave,  Ky.. 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 
He  married  his  cousin,  Abigail  Rock,  daughter 
of  Captain  John  Rock,  an  Irish  sea  captain  and 
a    man    of   considerable   wealth,   who    married 


Annie  Ross,  a  sister  of  the  original  William. 
To  Samuel  and  Abigail  (Rock)  Ross  were  born 
five  children:  Samuel,  whose  wife  died  at  the 
h6me  of  Wiliam  S.  Ross  in  her  seventy-fourth 
year;  Sallie,  Catherine,  Nancy,  Paulina,  John 
and  William. 


ROBINSON    FAMILY  GENEALOGY. 

William  Robinson  came  from  England  and 
settled  at  Dorchester,  Mass.,  in  1636.  The  line 
of  descent  to  David  W.  Robinson  is  as  follows: 

1.  William,  the  founder  of  this  branch  of 
the  Robinson  family  in  America 

2.  His  son,  Increase,  Sr. 

3.  Increase,  Jr. 

4.  His  son,  George,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Cobb,  daughter  of  Capt.  Thomas  Cobb,  who 
at  one  time  lived  at  Attleborough,  Mass  ,  and 
was  largely  interested  in  the  manufacture  of 
iron. 

Capt.  Cobb,  in  his  will,  left  his  deceased 
daughter's  children  six  hundred  pounds.  His 
son,  Gen.  David  Cobb,  was  an  aid  to  Gen. 
Washington.  Sarah,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
captain,  married  Robert  Treat  Paine,  signer  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

George  and  Elizabeth  (Cobb)  Robinson  were 
the  parents  of  George,  Sylvia  and  Mary. 

Captain  Nathaniel,  son  of  George  and  Eliza- 
beth Robinson,  was  born  May  12,  1752,  in  Taun- 
ton, Bristol  County,  Mass.  He  married  at  At- 
tleborough, Mass.,  April  13,  1775,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Woodcock  of  Attle- 
borough. Their  children,  all  born  in  Attle- 
borough, were:  (1)  Jonathan,  born  April  28, 
1776;  (2)  Polly,  born  April  1,  1778:  (3)  David, 
born  Nov.  4,  1780;  (4)  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  born  Jan. 
13,  1783;  C5)  George,  born  May  4.  1784;  (6) 
Hannah,  born  Jan.  27,  1786;  (7)  William,  born 
Nov.  24,  1787. 

Their  deaths  occurred  as  follows:  Nathan- 
iel, Sept.  29,  1841;  Hannah  (his  wife),  March 
31,  1845;  Jonathan  (son),  March  12,  1862;  Polly 
(daughter),  January,  1849;  David,  February, 
1828;  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  Jan.  6,  1864;  George,  Jan. 
24,  1786;  Hannah,  Aug.  16,  1862;  William, 
March  10,  1863. 

Captain  Nathaniel  Robinson  was  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier  and  took  an  early  and  efficient 
part  in  the  struggle  for  American  inde- 
pendence. Throughout  his  long  life  he  mani- 
fested a  great  interest  in  all  political  affairs. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


96? 


He  attended  the  Freeman's  meetings  during  the 
last  month  of  his  life.  He  died  at  Pawlet,  Vt., 
Sept.  29,  1841,  in  the  ninetieth  year  of  his  age, 
leaving  a  widow  a  few  years  older  than  him- 
self, with  whom  he  had  lived  more  than  sixty- 
six  years.  His  living  descendants  at  the  time 
of  his  death  were  five  children,  twenty-nine 
grandchildren  and  thirteen  great-grandchildren. 
He  was  the  grandfather  of  David  W.  Robinson, 
whose  sketch  is  given  below. 


DAVID    WILMARTH    ROBINSON. 

The  Robinson  family  is  of  old  colonial  stock 
of  English  Puritan  descent.  David  Robinson, 
the  father  of  David  W.  Robinson,  was  the  son 
of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Robinson,  a  Revolutionary 
patriot  who  fought  under  Washington,  and  was 
at  Valley  Forge  during  the  fearful  suffering 
of  the  winter  of  1777-78.  He  was  born  April, 
1752,  and  died  in  September,  1841.  David  Rob- 
inson was  the  father  of  the  following  named 
children:  Abbott,  Benjamin,  Hollis,  Thomas, 
Mary  Ann,  Jane,  Julia,  Henry,  David  W.,  Den- 
gil  and  Bradford. 

David  W.  Robinson,  son  of  David,  and  grand- 
son of  Nathaniel,  was  born  June  23,  1807,  at 
Attleboro,  Mass.  He  received  a  good  common 
school  education,  and,  when  a  young  man,  trav- 
eled for  a  woolen  cloth  manufactory.  He  mar- 
ried Sept.  14,  1834,  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Maria  N. 
Clapp,  and  they  settled  in  Pawlet,  Vt.,  where 
Mr.  Robinson  was  engaged  in  various  business 
enterprises.  Three  of  his  brothers,  Dengil, 
Benjamin  and  Hollis,  came  to  McHenry  Coun- 
ty and  settled  near  Crystal  Lake,  where  they 
became  substantial  farmers.  Thus  David  W. 
Robinson  became  interested  in  McHenry  Coun- 
ty farming  land  and  purchased  considerable 
property.  In  1865  Mr.  Robinson  moved  with  his 
family  to  Woodstock,  where  his  daughter  Mary 
had  previously  settled  with  her  husband,  Judge 
M.  L.  Joslyn.  Mr.  Robinson  then  directed  his 
attention  to  his  farming  interests  and  invested 
extensively  in  Woodstock  real  estate,  becoming 
the  owner  of  much  property  on  the  east  side 
of  the  public  square  and  of  Main  Street.  He 
was  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Woodstock 
and  while  he  was  a  prompt  business  man,  he 
often  performed  acts  of  kindness  to  those  in 
need,  which  never  came  to  public  notice.  In 
bis  family  he  was  lavish  with  his  love  and 
affection  and  idolized  his  grandsons  as  his  own 


children,  liberally  bestowing  upon  them  the 
blessings  of  his  wealth. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  a  lover  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice, and  not  only  practiced  those  virtues  him- 
self, but  instilled  into  the  minds  of  his  descend- 
ants these  fundamental  doctrines  and  taught 
them  to  love  honesty  and  virtue.  Throughout 
his  long  life  he  was  simple  and  frugal  in  his 
babits  and  self-sacrificing  to  an  unusual  de- 
gree. He  prospered  by  his  industry,  enter- 
prise and  sagacity  as  a  business  man,  and  ac- 
cumulated his  large  property  by  honest  meth- 
ods. At  his  death  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
leaving  his  family  an  assured  income,  and  the 
precious  heritage  of  an  untarnished  name.  He 
was  singularly  independent  in  his  character 
and  accustonjed  to  depend  upon  himself  on  all 
occasions.  He  was  broad  and  liberal  in  his  re- 
ligious views  and  political  opinions,  and,  in 
later  life,  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  the  Union  cause.  He  died  in 
Woodstock  Nov.  7,  1890.  He  and  his  devoted 
■wife  were  the  parents  of  three  daughters:  Mrs. 
M.  L.  Joslyn,  Mrs.  George  W.  Newell  of  Fari- 
bault, Minn.,  and  Mrs.  B.  W.  Dike.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Robinson  had  two  grandsons,  David  R. 
and  Marcellus  Joslyn. 

The  following  tribute  to  his  memory  is  from 
the  pen  of  his  grandson  Marcellus: 


Seventh   of   November. 

The  old  man  is  dead — 
He  has  breathed  out  his  last, 

And  the  bounds  of  that 

Mystical  country  are  passed. 

And  many  a   time, 

As  I  sit  in  my  chair, 
I   dream  of  the  things 

That  are  happening  there. 

I  see  the  dear  man, 

With  his  cane  in  his  hand, 
Walk  down   with   firm   step 

To  the  edge  of  life's  strand. 

And   then  I   tear  down 

With  my  faith-strengthened  hands, 
The  veil  that  ne'er  mind 

Without   pity    commands. 

And  there,  in  the  light 

Of   Eternity's   sun, 
He  stands  by  the  side 

Of  the  Crucified  One. 


966 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


His  soul   has  been  dipped 

In  that  wonderful   spring. 
Which  maketh  a  man 

To  be  more  than  a  king. 

He   had   little  faith, 

But  the  right  path  he  trod, 

And  thus,  unaware, 

Did  he  worship  his  God. 

M. 

His  wife,  Maria  (Clapp)  Robinson,  was  born 
in  Malta,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  8,  1817.  Many  years  of 
her  life  were  spent  in  Woodstock,  where  those 
who  knew  her  esteemed  it  a  privilege  to  be 
called  her  friend.  On  account  of  feeble  health 
in  later  life,  her  sphere  was  confined  to  the 
home  circle,  where  she  fulfilled  the  mission  of  a 
true  woman  to  make  life  beautiful  for  her  dear 
ones,  but  many  others  treasure  a  thought  of 
her  kindness  and  sweetness.  It  might  have 
been  said  of  her: 

"She  doeth  little  kindnesses 
Which  most  leave  undone  or  despise; 

For  naught  that  sets  one  heart  at  ease, 
And  gives  it  happiness  or  peace, 

Is  low-esteemed  in  her  eyes." 

A  lonely  heart  invited  her  ready  sympathy, 
and  to  all  the  dim  spots  in  other  lives,  she  would 
fain  have  sent  a  ray  of  sunshine. 

In    Memoriam. 


"A   pure   soul    beamed 
On  a  stormy  world, 

Nor  knew  of  the  depths 
Where  passion  whirled; 
A!  soul  that  was  simple, 
And  brave  and  true; 

A  soul  that  was  clear 
As  a  drop  of  dew." 


M. 


PETER    SENGER. 

Peter  Senger,  of  Woodstock,  is  the  surviv- 
ing member  of  an  Alsatian  family  who  came  to 
Greenwood  Township,  McHenry  County,  at  an 
early  day  and  settled  in  Queen  Anne  Prairie. 
Mr.  Senger  was  born  at  the  village  of  Drachen- 
brunn,  Canton  of  Sultz,  Providence  of  Alsace, 
then  of  France  (now  of  Germany),  Dec.  28, 
1834,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Magdalena  (Neih- 
ard)  Senger.  His  father,  Jacob,  was  the  son  of 
Henry  Senger,  a  farmer  of  Alsace,  where  the 
family  had  lived  for  many  generations.  In- 
deed they  are  believed  to  have  been  natives  of 
that  region  for  several  centuries.     The  child- 


ren of  Henry  Senger  were:  Jacob;  Charlotte, 
who  married  a  man  named  Sondericker;  Eva 
S.,  who  married  Lawrence  Williamson;  Mar- 
garet, who  married  a  Mr.  Schank,  and  a  son 
named  Henry,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Na- 
poleonic wars,  and  is  believed  to  have  perished 
in  the  retreat  from  Moscow  during  the  winter 
in  which  thousands  of  soldiers  lost  their  lives. 

There  is  a  tradition,  however,  that  he  es- 
caped to  Norway,  and  thenoe  to  America, 
where  he  became  the  head  of  another  branch 
of  the  family,  who  also  trace  their  lineage  to 
Alsace. 

Jacob  Senger,  the  father  of  Peter,  was  born 
on  the  family  homestead  in  Alsace,  about  1807. 
The  family  records  having  been  destroyed  by 
fire,  dates  cannot  be  given  with  absolute  cer- 
tainty. Jacob  received  an  ordinary  education 
in  the  German  language.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  business  ability,  who  engaged  in 
trading  from  village  to  village.  Jacob,  how- 
ever, became  a  well-to-do  citizen  and  owned 
his  own  home  in  Drachenbrunn,  besides  sev- 
eral small  parcels  of  land  in  different  localities 
— probably  the  result  of  divisions  of  estates 
from  one  generation  to  another.  He  married 
in  his  native  village  Magdalena  Neihard,  who 
was  born  in  that  locality,  and  they  settled 
down  to  farming.  He  also  manufactured  large 
basket-hampers,  two  of  which  would  form  a 
body  for  a  wagon,  and  were  often  used  for  that 
purpose.  He  was  also  a  woodman  and  dealt  in 
bark  and  other  products  of  the  forests.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Catherine,  now  Mrs.  Henry  Eckert; 
Jacob  J.,  Peter,  Henry,  Michael,  and  Magda- 
lena, who  married  Milan  Fosdick,  but  is  now 
deceased.  Jacob  Senger  brought  his  family  to 
America,  embarking  at  Havre,  France,  on  a 
sailing  vessel  and  arriving  at  New  York,  June, 
1845,  coming  thence  to  Chicago  by  way  of  the 
lakes.  The  journey  from  Alsace  occupied 
ninety-six  days,  of  which  seventeen  were  spent 
in  reaching  Havre  by  wagon,  thirty-five  upon 
the  ocean  and  the  remainder  in  reaching 
McHenry  County,  the  latter  part  of  the  journey 
between-  Chicago  and  their  final  destination 
being  made  by  ox-teams.  They  were  accom- 
panied by  several  other  Alsatian  families, 
including  those  of  Peter  Fry;  Henry  Sonderick- 
er, Sr. ;  Peter  Herdklotz,  an  uncle  of  Peter  J. 
Herdklotz,  whose  name  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  volume;  besides  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Eva 
Eckert,  wife  of  Michael  Eckert,  and  Michael 
and  George  Schaaf,  who  were  unmarried — all 


/^JcZ^.  /u  £ 


7*"*- 


.... 


fl/2As4,  ^-<^&c+    Ay^L+&^<^ 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


9C7 


of  whom  settled  in  Queen  Anne  Prairie,  Mc- 
Henry  County.  Several  other  families  from 
the  same  village  in  Alsace  were  members  of 
the  party,  including  Henry  Schmidt,  who  set- 
tled in  Kishwaukee  Prairie.  Peter  J.  Herd- 
klotz  and  Jacob  Eckert  went  from  Queen  Anne 
Prairie  to  Chicago  with  teams  and  brought  the 
party  to  their  destination. 

Jacob  Senger  bought  fifty  acres  of  land  here 
at  $10  per  acre,  besides  forty  acres  of  timber 
land  at  the  Government  price  of  $1.25  per  acre. 
His  home  was  on  the  corner  opposite  where 
'Squire  Thompson  lived  many  years.  Two 
years  later  he  bought  160  acres  a  short  distance 
west,  upon  which  he  erected  a  hewed  log-house 
and  opened  a  farm.  This  house  was  afterwards 
covered  with  siding  and  made  a  good  home. 
Later  he  added  to  his  holdings,  sixty  acres  in 
Dorr  Township,  and  in  1868  erected  good  frame 
buildings  on  his  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Senger 
were  members  of  the  German  Presbyterian 
church,  and  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
church  of  that  denomination  in  Queen  Anne 
Township,  serving  for  many  years  as  ruling 
elder.  In  early  days  services  were  held  in 
barns  and  private  residences.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  in  McHenry  County  Mr,  Senger  suffered 
a  dangerous  attack  of  typhoid  fever  which 
lasted  eighteen  weeks.  He  was  frugal  and 
industrious,  and,  at  an  early  day,  threshed  his 
grain  by  tramping  it  out  with  horses  on  a 
threshing  floor,  and  carried  it  to  market  at 
Chicago,  and  later  at  Waukegan,  in  wagons. 
He  died  on  his  farm,  April  7,  1875,  aged  sixty- 
eight  years,  while  Mrs.  Senger  died  at  the  ago 
of  eighty-four. 

Peter  Senger,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
attended  school  in  Alsace  before  coming  to 
America,  and  well  remembers  his  native 
village  with  a  high  mountain  that  stood  back 
of  his  childhood  home  covered  with  vineyards 
and  fine  fruit  gardens.  The  scenery  was  pic- 
turesque, the  mountain  and  village  with  a 
clear  mountain-stream  flowing  through  the 
latter,  making  a  bright  picture.  The  location 
was  four  and  one-half  miles  from  Weisenburg. 
He  was  nine  years  old  when  his  parents  start- 
ed for  America,  and  he  has  a  vivid  recollection 
of  the  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  as  well  as 
the  journey  with  ox-teams  from  Chicago  to 
McHenry.  On  the  ocean  he  was  the  only  mem- 
ber of  the  family  that  escaped  sea-sickness. 
Arriving  in   McHenry  County  he   soon    began 


to  do  such  work  as  he  was  able,  attending 
school  but  little  as  he  had  to  work  on  the 
farm.  Mr.  George  K.  Bunker,  who  still  lives, 
was  his  teacher.  Nov.  17,  1S54,  he  was  married 
by  Justice  Strode  in  Woodstock  to  Elsie 
Dorothea  Niewerth,  with  Henry  Senger  and 
Caroline  Niewerth  as  witnesses.  She  was 
born  Feb.  10,  1836,  at  Dunkelbeck,  Hanover, 
the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Dorothea  (Vogas) 
Niewerth.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  the 
same  village,  born  about  1809,  and  her  mother 
born  Aug.  14,  1811,  at  Oberg,  Hanover. 

Henry  Niewerth  was  the  son  of  a  tailor, 
who  also  carried  on  a  farm  and  was  well-to-do. 
He  was  well  educated  and  gained  some  knowl- 
edge of  medicine  in  his  native  country,  but 
his  father  opposed  his  wish  to  become  a  physi- 
cian and  brought  him  up  a  farmer  and  tailor. 
He  and  his  wife  were  parents  of  children 
named :  Sophia,  Dorothea,  Caroline,  Wilhelmina, 
Henry,  Hannah,  Doretta  and  Charles — all  born 
in  their  parents'  native  village  in  Germany. 
All  came  to  America  with  their  parents  and 
all  are  still  living  except  Wilhelmina  and 
Caroline.  Henry  Niewerth  came  to  America 
with  his  family  in  the  fall  of  1852,  leaving 
Bremen  on  a  sailing-vessel  and  arriving  in 
New  York  after  a  voyage  of  thirty  days,  and 
going  thence  to  Buffalo.  The  following  year 
(1853)  he  and  his  family  came  to  McHenry 
County,  where  he  bought  and  improved  a  farm 
of  120  acres  on  Cold  Spring  Prairie,  four  miles 
south  of  Harvard.  Here  he  continued  to  reside 
until  1869,  when  he  removed  to  Harvard 
where  he  built  a  brewery,  which,  after  running 
several  years,  he  sold  out.  While  on  the  farm 
he  had  begun  the  practice  of  medicine,  manu- 
facturing his  own  remedies  from  recipes 
obtained  in  Germany.  He  succeeded  well, 
making  a  specialty  in  the  treatment  of  rheu- 
matism, in  which  he  acquired  considerable 
reputation.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Niewerth  were 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican.  A  brother  of 
his  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War.  He 
died  in  1881  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years, 
leaving  behind  him  a  respected  family  and  a 
reputation  for  study  integrity  of  character. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Senger 
settled  on  his  farm  which  he  had  acquired 
by  hard  work,  to  which  he  has  made  additions 
until  he  now  owns  320  acres  of  fine  farming 
land   besides   sixty  acres   of  woodland.     Upon 


968 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  estate  he  has  erected  substantial  buildings. 
Their  children  are:  Peter  H.,  Josephine  H., 
Charles  M.,  and  Otto  H.  J.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Senger  are  members  of  the  German  Presbyter- 
ian church,  and  assisted  in  establishing  the 
church  on  Queen  Anne  Prairie.  In  politics  h<? 
is  a  Republican  and  has  served  as  Road  Com- 
missioner several  years.  On  the  Senger  side 
the  family  is  of  mixed  French  and  German 
extraction,  Alsace  being  on  the  border  between 
France  and  Germany,  where  intermarri- 
ages between  the  two  nationalities  were 
frequent.  The  beauty  and  fertility  of  the 
land  of  the  Asatians  led  the  elder  Napoleon 
to  describe  it  as  "the  garden  spot  of  Europe." . 
Josephine,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter 
Senger,  married  John  P.  Zimpelmann,  who  was 
born  in  Alsace,  July  18,  1848,  the  son  of 
Philip  and  Christine  (Hart)  Zimpelmann. 
Having  lost  his  father  by  death  in  childhood, 
at  fourteen  years  of  age,  John  P.  Zimpelmann 
came  to  America  with  his  sister  Salonie,  and 
completed  the  education  which  had  been  begun 
in  his  native  land,  graduating  from  the  Wood- 
stock High  School.  After  being  employed  as 
a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Woodstock  some  years, 
he  engaged  in  business  for  himself,  first  as 
proprietor  of  a  fancy  store  and  still  later  as  a 
grocer.  Then  moving  to  Elgin,  he  was  con- 
nected for  some  years  with  a  newspaper  there 
as  one  of  the  stockholders,  but  returned  to 
Woodstock  in  1892  and  engaged  in  business 
as  a  florist,  purchasing  there  a  pleasant  home. 
He  had  four  children:  Dorothea  C,  Erma  S. 
(who  died  in  infancy),  Julia  Marguerite  and 
Leonie  E.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presby* 
terian  church,  in  politics  a  Democrat  and 
fraternally  a  Mason,  belonging  to  the  Knights 
Templar.  His  death  occurred  Sept.  20,  1899. 
Of  the  other  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter 
Senger,  Peter  H.  was  a  farmer  in  McHenry 
County,  and  married  Lizzie  Hansman,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  one  child — -Alice 
C;  Peter  H.  died  Jan.  16,  1890,  aged  thirty- 
four  years.  Two  sons— Charles  M.  and  Otto 
A.  J. — are  still  at  home. 


JAMES  R.  SAYLER. 
James  R.  Sayler,  a  pioneer  and  progressive 
farmer  of  McHenry  Township,  McHenry 
County,  was  born  December  17,  1822,  in  what 
is  now  Schuyler  (then  a  part  of  Tompkins 
Jounty,  N.  Y.),  the  son  of  Harry  and  Hannah 


Hanly  (Reynolds)  Sayler,  who  were  pioneer 
settlers  in  that  region.  The  following  facts 
regarding  the  early  history  of  this  family  are 
compiled  from  records  prepared  about  1876. 
The  early  members  of  the  Sayler  family 
were  of  mixed  Swedish  and  French  extrac- 
tion, but  in  the  next  generation  English  and 
German  blood  became  intermingled  in  their 
veins.  The  founder  of  the  family  in  America 
was  a  Swedish  sailor  (original  name  is  un- 
known), who  came  to  Newcastle,  Del.,  before 
the  American  Revolution  and  married  a 
French  lady  named  La  Rosh.  He  afterwards 
settled  at  Frederick,  Md.,  where  he  raised  a 
family  of  several  children.  One  of  these 
named  Martin  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution 
and  fought  under  General  Morgan  at  the  battle 
of  the  Cowpens  and  in  other  engagements  in 
that  war.  Henry,  another  son,  learned  the 
gunsmith  trade  at  Harrisburg,  Penn.,  where 
he  married  a  German  woman  named  Caroline 
M.  Slegl,  and  they  had  four  sons  and  one 
daughter  namely:  Jacob,  Daniel,  John,  Henry, 
Jr.,  and  Mehitabel.  Two  of  these  sons — John 
and  Daniel — were  soldiers  of  the  War  of 
1812,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Lundy's 
Lane.  In  1797  Henry  Sayler,  Sr.,  moved  with 
his  family  from  Harrisburg,  Penn.,  to  New 
York  State,  ascending  the  Susquehanna  River 
in  a  flat-boat  and  had  one  horse,  one  silver 
dollar,  and  his  gunsmith  tools.  He  first 
located  at  Painted  Post,  Steuben  County,  but 
finding  the  soil  there  less  fertile  than  he  had 
anticipated,  three  years  later  (1800)  accepted 
the  offer  of  Nathaniel  Owen  to  settle  on  a 
tract  of  fifty  acres  in  Owen's  neighborhood, 
in  the  town  of  Hector.  Here  he  pursued  his 
calling  as  a  gunsmith,  and  his  cabin  became  a 
rendezvous  for  hunters  who  came  to  have 
their  weapons  repaired,  and  he  would  fre- 
quently entertain  them  for  two  or  three  days 
at  a  time,  receiving  a  few  shillings  for  his 
work  but  nothing  for  his  hospitality.  In 
pioneer  parlance  "the  latch-string  was  always 
out.  At  one  time  an  old  Seneca  Indian  named 
Taylor  Bone  became  indebted  to  him  in  this 
way  to  the  extent  of  a  few  dollars,  and  tried 
to  get  away  without  paying  the  bill,  saying  he 
had  no  money — "me  go  way;  what  you  do?" 
"I  will  load  my  rifle,  follow  you  and  shoot 
you,"  replied  Sayler.  The  Indiana  took  out 
his  buckskin  wallet  containing  about  $20  and 
paid   the    bill.     Later   Mr.    Sayler   became    an 


6(/Us6<ji^ 


<^W    dam^    $  2^Xi 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


969 


expert  hunter  taking  his  first  lesson  from  the 
same  Indian.  On  one  occasion  he  went  to 
a  "deer-lick"  in  the  neighborhood,  to  lie  in 
wait  for  game.  He  had  been  there  only  a 
short  time,  when  a  fine  buck  making  its  ap- 
pearance, Mr.  Sayler  fired  and  brought  the 
animal  down.  In  the  excitement  following 
his  success  he  neglected  to  reload  his  rifle, 
but  standing  it  against  a  tree,  ran  to  the  deer 
to  cut  its  throat  and  make  sure  of  his  game. 
He  had  just  begun  to  skin  the  animal  when, 
to  his  great  surprise,  a  large  bear  made  its 
appearance,  growling  and  snarling  behind 
the  tree  against  which  the  gun  stood,  and  act- 
ing as  if  about  to  contest  the  hunter's  right 
to  the  game.  Mr.  Sayler's  ammunition  was 
nearly  exhausted,  there  being  only  one 
imperfect  bullet  left,  but  he  concluded  to 
fight  the  intruder.  Moving  up  slowly  towards 
his  gun — the  bear  meanwhile  growling  and 
eyeing  him  closely,  but  evidently  not  disposed 
to  make  the  first  assault,  though  holding  its 
position,  neither  advancing  or  retreating — 
he  finally  reaehed  his  weapon,  loaded  it  as 
quickly  as  possible  and,  with  deadly  aim,  sent 
a  bullet  through  the  animal's  heart.  As  the 
result  of  his  hunt  Mr,  Sayler  had  both  bear 
and  deer  meat  that  day.  The  early  settlers  of 
that  region,  in  common  with  the  Western 
pioneers,  built  their  cabins  of  logs  sloped  off 
to  a  peak,  covering  them  with  rived  and 
shaved  clapboards  held  in  place  by  a  weight- 
pole  without  nails,  making  an  open  and  some- 
times leaking  roof,  and  many  a  time  the 
sifted  snow  would  be  found  on  the  floor  in  the 
morning.  The  floors  were  made  of  puncheons 
split  from  bass-wood  trees  and  hewed  with 
broad-axe.  The  doors  were  hung  on  wooden 
hinges,  fastened,  when  closed,  with  a  wooden 
latch,  on  the  inside,  which  could  be  raised 
from  the  outside  by  means  of  a  leather  or  tow- 
string  passing  through  a  hole  in  the  door  just 
above  the  latch.  When  thought  necessary, 
as  at  night,  the  string  could  be  withdrawn  to 
the  inside  and  the  latch  served  as  a  bolt. 
Instead  of  meal  the  pioneers  often  used  corn 
reduced  to  the  form  of  hominy  by  beating  with 
a  pestle  in  a  wooden  mortar  (or  hominy- 
block),  and  this,  after  being  cooked,  was  fried 
or  eaten  with  milk,  or  sometimes  baked  as 
bread.  Their  clothing  consisted  of  home-made 
linen  from  flax  for  shirts,  with  tow  trousers 
in  summer  and   buckskin  in  winter;    for  foot 


clothing  the  moccasin  was  used,  while  in 
summer  people  went  bare-footed.  The  bear- 
skin secured  by  Mr.  Sayler  in  his  hunting  ex- 
pedition above  referred  to,  served  as  a  bed- 
covering  for  his  two  sons  for  many  years 
until  much  of  the  hair  was  worn  off.  The 
Sayler  children  never  had  any  clothing  bought 
at  a  store  until  they  were  of  age,  and  obtained 
no  schooling  except  that  gained  at  the  fireside. 
Henry  Sayler  died  in  April,  1821,  aged  sixty- 
three  years,  and  his  wife  in  1822,  aged  fifty- 
five. 

Jacob  Sayler,  the  oldest  son  of  Henry  Sayler, 
Sr.,  moved  at  an  early  day  into  Northern 
Indiana,  where  he  raised  a  large  family  and 
his  descendants  are  scattered  through  that 
section  of  the  State.  Jacob  died  sometime 
prior  to  1876.  Daniel  Sayler,  the  second  son 
of  Henry,  Sr.,  also  moved  to  Indiana  and,  in 
1876,  was  residing  at  Rossville,  Carroll  County, 
in  that  State,  the  only  surviving  son  of  his 
father.  He  never  married,  but  made  his 
home  with  his  brother  Jacob.  He  was  a 
famous  hunter  and  took  great  delight  in  the 
use  of  firearms.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane 
under  Gen.  Winfield  Scott;  later  enlisted  in 
the  regular  army,  where  he  served  five  years. 
He  is  said  to  have  killed  forty-nine  black 
squirrels  out  of  a  total  of  fifty  shots,  which 
were  used  in  making  a  pot-pie  for  a  barn-rais- 
ing in  the  neighborhood.  This  was  on  the  old 
Owen  homestead  at  Hector,  N.  Y.  John,  the 
third  son  of  this  family,  was  well  known  to 
the  people  of  Watkins,  N.  Y.,  where  he  held 
many  prominent  positions.  He  was  born  in 
Harrisburg,  Penn.,  in  1791,  and  was  nine  years 
old  when  his  father  located  at  Hector.  In  his 
youthful  days  he  was  very  studious,  and,  when 
quite  a  young  man,  began  teaching,  his  first 
school  being  in  an'  old  log  school  house  a 
little  east  of  Mecklenburg,  N.  Y.  He  enlisted 
with  his  brother  Daniel  in  the  War  of  1812. 
After  peace  was  proclaimed  he  returned  home 
and  married  Deborah  Hanly,  the  daughter  of 
Capt.  Samuel  Hanly,  and  commenced  keeping 
house  in  one  room  of  his  father's  log-house, 
near  where  the  Owen  home  stood  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century.  In  1798,  while  still 
residing  there,  he  was  elected  to  the  New 
York  Legislature;  also  held  the  office  of  the 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  sixteen  years  in  suc- 
cession— an  evidence  of  the  public  confidence 


970 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


in  his  intelligence  and  integrity.  He  also 
served  as  Judge  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y., 
for  one  or  two  terms.  He  bought  the  farm 
where  his  father  lived,  and,  after  remaining 
there  a  number  of  years,  bought  the  farm  a 
little  west  of  Mecklenburg  where  his  son 
Henry  was  living  in  1876.  He  reared  a  family 
of  twelve  children — five  sons  and  seven 
daughters — of  whom  eight  were  living  in  1876. 
Martin,  the  oldest,  married  Harriet  Burnett, 
and  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  the  limb  of  a 
tree  in  Michigan;  Emma  married  Isaac  Ellis 
and  lived  west  of  Mecklenburg;  Catherine 
married  Marvin  Garrison,  lived  in  Michigan  in 
1876;  Susan  married  Hon.  W.  C.  Coon,  and 
lived  (1876)  in  Burdett;  John  married  Susan 
Potts,  and  afterwards  lived  in  Michigan; 
Mehitabel  died  in  1861;  Samuel  married 
Catherine  Reynolds  and,  in  1876,  was  living 
in  Michigan;  Mary  died  single  in  1857, 
and  Helen,  in  1854;  Henry  was  a  car- 
penter and  joiner  by  trade  and  married 
Emma  Reynolds,  daughter  of  Joel  Reynolds, 
and,  in  1876,  lived  on  the  homestead  west 
of  Mecklenburg;  Cornelia  married  George 
Lockwood,  from  whom  she  parted  and  after- 
wards lived  with  the  Shakers  for  a  time,  but 
still  later  was  a  traveling  lecturer  wearing 
the  nom-de-plume  of  Miss  Edna  Holmes; 
Albert  was  single  and  a  school-teacher  in 
Michigan  in  1876.  John  Sayler,  the  father  of 
this  family,  after  the  death  of  his  first  wife, 
married  Mrs.  Alvira  Wyant,  moved  to  North 
Hector  and  died  there  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
six  years.  His  first  wife  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-five. 

Henry  Sayler,  the  youngest  son  of  Henry 
Sayler,  Sr.,  referred  to  in  the  preceding  por- 
tions of  this  sketch,  located  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Lot  No.  64  in  Hector,  and  on  the 
same  farm  on  which  his  father  first  settled. 
He  first  married  Jane  Potts,  sister  of  James, 
John,  Samuel,  David,  William  and  Horace 
Potts.  James  was  the  only  surviving  son  of 
this  family  living  in  Burdett,  N.  Y.,  in  1876. 
Henry  Sayler,  Jr.,  and  wife  were  the  parents 
of  only  one  child,  Andrew  M.,  who  mar- 
ried Jane  Coddington  and  in  1876,  was 
residing  in  Chemung  County,  N.  Y.  For 
his  second  wife,  Henry,  Jr.,  married  Han- 
nah (Reynolds)  Hanly,  widow  of  Ebenezer 
Hanly  and  daughter  of  Rev.  James  Reynolds. 
They     had     five    children:     James     R.,     Jane, 


Adeline,  Charlotte,  and  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  sketch  of  James  R.  Sayler  of  this 
family  will  be  given  more  fully  hereafter. 
Charlotte  married  A.  Rumsey;  Adeline  married 
Andrew  Potts,  and  died  soon  after;  Jane 
married  Thomas  Darling,  who  shot  himself  by 
accident.  For  his  third  wife  Henry  Sayler, 
Jr.,  married  Mrs.  Ann  Holmes,  sister  of  the 
wife  of  David  Potts.  Henry  Sayler,  Jr.,  died 
on  the  home  farm  in  Hector  in  May  in  1866, 
aged  about  seventy-one  years.  Mehitabel,  the 
only  daughter  of  Henry  Sayler,  Sr.,  married 
Otis  Williams,  and  soon  afterwards  moved  to 
Virginia,  locating  near  Richmond.  They  had 
six  children,  and  she  died  prior  to  1876. 

The  following  facts  regarding  the  history  of 
Martin  Sayler,  believed  to  have  been  a  brother 
of  Henry  Sayler,  Sr.,  mentioned  earlier  in  this 
sketch,  are  obtained  from  a  different  source. 
Martin  Sayler  was  a  resident  of  Prince 
Edward  County,  Va.,  where  he  seems  to  have 
been  a  planter  possessed  of  considerable 
wealth.  In  his  will,  which  bears  date,  May 
8,  1820,  he  makes  a  number  of  bequests  with- 
out making  mention  of  his  plantation,  which 
seems  to  have  been  reserved  for  future  dispo- 
sition. Among  these  bequests  are  the  follow- 
ing: 

"I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  brother 
Henry's  son  John,  $1,500  for  the  purpose  of 
educating  his  oldest  son,  Martin. 

"I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  brother 
Henry's  son  Henry,  $1,500  for  the  purpose  of 
educating  his  oldest  son,  Andrew  Martin 
Sayler. 

"I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  nephew,  Jacob 
Sayler,  of  Tarleton  County,  State  of  Ohio, 
$1,500  for  the  purpose  of  educating  his  son 
Martin,  and  I  desire  him  to  come  and  take  my 
negro  woman,  Nelly,  and  her  son  Tonah,  and 
conduct  them  into  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  be  as 
a  guardian  to  them;  and  I  also. desire  my  exe- 
cutor, after  my  departure  from  this  life,  to 
take  charge  of  the  said  Nelly  and  her  son 
until  such  time  as  he,  the  said  nephew  Jacob, 
shall  come  and  taks  them  into  custody.  The 
■remainder  of  my  slaves  I  shall  hereafter  con- 
sider and  direct  for  their  disposal,  excepting 
Zilphia  and  her  youngest  child.  I  desire  her 
and  her  youngest  child  to  be  sold  to  whomso- 
ever she  may  wish,  for  any  price  whatever." 

Martin  Sayler,  the  devisor,  died  March  21, 
1827. 

James  R.  Sayler,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  raised  on  a  farm  and,  after 
receiving  a  common  school  education,  came  to 
Illinois  in     1847,  making     the     trip     from  his 


Mc  HENRY      COUNTY. 


971 


native  State  of  New  York,  by  way  of  the  lakes 
to  Chicago  and  thence  by  land  conveyance  by 
way  of  Waukegan  to  McHenry  County,  where 
he  arrived  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  He 
lived  for  a  time  with  Alexander  H.  Hanly  and, 
in  1850,  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  where 
he  spent  three  years  in  the  gold-mining  region. 
He  was  located  for  a  considerable  time  at 
Dogtown,  in  Mariposa  County,  where  he 
conducted  a  trading  post,  doing  an  extensive 
business  and  making  a  large  amount  of  money. 
Returning  to  McHenry  County  in  1852,  he 
bought  200  acres  of  land,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. On  Nov.  6,  1853,  he  married  Melissa  W. 
Sherman,  the  daughter  of  Benson  and  Wealthy 
(Gates)  Sherman,  of  McHenry  Township. 
Their  children  are:  James  Henry,  born  Sept. 
11,  1854;  Alma  Augusta,  born  March  28,  1856; 
Ella,  born  Dec.  12,  1857;  and  Daniel  E.,  born 
Nov.  4,  1859.  Mrs.  Sayler  having  died,  he 
married  on  March  12,  1862,  for  his  second 
wife,  Jane  Potts,  of  Reynoldsville,  Schuyler 
County,  N.  Y.,  who  was  born  Nov.  11,  1830, 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Loomis) 
Potts.  The  father  was  of  Irish  ana  the  mother 
of  mixed  French  and  German  descent.  The 
Potts  family  were  early  settlers  of  Lewistown, 
Penn.,  and  the  Loomises  from  New  Jersey. 
Mr.  Sayler  remained  on  his  farm,  to  which  he 
made  additions  until  he  was  the  owner  of  740 
acres  of  land.  He  then  removed  to  his  present 
homestead,  upon  which  he  made  improvements 
and  erected  substantial  farm  buildings.  At  the 
time  of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Sayler  to  Miss 
Potts  his  youngest  child  was  less  than  two 
years  old  and  his  oldest  a  boy  of  six  years. 
Mrs.  Sayler  brought  up  the  children  with  the 
greatest  care  and  affection  as  if  they  were  her 
own.  By  his  second  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sayler  have  one  son:  William  Andrew,  born 
Jan.  11,  1864.  James  Henry,  the  oldest  child, 
died  Nov.  6,  1863.  Alma  Augusta  married  Sept. 
23,  1875,  George  Thomas,  a  farmer  of  McHenry 
Township,  and  their  children  are:  Callie,  Ray, 
and  Ella  Melissa.  Ella  married  Edward  H. 
Smith,  son  of  John  W.  Smith,  and  their  child- 
ren are:  Sayler  E.  and  Clara.  Edward  Daniel 
married  Mary  Colby,  and  is  a  farmer  of 
McHenry  Township.  Their  children  are: 
Mabel,  Laura,  Edna,  Pearl,  Eveline,  Florence 
and  Olive.  William  Andrew  married  Belle 
Colby,  is  a  farmer  of  McHenry  Township,  and 
they  have   two   children:     James   Newell   and 


Frank  W.  Mrs.  James  R.  Sayler  is  a  member 
of  the  Congregational  church,  and  politically 
Mr.  Sayler  is  a  Republican.  As  shown  by  his 
marked  success  in  business  life,  Mr.  Sayler  i3 
a  progressive  citizen  who,  with  the  aid  of  his 
intelligent  and  industrious  wife,  has  raised  an 
excellent  and  well-educated  family. 

The  following  record  of  members  of  the 
Potts  family,  to  which  Mrs.  James  R.  Sayler 
belongs,  will  be  of  interest  in  this  connection: 
Andrew  Potts,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Sayler, 
was  born  in  County  Down,  Ireland,  was  a 
wealthy  man,  came  to  America  and  settled  in 
Lewistown,  Penn.  He  then  removed  to  Tomp- 
kins, N.  Y.,  where  he  bought  a  section  of  land 
from  the  Government.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  died  at  Hector, 
N.  Y.,  at  the  age  of  over  eighty  years.  His  son 
William,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Sayler,  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  received  a  superior  education 
for  that  period,  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  sev- 
eral languages.  He  studied  law,  but  adopted 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  married  in 
Schuyler  County,  N.  Y.,  Mary  Loomis,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Ann  (Kerhart)  Loomis,  former- 
ly of  New  Jersey,  and  they  became  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Andrew  A., 
John  (who  died  in  infancy),  Susan  P.,  Jane 
(who  became  Mrs.  Sayler),  Sarah  A.,  Eliza 
E.,  Ella  and  George.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Potts  were 
Presbyterians — the  Loomises  were  of  German 
descent  and  the  Kerharts  mixed  French  and 
German — the  latter,  a  wealthy  family  of  New 
Jersey.  The  following  is  a  record  of  births 
and  deaths  of  the  Potts  family:  William  Potts 
was  born  Jan.  17,  1779,  died  April  19,  1849; 
Mary  (Loomis)  Potts,  his  wife,  was  born  April 
13,  1805,  died  July  31,  1888.  Of  the  children  of 
William  and  Mary  Potts,  Andrew  Alexander 
was  born  Aug.  2,  1825,  died  Oct.  1,  1854;  John, 
born  Nov.  1,  1826,  died  May  8, 1827;  David,  born 
November,  1835,  died  in  infancy;  George  Wil- 
liam, born  March  1,  1837,  died  Oct.  12,  1841; 
Eliza  Elsa,  born  Feb.  27,  1839,  died  Nov.  1, 
1854;  Ella  Flavilla,  born  Dec.  10,  1844,  died 
Sept.  19,  1850.  An  obituary  of  Mrs.  Mary 
(Loomis)  Potts,  published  about  the  time  of 
her  death  at  Reynoldsville,  N.  Y.,  as  stated  in 
the  preceding  record,  July  31,  1888,  at  the  age 
of  more  than  eighty-three  years,  contains  the 
following: 

"The  deceased,  despite  her  great  age,  main- 
tained her  mental  poise  until  her  last  sickness, 


972 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


which  was  of  only  two  days'  duration.  She 
leaves  three  daughters,  viz.:  Sarah,  who  lived 
at  the  homestead;  Susan,  wife  of  John  Sayler, 
a  resident  of  Michigan;  and  Jane,  wife  of 
James  R.  Sayler  of  McHenry.  Her  life  was 
that  of  a  Christian  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
and  her  death  is  the  cause  of  deep  sorrow  in 
the  community  where  her  life  was  passed." 


ROBERT   P.   SIMMONS,    M.   D. 

Robert  Plunkett  Simmons,  M.  D.  (deceased), 
an  early  settler  and  former  physician  of  Dorr 
Township,  McHenry  County,  was  born  in 
Shippensburg,  Penn.,  April  3,  1794,  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Margaret  (Plunkett)  Simmons. 
Samuel  Simmons  was  a  native  of  Lycoming 
County,  Penn.,  born  at  Pine  Creek,  where  he 
became  a  farmer  and  owned  a  farm  of  200 
acres.  He  married  Margaret  Plunkett,  and 
they  had  five  children:  Susan  Ann,  Elizabeth, 
Samuel,  Thomas  and  Robert  P.  The  father 
died  on  his  farm  in  Lycoming  County.  The 
Simmonses  were  an  old  Pennsylvania  family 
and  the  Plunketts  were  from  Ireland. 

Dr.  Simmons  received  his  education  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  graduating  from 
the  medical  department  of  that  institution  in 
1825,  and  began  practice  at  Armaugh,  Penn. 
Afterwards  he  practiced  for  a  time  at  Blairs- 
ville,  in  the  same  State  and,  still  later,  at 
Canton,  Ohio.  He  then  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
where  he  remained  seventeen  years,  and  where 
he  gained  a  wide  popularity.  In  1842  he  was 
appointed  Physician  for  the  United  States  Ma- 
rine Hospital,  and,  in  1850,  was  honored  by  his 
associates  in  the  profession  by  election  as 
President  of  the  Miedical  Society  of  that  city. 
He  was  also  connected  for  a  time  with  the  St. 
Louis  County  Hospital.  Up  to  this  time  his 
medical  practice  had  extended  over  a  period  of 
twenty-five  years. 

Dr.  Simmons  was  married,  on  Jan.  2, 
1851,  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  to  Ellen 
Wyatt  Shallcross,  who  was  born  in  Oldham 
County,  Ky.,  on  the  Ohio  River,  sixteen  miles 
above  Louisville.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Capt.  Stephen  and  Eliza  (McGruder)  Shall- 
cross. Captain  Shallcross  was  a  native  of 
Manchester,  Eng.,  who  came  to  America  with 
relatives  when  about  fourteen  years  of  age. 
He  married  in  Louisville,  Eliza  McGruder,  who 
was  of  Scotch  descent.  He  became  the  cap- 
tain of  a  steamboat  on  the  Mississippi  River, 
but  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  at  Grand 


Gulf,  Miss.  His  children  were:  Mary,  Georg- 
iana  and  Ellen  W.  By  Dr.  Simmons  first 
marriage  to  Eliza  McGruder  he  had  one  son 
Robert,  who  served  as  a  soldier  during  the 
Civil  War,  and  is  now  a  prominent  Grand  Army 
man.  Having  remained  in  St.  Louis  three 
years  after  his  second  marriage,  in  the  spring 
of  1853,  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and, 
on  April  23  of  that  year,  located  on  the  farm 
which  became  his  home  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  The  land  on  which  he  settled,  he 
bought  for  $17  an  acre.  This  land  had  pre- 
viously belonged  to  his  sister,  Susan  Torbert, 
the  widow  of  Isaac  Torbert,  a  well-known 
pioneer,  who  is  remembered  by  the  early  set- 
tlers on  account  of  his  business  at  an  early 
period  as  agent  in  loaning  money  sent  him  for 
that  purpose  by  relatives.  Isaac  Torbert  left 
two  sons  named  Simmons  and  James. 

After  settlement  on  his  farm  Dr.  Simmons 
practically  retired  from  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  except  when,  as  an  act  of  personal 
friendship  and  kindness,  he  was  accustomed  to 
answer  occasional  calls  by  his  neighbors.  He 
improved  his  farm  upon  which  he  continued 
to  reside  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb. 
12,  1878,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years. 
In  political  belief  he  was  a  stanch  Jacksonian 
Democrat.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Simmons  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Winnie,  born  Sept.  1,  1854,  and  married 
Charles  A.  Salisbury;  Lulu,  born  August  18, 
1857,  married  Rudolph  Salisbury;  Thomas  and 
Samuel  McClay  (twins)  born  March  29,  1861, 
the  former  married  Martha  Oberlin.  Dr. 
Simmons  was  a  man  of  plain,  unostentatious 
manners,  and  of  marked  individuality  and 
firmness  of  character.  During  an  active  life  of 
four  score  years,  he  bore  an  exceptional  repu- 
tion,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who 
knew  him.  He  was  totally  blind  for  about  nine 
years  previous  to  his  death. 

Samuel  McClay  Simmons,  the  youngest  son 
of  Dr.  Simmons,  was  born  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Dorr  Township,  McHenry  County,  March  29, 
1861.  He  received  a  good  common-school  edu- 
cation and  became  a  practical  farmer.  On  Jan- 
uary 29,  1884,  he  was  married  at  her  father's 
home  in  Hartland  Township,  to  Alta  Pierce,  and 
they  settled  on  his  father's  homestead  in  Dorr 
Township,  where  they  remained  five  years. 
Mr.  Simmons  then  became  associated  with 
John  D.  Donovan,  in  the  agricultural  imple- 
ment business  at  Woodstock,  where  he  and  his 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


973 


family  lived  for  five  years,  when  he  returned  to 
the  home  farm,  where  they  have  since  resided. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simmons  are: 
Florence  Mary,  born  August  30,  1886;  Walter 
Pierce,  born  March  22,  1889,  and  Ellen 
Lucretia,  born  Oct.  22,  1899.  Politically  Mr. 
Simmons  is  a  Sound-money  Democrat,  and 
voted  for  Mr.  McKinley  for  the  Presidency 
both  times.  He  was  elected  Highway  Com- 
missioner for  Dorr  Township  in  1899,  and  re- 
elected in  1902,  filling  the  office  to  the  general 
satisfaction  of  the  public.  He  is  also  an  earn- 
est friend  of  good  schools,  and  has  been  School 
Director  for  three  years.  He  is  a  representa- 
tive citizen  of  recognized  worth  and  responsi- 
bility. 

Alta  Pierce,  now  Mrs.  Samuel  M.  Simmons, 
was  born  in  Hartland  Township,  McHenry 
County,  Dec.  16,  1860,  the  daughter  of  John 
S.  and  Lucretia  (Harrington)  Pierce.  Her 
father,  John  S.  Pierce,  was  of  New  England 
ancestry,  but  born  in  Lisle,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of 
Elkanah  and  Betsy  Pierce.  Elkanah  Pierce 
was  a  farmer  in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.  He  was 
twice  married  and  by  his  second  wife  had 
children  named:  John  S.,  and  Laura.  He  came 
to  Naperville,  111.,  with  his  son,  and  afterwards 
lived  with  the  latter  in  Hartland  Township, 
McHenry  County,  where  he  and  his  wife  died 
each  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  The 
daughter,  Laura,  married  Dr.  Daniels,  of 
Naperville.  The  son,  John  S.  Pierce,  attended 
the  common  schools  in  his  youth,  was  an 
attentive  reader  of  good  books,  and  thus, 
largely  by  self-improvement,  gained  a  practi- 
cal education.  In  1837  he  came  to  Illinois 
and  spent  the  next  winter  working  at  Naper- 
ville, and  then  came  to  McHenry  County  and 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Hartland 
Township,  where  he  bought  land  and  built  a 
log-cabin.  He  left  his  cabin  unfinished,  having 
neither  doors,  floors  nor  windows,  and  return- 
ing to  Naperville  found  employment  there  until 
the  following  spring,  his  parents  meanwhile 
remaining  in  the  unfinished  cabin  until  his 
return.  He  assisted  to  cut  the  timber  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Wood- 
stock. He  cleared  up  a  farm  of  160  acres  from 
the  woods,  bought  more  land  and  finally  be- 
came the  owner  of  240  acres,  upon  which  he 
erected  good  farm  buildings,  making  a 
pleasant  homestead.  By  his  industry  and 
thrift  he  became  one  of  the  substantial   citi- 


zens of  McHenry  County.  His  wife,  Lucretia, 
(Harrington)  Pierce,  was  born  in  Erie  County, 
N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  John  Harrington. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  were  the  parents  of  th9 
following  named  children:  Alta,  who  became 
Mrs.  Simmons;  Laura,  Eva,  Minnie  and  Grace. 
In  politics  Mr.  Pierce  was  a  Democrat  of 
the  Jacksonian  type.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
members  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in 
McHenry  County  and  identified  with  the 
Woodstock  Lodge.  Mrs.  Pierce  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Pierce  lived  to  be 
seventy-four  years  old,  dying  in  Woodstock, 
May  17,  1791,  while  his  widow  survived  him 
seven  years,  dying  October  27,  1898. 


MARTIN    A.    STAFFORD. 

The  Stafford  family  is  of  New  England  Pu- 
ritan ancestry,  coming  orginally  from  Stafford- 
shire, England,  and  according  to  tradition, 
founded  by  one  of  two  brothers,  John  and 
Thomas  Stafford,  who  were  sons  of  Lord  Staf- 
ford. Having  fitted  out  a  vessel  of  their  own, 
in  1688,  John  and  Thomas  Stafford  came  to 
New  England,  where  Thomas  was  married  to 
Mary  Cleveland  and  settled  at  Scituate,  R.  I., 
but  later  removed  to  Danby,  Vt.  Some  of  their 
descendants  settled  in  Plattsburg,  N.  Y. 

Rollin  Stafford,  the  first  of  whom  we  have 
authentic  record,  was  born  in  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  grew  to  maturity  and  married.  His 
son  Stutley  was  the  grandfather  of  Jonas  J. 
Stafford,  of  Harvard,  111.,  and  was  born  in 
Scituate,  R.  I.,  May  25,  1759,  being  abdttt 
eighteen  years  old  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Revolution.  After  his  marriage  he  cleared  up 
a  large  farm  at  Wallingford,  Vt.,  where  he  set- 
tled and  became  a  large  land-owner,  possessing 
at  one  time  a  whole  section.  Physically  he  was 
a  strong  man,  and  met  his  death  suddenly,  in 
Wallingford,  May  20,  1826,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven  years.  His>  wife,  Rebecca  (Doty)  Irish, 
whom  he  married  April  2,  1780,  was  born  at 
Nine  Partners,  N.  Y.,  in  1756,  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Lucretia  (Van  Scoik)  Doty,  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  Hicha  Van  Scoik,  who  came  from 
Holland  and  married  a  French  army  officer 
named  DeLong.  Rebecca  Doty  married  in  1770 
John  Irish,  a  Quaker,  who,  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  was  shot  at  his  own  door  by  a 
band  of  marauders  for  not  taking  up  arms  in 
defense  of  the  colonies.     By  this  union  there 


974 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


were  three  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stutley 
Stafford  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
viz.:  Martin,  Nancy,  Palmer,  Holden,  Ormand, 
John,  who  is  mentioned  below;  Mercy  and  Mar- 
burg. Mr.  Stafford  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  a  man  of  the 
highest  integrity. 

John  Stafford,  father  of  Jonas  J.,  was  born 
in  Wallingford,  Vt,  Sept.  4,  1798,  where  he  pro- 
cured the  ordinary  common-school  education 
afforded  for  boys  of  his  day.  February  23, 
1823,  he  married  at  Wallingford,  Conn.,  Re- 
becca Wood,  who  was  born  at  Newton,  Mass., 
May  3,  1802,  daughter  of  Jonas  Wood,  a  well- 
known  cotton  manufacturer,  who  started  life 
in  a  log  cabin,  in  Wallingford,  Vt.,  in  1800,  later 
built  one  of  the  finest  cotton  mills  on  Long 
Island,  and  finally  died  in  Massachusetts,  when 
about  seventy-seven  years  of  age.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Henry,  Lewis  and  Rebecca  (twins) 
and  Mary.  Mrs,  Stafford  died  Aug.  21,  1870, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Stafford  seven  children  were  born, 
viz.:  M'ercy,  Susan,  Albert,  Lewis,  Mary  Ann, 
Elizabeth,  and  Jonas  J.  After  marriage  Mr. 
Stafford  settled  on  the  family  homestead  at 
Wallingford,  Vt.,  which  he  greatly  improved, 
and  carried  on  farming  there  throughout  his 
active  life.  The  place  is  still  in  the  hands  of 
his  descendants.  He  was  an  honest  hard-work- 
ing man  and  realized  good  returns  from  his 
labor,  and,  being  possessed  of  the  highest  in- 
tegrity, he  won  the  respect  of  all  who  knew 
him.  He  died  Aug.  3,  1846,  at  the  age  of  forty- 
eight  years. 

Jonas  J.  Stafford  was  born  in  Wallingford, 
Vt.,  Nov.  20,  1833,  and  in  the  common  schools 
of  his  neighborhood  acquired  a  good  rudimen- 
tary education.  Preparatory  to  his  life  work, 
at  the  early  age  of  fifteen,  he  entered  a  car- 
penter's shop,  and  there  by  strict  attention  to 
business,  soon  mastered  a  practical  trade.  This 
he  afterwards  followed  for  several  years  in 
Wallingford,  meeting  with  profitable  results. 
In  September,  1857,  when  about  twenty-four 
years  old,  he  married  Helen  J.  Finn,  who  was 
born  in  Wallingford,  Vt.,  in  1840,  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Sophia  (Earl)  Finn.  Her  grand- 
father, John  Earl,  was  a  pioneer  of  Walling- 
ford, and  owned  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
State.  Mr.  Earl's  first  wife  died,  and  he  mar- 
ried his  second  wife,  Hannah  Doty,  of  Walling- 


ford, Vt.  His  children  by  the  first  marriage 
were:  George,  Phoebe,  and  Mercy  Sophia.  By 
his  second  marriage  there  was  one  daughter, 
Laura.  Helen  J.  Finn  was  brought  up  by  her 
grand-parents,  John  Earl  and  wife,  and  was 
thus  called  by  the  name  of  Earl.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jonas  J.  Stafford  had  four  children,  viz.: 
Lewis,  a  contractor,  who  is  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Chicago;  John  J.,  a  promi- 
nent business  man  of  Woodstock,  111.;  Martin 
A.,  whose  biography  is  given  further  on  in  this 
sketch,  and  Harry,  who  was  born  in  Walling- 
ford, Vt.,  Feb.  ?.,  1868,  received  a  common- 
school  education  at  Harvard,  111.,  and  there 
learned  the  carpenter's  and  machinist's  trade, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  most  skillful  pattern- 
makers in  Harvard,  being  engaged  in  the  ma- 
chine-shop with  his  brother,  Martin  A.  In  poli- 
tics he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He 
married  Mate  Christian,  of  Linn,  Wis.,  and 
they  have  two  children  named  Edwin  and 
Lewis. 

Jonas  J.  Stafford  resided  in  Wallingford,  Vt., 
for  many  years  after  his  marriage,  and  there  in 
addition  to  the  carpenter  business,  opened  a 
sash  and  door  factory,  which  he  operated  for 
many  years.  In  1869  he  closed  out  his  business 
and  moved  to  Harvard,  111.,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home,  and  as  a  skilled  carpenter  has 
worked  at  his  trade  for  many  years.  He  has 
been  for  some  time  a  stockholder  in  the  Staf- 
ford Furniture  Manufacturing  Company,  and 
his  various  enterprises  have  prospered  until  he 
is  now  a  well-to-do  citizen.  Politically  Mr. 
Stafford  was  first  a  Whig,  but  later  became  a 
Republican,  voting  for  both  John  C.  Fremont 
and  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Martin  A.  Stafford  was  born  at  Wallingford, 
Vt.,  Feb.  20,  1866,  and  reared  to  the  life  of  a 
mechanic.  He  was  only  three  years  of  age 
when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Harvard, 
111.,  where,  in  the  graded  schools  of  that  city, 
he  received  a  thorough  education,  developing 
habits  of  industry  and  accuracy  that  became 
of  much  value  to  him  in  later  life.  At  having 
learned  the  trade  of  a  mechanic,  he  secured  a 
position  as  foreman  in  the  Stafford  Furniture 
establishment  in  Harvard,  and  was  soon  en- 
abled to  purchase  stock  in  the  company,  becom- 
ing an  influential  member  of  the  firm.  Later 
in  company  with  H.  E.  Stafford,  he  opened  a 
machine-shop  and  wood-working  establishment 
in  Harvard,  in  which  he  has  made  a  specialty 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


975 


of  stair-building,  and,  being  an  expert  drafts- 
man as  well  as  architect,  his  services  have  been 
greatly  in  demand,  not  only  in  Harvard,  but 
also  in  Woodstock,  Lake  Geneva  and  Chicago. 
His  work  is  of  a  superior  order,  and  in  each 
of  these  places  he  has  built  stair-cases  in  some 
of  the  finest  dweling  houses,  displaying  much 
artistic  ability.  The  residence  of  Frank.  F. 
Axtell  and  the  mill  works  are  specimens  of  his 
handicraft.  He  drafted  the  plans  for  the  fac- 
tory of  Hunt,  Helm  &  Farris,  and  constructed 
the  buildings.  In  his  machineshop  he  has  also 
carried  on  an  extensive  business,  and  is  now 
considered  one  of  the  most  successful  manu- 
facturers in   Harvard. 

Several  years  ago  Mr.  Stafford  was  married 
in  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  to  Etta  J.  Allen, 
daughter  of  Charles  and  Eliza  (Bucklin)  Allen, 
and  they  have  one  child,  Catherine  Earl. 

Mr.  Stafford  is  a  conscientious  man,  as  well 
as  a  skillful  and  well-trained  workman,  and  he 
is  also  gifted  in  directing  affairs.  His  many 
sterling  traits  of  character  have  won  him  the 
confidence  of  the  community,  where  he  has 
many  friends.  He  stands  high  fraternally,  and 
affiliates  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  stanch  Democrat. 


EDWARD   D.   SHURTLEFF. 

Hon.  Edward  D.  Shurtleff,  prominent  lawyer 
and  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Marengo,  and  present 
Representative  from  the  Eighth  District  in  the 
State  Legislature,  is  of  English  descent  through 
a  line  of  colonial  ancestors  who  became  early 
settlers  of  Connecticut.  His  grandfather, 
David  Shurtleff,  was  a  farmer  of  old  Croydon, 
Conn.,  who  came  to  DeKalb  County  on  a  land 
hunting  expedition,  making  the  journey  to  Chi- 
cago by  the  lakes  and  the  rest  of  the  way  on 
foot.  Returning  east  for  his  family,  he 
brought  them  to  Allegan,  Mich.,  where  they 
spent  the  following  winter.  His  family  con- 
sisted of  his  wife  (who  was  a  Miss  Ruth  Knapp) 
and  eight  children;  David,  Alfred  J.,  Giles, 
Ephraim,  Mary,  Jerusha,  Laura  and  Orilla. 
Mr.  Shurtleff  soon  after  settled  on  Government 
land  in  Genoa  Township,  DeKalb  County, 
which  he  afterwards  entered  and  upon  which 
he  opened  up  a  fine  farm  of  300  acres.  He 
was  one  of  the  substantial  pioneers  of  DeKalb 
County  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  on 
this  farm,  dying  at  the  age  of  about  seventy- 


five  years.     In  his  later  life  he  was  a  Republi- 
can in  politics. 

Alfred  J.  Shurtleff,  the  second  son  of  this 
family,  was  born  Oct.  14,  1827,  at  Stanstead, 
Canada,  where  his  parents  lived  for  a  time.  He 
received  the  customary  common-school  educa- 
tion of  that  period,  and  finally  became  a 
farmer.  He  married  in  DeKalb  County,  Miss 
Lydia  Miller,  who  bore  him  one  child  named: 
Mary  E.  Mrs.  Shurtleff  having  died,  Mr.  Shurt- 
leff contracted  a  second  marriage,  this  time 
with  Miss  Mary  F.  Higby,  who  was  born  in  Es- 
sex County,  N.  Y.,  July  29,  1833,  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elihu  Higby.  Mr.  Higby  was  a 
native  of  Eastern  New  York,  where  he  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  an  iron  forger  and 
lumberman,  his  home  for  a  time  being  at 
Willsboro  on  Lake  Champlain.  His  father, 
Levi  Higby,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  of 
English  Puritan  ancestry,  who  soon  after  the 
Revolutionary  War  removed  to  the  vicinity  of 
Lake  Champlain,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  iron  and  the  lumber  trade. 
For  that  locality  and  period  he  was  a  well-to- 
do  citizen.  He  died  in  1850  over  eighty  years 
of  age.  His  son,  Elihu  Higby,  in  his  later 
years  was  a  farmer  in  Essex  County.  The 
children  of  the  latter  were:  Edward,  Charles 
B.,  Melvin,  Mary  F.,  Juliette,  Kate  and  Laura. 
The  son,  Melvin,  died  while  serving  as  a 
soldier  during  the  Civil  War. 

Mary  F.  Higby,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Alfred  J.  Shurtleff,  received  a  good  education 
for  that  day  in  the  common  schools  of  Essex 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  at  the  Essex  Academy,  and 
at  eighteen  years  of  age  began  teaching  in  her 
native  county.  In  1853  she  came  to  DeKalb 
County,  where  she  was  engaged  in  teaching 
for  two  years,  when  she  was  married  to  Mr. 
Shurtleff,  as  already  stated.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  iShurtleff  continued  to  reside  on 
his  farm  in  DeKalb  County  until  1870,  when 
they  removed  to  Marengo,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  purchased  residence  property  and 
engaged  in  the  stock,  wool  and  lumber  busi- 
ness. Here  he  continued  to  reside  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1895.  Mr.  Shurtleff 
was  a  Republican  in  politics  and  a  highly  re- 
spected citizen,  as  indicated  by  the  official 
positions  which  he  held — being  Supervisor  of 
Marengo  Township  and  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  Marengo  Village.  Fraternally 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order.     Mr. 


976 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and  Mrs.  Shurtleff  were  the  parents  of  two 
children:  Edward  D.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  a  daughter,  Kate. 

Edward  D.  Shurtleff  was  born  at  Genoa,  De- 
Kalb  County,  111.,  Sept.  19,  1863,*  and  was 
seven  years  of  age  when  his  father  removed  to 
Marengo,  McHenry  County,  which  has  since 
been  his  home.  Here  he  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  including  a  course 
in  the  high  school,  after  which  he  became  a 
student  at  Oberlin  College,  Ohio.  He  then  en- 
tered upon  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Hon.  A.  B.  Coon,  at  Marengo,  and,  in  1885,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  began  practice  at 
Watertown,  iS.  D.,  where  he  remained  until 
1888.  He  then  returned  to  Marengo  and  was 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  there  until 
1893,  when  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law. 
During  the  latter  year  he  was  elected  the  first 
Mayor  of  the  newly  incorporated  City  of  Maren- 
go, and,  during  his  administration  of  two  years, 
installed  the  new  water-works  and  municipal 
electric  lighting  plant.  In  1896,  and  again  in 
1898,  he  was  elected  Supervisor  for  Marengo 
Township,  serving  until  May,  1899.  In  1900 
Mr.  Shurtleff  was  nominated  on  the  Republican 
ticket  and  elected  Representative  in  the  Forty- 
second  General  Assembly  for  the  McHenry 
District,  was  re-elected  in  1902,  and,  during  his 
two  terms  in  that  body,  has  taken  an  influential 
rank  in  connection  with  legislative  affairs. 
Among  the  important  measures  with  which  his 
name  has  been  connected  was  the  act  intro- 
duced by  him  in  the  Forty-second  General  As- 
sembly, providing  for  the  reimbursement  of 
owners  of  cattle  slaughtered  by  order  of  the 
State  Veterenarian  to  prevent  the  spread  of 
infectious  diseases.  This  act  has  proved  a 
boon  to  many  stock-owners  who  had  previously 
been  subjected  to  heavy  loss  for  the  public 
good. 

In  1892,  Mr.  Shurtleff  was  married  at  Maren- 
go to  Elizabeth  H.  Sisson,  who  was  born  in 
Riley  Township,  McHenry  County,  March  17, 
1866,  the  daughter  of  Allen  and  Julia  (Babcock) 
Sisson,  and  they  have  had  two  children: 
Maurice  Edward,  born  Sept.  16,  1892,  and 
Helen  Elizabeth,  born  Aiug.  11,  1899.  Mr.  Sis- 
son, the  father  of  Mrs.  Shurtleff,  was  a  pioneer 
resident  of  Riley  Township  and  a  prominent 
and  influential  citizen. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Shurtleff  is  a  member  of  the 


Woodstock  Commandery  Knights  Templar  and 
of  the  Order  of  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
By  his  personal  ability,  high  integrity  and  in- 
dependence of  character,  he  has  taken  a  de- 
servedly high  position,  not  only  in  his  own 
county,  but  as  one  of  the  rising  men  of  North- 
ern Illinois. 


WILLIAM    PLUNKETT   ST.   CLAIR. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Civil  War,  and  the  son  of  a  pioneer  settler 
who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Black  Hawk  War. 
The  American  St.  Clairs  were  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry  and  settled  in  Delaware  during  the 
colonial  period,  William  H.  St.  Clair,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  having  been  born  In  Maryland 
in  August,  1788.  Being  left  an  orphan  at  an 
early  age,  he  was  brought  up  by  an  uncle  who 
was  a  farmer  and  horse-breeder  and  something 
of  a  'patron  of  the  turf."  In  this  way  the 
younger  St.  Clair  acquired  a  fondness  for  fast 
stock  and  took  an  interest  in  a  horse-race,  al- 
though never  a  racing-man  in  the  proper  sense 
of  that  term.  He  gained  a  good  education  for 
his  day,  became  a  good  penman  and  skillful  ac- 
countant, and  was  engaged  for  a  time  as  clerk 
in  a  store  in  Pennsylvania.  At  twenty-eight 
years  of  age,  he  married  Elizabeth  Simmons, 
born  in  Lycoming  County,  Penn.,  in  July,  1802, 
and  whose  ancestors  settled  in  Pennsylvania  in 
colonial  times.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  Mr. 
St.  Clair  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 
one  of  the  frontier  towns  of  Ohio,  a  few  years 
later  removing  to  Detroit,  where  he  kept  a 
"tavern."  He  became  a  soldier  in  the  Black 
Hawk  War  and,  after  its  close,  removed  in  1833 
to  Chicago,  where  he  opened  a  hotel  near  the 
corner  of  Dearborn  and  South  Water  Streets. 
This  was  probably  in  his  private  house.  A 
year  later  he  removed  to  Peoria  County,  but 
soon  returned  north  and,  in  June,  1837,  went 
to  McHenry  County,  built  a  log  house  in  Don- 
Township  near  the  present  site  of  Woodstock, 
and  settled  there  the  following  fall.  Here  he 
bought  a  claim  upon  which  Uriah  Cottle  had 
settled  in  1835.  This  was  part  of  a  tract  to 
which  Mr.  Cottle  set  up  a  claim  on  the  ground 
that  he  had  driven  a  team  of  horses  around 
it  in  one  day,  which  was  the  custom  of  the 
pioneers.  Mr.  St.  Clair  entered  240  acres  of 
land,  paying  the  Government  price  of  $1.25  per 
acre,  improved  it  and  established  upon  it  a 
good  home.     His  children  were:     Margaret  P., 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


977 


born  in  Ohio,  1822;  Susan  S.,  born  in  Ohio, 
1826;  Israel  O,  born  in  Detroit,  June  .15,  1829; 
Thomas  S.,  born  in  Detroit,  April,  1832;  Wil- 
liam P.,  born  in  Chicago,  Oct.  23,  1836;  Anna 
E.,  born  in  McHenry  County,  April,  1839; 
Robert  C,  born  1842.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  St.  Clair 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  at- 
tended the  early  meetings  held  at  the  Cottle 
home,  but  later  united  with  the  church  in  the 
"Virginia  Settlement."  Mr.  St.  Clair  was  an 
old-time  Whig,  and  died  on  his  farm  in  1849,  a 
much  respected  citizen.  Mrs.  St.  Clair  died 
at  their  home — now  the  Pingry  Hotel — Sept. 
12,  1886,  aged  eighty-four  years.  Two  sons 
became  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War — William  P. 
and  Robert  C.  The  latter  served  three  years 
in  the  Fifteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
afterwards  "veteranized"  and  wns  finally  ap- 
pointed Lieutenant  in  a  colored  regiment,  dur- 
ing his  period  of  service  participating  in  many 
battles. 

William  Plunkett  St.  Clair,  born  in  Chicago, 
Oct.  23,  1836,  when  about  six  weeks  old  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  McHenry  County,  with 
which  his  earliest  recollections  of  frontier  life 
are  associated.  At  four  years  of  age  he  be- 
came an  inmate  of  the  home  of  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Margaret  P.  Walkup,  who  had  no  children,  and 
with  whom  he  grew  up  in  what  is  now  the 
northwest  part  of  Nunda.  Between  six  and 
seven  years  old  he  began  attending  a  school  at 
Crystal  Lake  taught  by  Miss  Emily  Shephard, 
afterwards  the  wife  of  Rev.  Mr.  Joslyn,  a 
Baptist  minister — both  now  deceased.  Some 
of  his  school-mates  here  were  George  Thomp- 
son, Matthias  Butler  and  David  Salisbury. 
His  next  school  at  Crystal  Lake  was  taught  by 
a  Miss  Grimes,  when  he  had  for  fellow-pupils 
Daniel  Ellsworth,  John  and  Charlotte  Palmer, 
Louisa  Andrus  and  Joseph  Harris.  The  text- 
books included  "Colburn's  Mental  Arithmetic," 
"Thompson's  Written  Arithmetic"  and  "San- 
ders' Readers."  After  attending  school  in  the 
winter  and  working  on  the  farm  in  the  summer 
until  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  of  age,  he 
spent  two  terms  in  the  Crystal  Lake  Academy, 
obtaining  a  fair  education  which  he  has  en- 
larged by  judicious  reading  and  by  experience 
in  practical  business. 

On  January  1,  1857,  before  reaching  the  age 
of  twenty-one,  Mr.  iSt.  Clair  was  married  at  Al- 
gonquin,   111.,    to    Martha   Thompson,    born    in 


Portage,  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  June  30,  1836, 
the  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Gear- 
hart)  Thompson.  Mr.  Thompson  was  of  old 
colonial  stock  and  born  at  Wardsborough,  Vt., 
Jan.  27,  1794.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  while  still 
a  young  man,  in  1816,  settled  in  Allegany  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  and  in  1818  was  married  in  that 
county  to  Elizabeth  Gearhart,  who  was  born  in 
Scipio,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1799,  the  daughter  of 
George  Gearhart,  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  an- 
cestry. After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  settled  at  Nunda,  N.  Y.,  but  in  1840 
removed  to  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  and 
thence,  in  1841,  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  mak- 
ing the  journey  overland  with  two  two-horse 
teams  and  wagons,  and  reaching  Algonquin 
Township  in  November.  Here  he  bought  140 
acres  of  partly  improved  land  with  a  frame 
house  upon  it,  which  he  still  further  improved, 
dying  there,  July  27,  1876,  at  the  age  of  nearly 
eighty-three  years.  Mrs.  Thompson  lived  to 
the  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  dying  April  26, 
1888.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  were  members 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  New  York,  and  as- 
sisted in  the  organization  of  the  first  Baptist 
church  at  Crystal  Lake,  of  which  he  was  a 
liberal  supporter  and  a  deacon  for  many  years. 
Politically  he  was  a  Whig,  and  later  a  Repub- 
lican and  a  supporter  of  John  C.  Fremont  and 
Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
War  of  1812  in  New  York,  and  a  sterling,  up- 
right citizen.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson's  chil- 
dren were:  Lodema,  Anson,  Edwin,  George, 
William,  Martha,  Mary,  Adoniram  J.  and 
Frederick  G.,  besides  five  others  who  died  in 
infancy  or  while  quite  young. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  St.  Clair,  after  their  marriage, 
settled  on  the  Walkup  farm,  where  he  had 
grown  up,  remaining  there  four  years.  August 
15,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company 
D,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
was  mustered  in  at  Rookford,  serving  until 
April  9,  1864,  when  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  the  Marine  Hospital,  Chicago,  on 
account  of  disability  incurred  in  the  service. 
He  took  part  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  from 
May  19,  to  the  surrender  on  July  3,  1863,  being 
constantly  under  fire.  Having  been  taken  sick 
just  after  the  siege,  he  spent  some  time  in  the 
field  hospital,  was  afterwards  In  camp  at 
Natchez,  but  finally,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  Captain  Beckley,  was  granted  a  thirty-days' 
furlough.    Being  unable  to  rejoin  his  regiment 


978 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


in  three  months,  he  was  placed  in  the  Marine 
Hospital  at  Chicago,  where  he  was  Anally  dis- 
charged. As  a  soldier  he  performed  his  duty 
cheerfully  and  faithfully.  After  his  discharge 
he  rejoined  his  family  who  had  experienced  all 
the  suffering  and  anxiety  incident  to  that 
perilous  period,  when  the  news  columns  and 
bulletins  were  scanned  with  apprehension, 
after  every  battle,  lest  the  name  of  a  husband 
or  brother  should  be  found  in  the  list  of  the 
killed  or  wounded.  Having  sufficiently  recov- 
ered, Mr.  St.  Clair  engaged  in  the  produce  busi- 
ness in  company  with  Joseph  Walkup,  remain- 
ing eight  years.  Mr.  Walkup  was  Station 
Agent  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad 
at  Crystal  Lake  for  twenty-one  years,  and  Mr. 
St.  Clair  served  as  clerk  and  baggage-master 
from  1864  to  1876,  and,  on  the  death  of  his 
partner,  succeeded  to  the  position  of  station 
agent,  which  he  continued  to  fill  until  1880.  In 
July  of  the  latter  year  he  took  charge  of  a  large 
pickle  and  preserving  works  at  Nunda,  remain- 
ing two  years.  He  then  purchased  the  Walkup 
farm  (consisting  of  160  acres)  upon  which  he 
was  reared,  but  sold  it  in  1894,  and  engaged  in 
the  insurance  and  collection  business.  In 
1893  he  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace — an 
office  which  he  has  continued  to  hold  ever 
since;  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Village  Trustees  and  of  the  School  Board.  In 
politics  he  is  ,a  stanch  Republican,  casting  his 
first  Presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln; 
and  fraternally  an  unaffiliated  Odd  Fellow  (the 
Nunda  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F.  having  been  discon- 
tinued), and  a  charter  member  of  Nunda  Post 
G.  A.  R.,  in  which  he  has  held  the  positions  of 
Quartermaster,  Adjutant,  Chaplain,  Senior  Vice 
Commander  and  Commander.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
St.  Clair  have  had  four  children — Edwin  P. 
(deceased),  Kate  B.  (wife  of  United  States 
Commissioner  M.  A.  Foote,  of  Chicago) ;  Mary 
(the  wife  of  C.  W.  Seeley) ;  and  Georgiana 
(the  youngest),  now  a  successful  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  of  Dundee.  Mr.  St.  Clair  is  the 
oldest  surviving  resident  of  Nunda,  which  has 
been  his  home  almost  the  entire  sixty-four 
years  of  his  life. 


DAVID  T.  SMILEY. 

Success  in  any  honorable  calling  is  an  indi- 
cation of  close  application,  industry  and  faith- 
fulness. There  are  few  professions  more  hon- 
orable, and  few  which  offer  better  opportuni- 


ties, than  does  that  of  the  law,  for  the  display 
of  character,  sterling  worth  and  ability.  To  the 
lawyer  are  necessarily  entrusted  matters  of 
confidence,  involving  property,  reputation  and, 
at  times,  even  life  itself  and,  upon  his  skill, 
loyalty  and  ability,  the  rich  and  tne  poor,  the 
strong  and  the  helpless  often  depend.  There 
is,  perhaps,  no  lawyer  in  Northern  Illinois  to 
whom  the  title  "self-made"  applies  with  more 
justice  than  to  the  skillful  attorney  whose 
name  heads  this  article.  Having  devoted  him- 
self exclusively  to  his  profession,  and  posses- 
sing mental  qualifications  which  enabled  him 
to  rise  rapidly  in  the  practice  of  the  law,  Mr. 
Smiley  has,  within  a  few  years,  won  for  him- 
self a  foremost  place  at  the  McHenry  County 
bar.  He  was  born  near  the  town  of  Larne,  In 
County,  Antrim,  Ireland,  Feb.  7,  1860,  the  son 
of  Captain  Robert  and  Mary  (Templeton) 
Smiley,  and  is  of  sterling  Scotch-Irish  ancestry. 
The  family  was  originally  Scotch,  but,  at  a  re- 
mote period,  had  settled  in  Ireland.  On  the 
maternal  side  one  of  the  ancestors  was  a  High- 
land Chief. 

Captain  Robert  Smiley  was  the  son  of  a  sea- 
captain,  and  members  of  the  Smiley  family  fol- 
lowed a  sea-faring  life  for  generations.  Cap- 
tain Robert  Smiley  went  to  sea  when  quite 
young  and  followed  this  life  for  many  years  as 
a  master  of  merchant  vessels,  making  voyages 
to  different  ports  of  the  world.  He  married  in 
County  Antrim,  Mary  Templeton,  and,  in  1873, 
came  to  America  bringing  his  family  with  him 
and  expecting  to  make  his  home  in  this  coun- 
try. After  spending  a  short  time  in  Chicago, 
he  came  to  McHenry  County,  settling  in  Burton 
Township,  where  he  remained  for  two  years, 
when  he  returned  to  Ireland.  He  died  in  Ire- 
land aged  about  sixty-nine  years.  The  family 
were  members  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian 
church. 

David  T.  Smiley,  of  whom  we  write,  was 
thirteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  the  United  States,  arriving  at  Port- 
land, Me.,  on  the  steamer  "Polynesian"  in  the 
latter  part  of  April,  1873.  He  had  attended 
school  in  Ireland  and  after  coming  to  McHenry 
County  continued  his  educational  training  in 
the  district  school  in  Burton  Township,  attend- 
ing school  during  the  winter  months  and  work- 
ing at  farm  work  in  the  summer  season  until 
he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  was  about 
fifteen  years  of  age  when  his  parents  returned 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


979 


to  Ireland,  but,  on  his  urgent  request,  he  was 
allowed  to  remain  in  America.  When  old 
enough,  he  became  a  regular  farm-hand  and 
proved  to  be  an  efficient  workman,  receiving 
during  the  latter  years  of  his  work,  $22  per 
month  wages.  In  1879  he  went  to  Fairfield, 
Neb.,  where  he  secured  employment  as  clerk  in 
his  brother-in-law's  store  for  one  year.  He 
then  went  to  Frisco,  Colo.,  where  he  spent  a 
year  working  in  a  saw-mill  and  in  silver  mines, 
but  returning  to  McHenry  County  in  1881,  he 
resumed  farm  work  in  Burton  Township,  at 
which  he  continued  until  1887.  While  at  work 
on  the  farm  he  began  the  study  of  law,  paying 
$22  for  four  law-books,  which  was  considered  a 
large  sum  of  money  in  those  days.  On  March 
16,  1887,  he  married  in  Burton  Township,  Libbie 
C.  Hendricks,  who  was  born  in  that  township, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Johannah  (Larkins) 
Hendricks.  John  Hendricks,  who  was  a  native 
of  Germany,  married  in  Lake  County,  111.,  and 
settled  at  Spring  Grove,  in  Burton  Township, 
McHenry  County.  All  of  his  children  were  well 
educated  and  became  teachers.  Mrs.  Smiley 
began  teaching  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
became  one  of  the  capable  and  experienced 
teachers  of  the  county. 

Immediately  after  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smiley  entered  the  Northern  Indiana  College 
at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  as  pupils,  Mr.  Smiley  be- 
coming a  student  in  the  law  department.  In 
1887  he  returned  to  farm  work  in  Burton  Town- 
ship, and  in  October  of  the  same  year  removed 
to  Woodstock,  where  he  entered  the  law  office 
of  Charles  P.  Barnes,  with  whom  he  studied 
law  for  one  year.  In  October,  1888,  he  was 
admitted  to  practice,  and  immediately  entered 
into  partnership  with  Mr.  Barnes,  their  part- 
nership continuing  for  eighteen  months.  In 
1889  he  opened  his  present  law  office.  Mr. 
Smiley  has  attended  strictly  to  his  profession, 
and,  maintaining  a  high  standard,  has  built 
up  an  excellent  practice.  It  can  truthfully  be 
said  of  him  that  no  man  stands  higher  at  the 
McHenry  County  bar  than  he.  At  present  he 
is  the  attorney  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
and  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Rail- 
roads for  McHenry  County,  and  has  been  uni- 
formly successful  in  his  practice. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Mr.  Smiley  has 
of  late  years  been  engaged  in  every  important 
case  before  the  Appellate  and  Supreme  Courts 
from  McHenry   County,   and  that  in  his   case 


the  advance  from  the  farm  to  lawyer's  desk 
has  been  made  with  remarkable  success.  Mr. 
Smiley  is  one  of  those  men  in  whose  integrity 
and  fair-mindedness  the  general  public  repose 
great  confidence,  and  this  confidence  has  been 
won  by  an  undeviating  policy  not  only  as  a 
lawyer,  but  as  a  citizen,  marked  by  a  firm  ad- 
herence to  the  principles  of  right  and  justice. 
Mr.  Smiley  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, belonging  to  Calvary  Commandery,  and 
in  1900  was  Eminent  Commander.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  His  is  a  marked 
example  of  the  self-educated  and  self-made 
man.  During  all  his  life  he  has  been  a  zealous 
reader  of  standard  books,  and,  while  a  young 
man  working  on  the  farm,  read  all  the  val- 
uable books  that  came  to  his  notice.  He  has 
accumulated  a  valuable  law  library  and  an  ex- 
cellent private  library  of  high  literary  merit. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smiley  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  They  have  one  son, 
Lionel  David,  born  in  1894. 


MARIA    W.   SMITH. 

Maria  W.  Smith,  for  nearly  fifty  years  a  res- 
ident of  McHenry  County,  and  a  lady  of  marked 
individuality  and  strong  character  inherited 
from  a  long  line  of  Puritan  ancestors,  was 
born  in  Sterling,  Vt,  March  31,  1825, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Hulda  (Mc- 
Kinstry)  Wilson.  Thomas  Wilson  was  born 
in  the  old  Scotch-Irish  settlement  at  Lon- 
donderry, N.  H.,  Sept.  11,  1783.  He  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  stock,  the  son  of  Robert  and 
Margaret  (Wilson)  Wilson,  both  of  the  same 
name,  but  not  known  to  be  related.  Robert 
Wilson  was  born  at  Londonderry,  June  26, 
1759,  the  son  of  James  and  Sarah  Wilson, 
whose  parents  were  probably  from  Scotland. 
James  and  Sarah  Wilson  had  a  family  of  six 
sons  and  six  daughters,  namely:  Margaret, 
Sarah,  Eleanor,  Agatha,  Mary,  Agnes,  William, 
Samuel,  James,  Robert,  John  and  Boyd.  James 
Wilson  was  a  substantial  citizen  and  died  on 
his  farm  at  Londonderry.  His  son  James  con- 
structed at  Bradford,  Vt.,  the  first  geograph- 
ical globe  ever  made  in  America.  Robert  Wil- 
son, the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Smith,  was  a 
farmer  who  lived  near  the  old  Londonderry 
homestead,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  and  was  with  Washington  at  the 
famous  crossing  of  the  Delaware.  In  his  old 
age  he  was  accustomed  to  relate  many  inter- 


980 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


esting  anecdotes  connected  with  Revolutionary 
times  and  the  numerous  battles  in  which  he 
was  engaged.  He  planted  the  first  fruit  tree 
nursery  in  New  Hampshire,  and  his  homestead 
remained  in  the  hands  of  the  family  until  the 
death  of  his  youngest  son.  November  15,  1784, 
he  married  Margaret,  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
Wilson  of  Londonderry,  born  at  Londonderry, 
N.  H.,  Jan.  22,  1761.  His  wife  died,  and  on  May 

17,  1813,  he  married  as  his  second  wife  Ann 
Wallace,  of  Londonderry.  The  children  of  the 
first  wife,  with  dates  of  birth,  were:  Thomas, 
Sept.  11,  1785;  Eleanor,  Miay  23,  1787;  James 
and  Robert  (twins),  Feb.  9,  1789;  David,  Feb. 
13,  1791;   Sarah,  July  21,  1793;   Ebenezer,  Dec. 

18,  1795;  John,  Feb.  6,  1799;  Boyd,  Jan.  22, 
1801;  Samuel,  Sept.  3,  1802,  and  Margaret, 
May  19,  1805.  Robert  Wilson  and  wife  were  of 
Scotch  Presbyterians,  following  the  faith  of 
their  ancestors.  He  died  at  Derry,  N.  H.,  Nov. 
22,  1850,  aged  ninety-two  years.  Thomas  Wil- 
son, son  of  the  preceding  and  father  of  Mrs. 
Smith,  was  born  Sept.  11,  1785,  was  a  carpen- 
ter and  joiner  by  trade,  and  in  1811  went  to 
Johnson,  Vt.  February  18,  1815,  he  was  mar- 
ried at  Hyde  Park,  Vt.,  to  Hulda  McKinstry, 
born  at  Castleton,  Vt.,  May  10,  1782,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Amos  and  Sarah  (Pike)  McKinstry. 
Amos  McKinstry  was  born  in  Stockbridge, 
Mass.,  March  24,  1759,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  and  married  Sarah  Pike,  born  at 
Castleton,  Vt.,  Nov.  20,  1758.  He  was  a  pio- 
neer farmer.  After  marriage  Thomas  Wilson 
and  wife  settled  on  a  farm  at  Johnson,  Vt., 
which  is  now  in  the  hands  of  one  of  his  grand- 
sons. While  working  at  his  trade  as  a  car- 
penter, he  carried  on  his  farm  with  hired  help. 
He  moved  from  Johnson  to  a  farm  in  Sterling. 
Vt.,  but  later  cae  to  Michigan,  and  worked  at 
his  trade  at  Monroe,  in  that  Stare,  where  he 
died  Sept.  13,  1834,  aged  forty-nine  years.  He 
was  an  old  line  Whig  in  politics,  and  served 
several  terms  as  Town  Clerk  and  as  Selectman 
during  his  residence  at  Sterling,  Vt.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Samuel,  born  Aug.  5,  1818;  Maria, 
born  March  31,  1825;  Amos,  born  Nov.  6,  1829, 
and  Thomas,  born  Feb.  6,  1834,  besides  four 
children  who  died  in  infancy  or  in  early  youth. 
Mr.  Wilson  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  of 
industrious  habits  and  reared  a  highly  respect- 
able family. 

Mrs.  Maria  W.  Smith  grew  up  in  her  native 
town   of   Sterling,   Vt.,   and   early  learned   the 


value  of  industrious  and  frugal  habits.  As  a 
girl  she  learned  and  practiced  the  art  of  spin- 
ning and  weaving,  making  butter  and  cheese, 
which  were  important  domestic  duties  of  that 
time.  At  twenty-one  years  of  age  she  was 
married  to  William  L.  Smith,  born  at  Johnson, 
Vt.,  Oct.  13,  1821,  the  son  of  Lemuel  Hawley 
and  Abbie   (Langdell)    Smith. 

Lemuel  Hawley  Smith,  born  May  5,  1799, 
was  the  son  of  Aaron  and  Hettie  (Hawley) 
Smith.  Aaron  was  a  farmer  and  pioneer  set- 
tler in  Vermont,  emigrating  from  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  was  born  of  English-Puritan  an- 
cestry. He  opened  up  a  farm  in  the  woods  of 
Vermont  and  became  a  prominent  citizen. 
His  son,  Samuel  Johnson  Smith,  born  Feb.  12, 
1789,  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  John- 
son, Vt.,  but  died  in  childhood.  His  other 
children,  with  dates  of  birth,  were:  Abijah, 
Feb.  7,  1791;  Abia,  Oct.  16,  1793;  Samuel  John- 
son (2),  Aug.  27,  1795;  Abia  (2),  July  16,  1797, 
(also  died  young) ;  Lemuel  H.,  May  8,  1799 ; 
Abel  Chapin,  April  25,  1801;  John  Wise,  Sept 
1,  1803;  John  Wise  (2),  July  12,  1805;  Kitty, 
Nov.  1,  1807;  Harriet,  Jan.  26,  1810;  Betsy, 
Jan.  9,  1812.  Aaron  Smith  and  wife  were 
Methodists.  He  died  March  8,  1830.  Lemuel 
Hawley  Smith  grew  up  a  farmer,  but  after 
reaching  maturity  erected  and  managed  a  saw 
mill.  He  married,  in  Johnson,  Vt.,  Abigail 
Langdell,  born  in  New  Boston,  the  daughter 
of  William  and  Sarah  (Langdell)  Langdell,  and 
they  had  children  born  as  follows:  William 
L.,  Oct.  13,  1821;  Joseph,  Jan.  13,  1822,  (died 
in  early  chidhood) ;  Thankful,  March  27,  1824 
Aaron,  March  3,  1826;  Charles,  Feb.  18,  1828 
Sallie,  Aug.  14,  1830;  George,  March  27,  1832 
Zaccueus  April  12,  1836;  Jane,  June  6,  1837 
Fannie,  Feb.  8,  1838;  Frank,  April  8,  1842 
Ellen,  Sept.  8,  1845.  In  1855  Lemuel  H.  Smith 
came  to  Illinois,  accompanied  by  John  W. 
Smith,  who  had  been  on  a  visit  to  his  former 
home  in  Vermont,  and  William  Smith,  wife  and 
children,  the  party  arriving  in  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, Oct.  12.  The  next  year  Lemuel  H.  Smith 
returned  to  Vermont  for  his  family,  his  wife 
then  being  a  sister  of  his  first  wife  named 
Love,  born  April  17,  1818.  Her  children  were: 
Bradford,  born  Nov.  12,  1855;  Louisa,  born 
April  ]3,  1857;  and  Lemuel,  born  June  2,  1858. 
After  coming  to  McHenry  County  Lemuel  H. 
Smith  bought  two  farms  near  RiDgwood,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  Aug. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


981 


27,  1868,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  In  politics  he 
was  a  Republican,  and  a  straight-forward  and 
respected  citizen. 

William  L.  Smith,  the  husband  of  the  prin- 
cipal subject  of  this  sketch  and  son  of  Lemuel 
H.  Smith,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  re- 
ceiving a  common-school  education,  and  after 
marriage  to  Maria  Wilson,  as  already  related, 
settled  on  the  homestead  of  his  grandfather, 
Aaron  (Smith,  where  he  lived  until  1855,  when 
he  came  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County. 
Here  he  bought  320  acres  of  land  on  Ringwood 
Prairie,  and  improved  a  fine  farm  which  is  still" 
owned  by  the  family.  In  1885  he  moved  to  Mc- 
Henry, bought  a  family  residence  there,  where 
he  died  Jan.  4,  1902;  his  wife  dying  June  16, 
1902.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith, 
with  dates  of  birth,  were:  Hulda  W.,  July  16, 
1847;  Thomas  W.,  May  5,  1849;  Aaron  S.,  Dec. 
7,  1850;  Louisa  M.,  July  29,  1852;  Amos  W., 
March  30,  1855;  Hawley  L.,  March  21,  1857; 
Jennie,  Dec.  22,  1858;  Samuel  William,  Oct.  19, 
1860;  David  Nelson,  Oct.  21,  1862;  Cora  B.,  Jan 
9,  1866;  Flora,  March  30,  1867;  Amos  W..  Aug. 
30,  1869.  By  industry,  frugality  and  business 
judgment,  aided  by  his  faithful  wife,  Mr.  Smith 
accumulated  a  handsome  property,  which  has 
passed  into  the  hands  of  his  excellent  family. 
Mrs.  Smith  was  widely  known  in  the  commu- 
nity in  which  she  resided  for  her  retentive 
memory  and  deep  interest  in  family  history, 
and  her  neighbors  depended  upon  her  for  many 
dates  of  births,  marriages  and  deaths,  not  only 
in  her  own  family  but  in  the  entire  county. 

The  following  is  a  record  of  marriages  and 
births  among  Mrs.  Smith's  descendants: 

Hulda  W.  married  July  3,  1866,  Benjamin 
Parker,  a  farmer,  who  died  Nov.  6,  1870,  leav- 
ing no  living  children.  Oct.  4,  1875,  she  mar- 
ried as  her  second  husband,  Simeon  H.  Covell, 
a  farmer  of  McHenry  Township,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Jennie  R.,  born  April  12,  1879.  Mr. 
Covell  owns  a  farm  of  480  acres. 

Aaron  S.,  married  Dec.  29,  1872,  Ella  Barney 
and  they  have  eight  children:  Benjamin  J., 
Barney,  William  Arthur,  Elsie  A.,  Harold, 
Mary,  Jessie  and  Winfield.  Aaron  S.  Smith 
has  a  farm  of  480  acres  in  Smith  County,  Kan. 

Jennie  E.  married  Ellis  Hewes,  a  merchant 
of  Hebron,  111.     She  is  now  deceased. 

Samuel  W.  married  Jessie  Inman,  and  is  a 
farmer  on  the  home  farm.  Their  children  are: 
Alonzo,  Mattie,  Ralph  and  Bernice. 


Amos  married  Florence  Brown,  and  they  re- 
side on  part  of  the  old  homestead.  They  have 
one  child,  Mary  E. 


REV.    NEWTON    A.   SUNDERLIN. 

Rev.  Newton  A.  Sunderlin,  Pastor  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  Woodstock,  Mc- 
Henry County,  is  descended  from  English-Puri- 
tan and  Massachusetts  colonial  ancestry.  His 
grandfather,  Samuel  Sunderlin,  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  a  patriot  soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lution, who  carried  his  musket  for  the  achieve- 
ment of  American  independence.  At  an  early 
day  he  moved  to  Pennsylvania,  locating  in 
Union  County  on  the  Upper  Susquehanna 
River,  but  being  determined  to  avoid  the  con- 
taminating influence  upon  his  family  of  a 
whisky  distillery  which  had  been  established 
in  his  vicinity,  he  soon  after  loaded  up  his 
household  goods  and  removed  to  Ohio.  When 
some  one  there  had  offered  to  employ  one  of 
his  sons  as  a  teamster  to  haul  whisky,  he  de- 
cided on  another  removal,  this  time  going  to 
Clearfield  County  in  the  mountainous  region  of 
Pennsylvania.  This  was  in  1822,  that  heavily 
timbered  region  being  at  that  time  occupied 
by  a  few  hardy  hunters,  besides  wild  beasts 
and  some  remnants  of  Indian  tribes.  After 
proceeding  as  far  as  was  then  possible  by 
wagon,  when  the  roads  gave  out,  he  contin- 
ued his  journey  following  the  Indian  trails  un- 
til he  found  a  deserted  hunter's  hut,  where, 
having  decided  to  settle  down,  he  selected  a 
tract  of  320  acres  in  the  virgin  forest.  He  had 
not  been  here  long  when  two  ill-favored  land- 
hunters  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  an- 
nounced that  the  land  upon  which  he  had  lo- 
cated was  claimed  by  themselves.  He  could 
retreat  from  rum  and  the  danger  of  exposing 
his  children  to  evil  habits,  but  had  no  fear  of 
the  British  invader  or  the  unscrupulous  land- 
speculator;  so,  patting  his  old  revolutionary 
musket  on  the  breach,  and  shaking  the  powder 
in  the  old  flint-lock,  he  responded,  "this  is  my 
friend,"  and  the  adventurers  seeing  the  flash 
of  his  resolute  eye,  speedily  withdrew  tc 
trouble  him  no  more.  In  time  the  sturdy 
frontiersman  found  himself  surrounded  with 
the  primitive  comforts  of  a  backwoods  home, 
while  his  sons  were  reared  to  the  simple  and 
industrious  habits  of  frontier  life  among  the 
hills  of  Central  Pennsylvania.  When  old 
enough    they    followed    lumbering      and      the 


982 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


rafting  of  logs  down  the  Susquehanna.  Mr. 
Sunderlin  and  his  family  were  devout  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  and  he  was  one  of 
the  most  active  and  efficient  laborers  in.  intro- 
ducing Methodism,  in  that  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. When  new  settlers  located  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, he  visited  them,  Bible  and  hymnbook 
in  hand  and,  in  the  spirit  of  the  true  mission- 
ary, at  their  firesides  sought  to  impress  upon 
them  the  duty  of  a  Christian  life.  He  was  a 
man  of  naturally  strong  religious  feelings  and 
stern  morals,  and  the  tradition  of  his  devotion 
to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  neighbors  is 
still  preserved  in  the  community  in  which  he 
lived  nearly  a  century  ago,  while  many  features 
of  his  strong  character  have  been  inherited 
by  his  descendants.  Withal,  he  was  a  "mighty 
hunter"  and  many  deer,  bear  and  other  species 
of  game  fell  before  the  unerring  aim  of  his  old 
flint-lock  musket.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Minegar,  who  was  of  Holland-Dutch 
descent.  Their  children  were:  David,  Michael, 
John  D.,  James  and  two  daughters  whose 
names  are  not  remembered.  The  son  James 
is  still  living  on  the  old  Pennsylvania  home- 
stead at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  Samuel  Sun- 
derlin died  on  his  farm  at  seventy-five  years  of 
age,  and  his  wife  at  seventy-three.  The  latter 
was  a  Methodist,  as  well  as  her  husband. 

John  D.  Sunderlin,  of  this  family,  was  born 
in  Union  County,  Penn.,  Feb.  5,  1811,  and  re- 
ceived but  a  meager  education,  as  the  oppor- 
tunities of  that  period  and  locality  were 
limited.  By  personal  effort,  however,  he  be- 
came self-educated  and  a  well-informed  man. 
In  early  life  he  followed  the  occupation 
of  a  lumberman  and  raftsman  on  the  Susque- 
hanna, and  acquired  a  vigorous  constitution. 
December  24,  1835,  he  was  married  in  Clear- 
field County,  Penn.,  to  Lydia  D.  Steer,  who 
was  born  in  Clearfield,  Penn.,  July  6,  1815. 
Her  family  were  farmers  and  pioneers  of 
Clearfield  County.  Other  children  of  this 
family  were:  James,  Joseph,  Dorcas,  Rebecca, 
and  Elizabeth.  The  last  named  graduated  at 
the  Female  Seminary  at  Mt.  Morris,  111.,  ami 
became  a  teacher.  After  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  D.  Sunderlin  settled  on  a  part  of 
the  paternal  homestead  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  remained  until  1855,  when  they 
removed  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Stephenson 
County  on  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  unimproved 


land,  for  which  he  paid  $4  per  acre.  This 
land  he  improved,  making  it  a  valuable  farm 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Sunder- 
lin were:  Mary  E.,  born  June  16,  1837;  Har- 
riet, born  Dec.  16,  1838;  Asall,  born  May  5, 
1840;  Dorcas  E.,  born  June  24,  1841;  Rebecca, 
born  April  23,  1844;  Lydia  A.,  born  March  22, 
1845;  Martha  C,  born  Sept.  2,  1846;  Joseph 
M.,  born  March  23,  1848;  Newton  A.,  born 
Sept.  5,  1849;  John  H.  R.,  born  Jan.  7,  1851; 
Hiram,  born  June  26,  1852;  Mary,  born  Sept. 
22,  1853.  The  four  first  named  all  died  during 
the  year  1842.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sunderlin  were 
both  devout  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  he  was  an  active  worker,  class-leader 
and  teacher  in  the  first  Sunday  School  in  his 
locality.  In  political  views  Mr.  Sunderlin  'was 
a  Democrat.  He  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years,  dying  May  10,  1888,  and  his  wife 
August  6,  1890,  at  seventy-five  years. 

Rev.  Newton  A.  iSunderlin,  born  in  Clear- 
field County,  Penn.,  Sept.  5,  1849,  was  reared 
on  the  home  farm,  and  was  six  years  old  when 
his  parents  removed  to  Illinois.  After  acquir- 
ing a  primary  education  in  the  district  school, 
he  later  attended  the  academy  at  Cedarville, 
Stephenson  County,  and  the  old  Mt.  Morris 
Seminary,  completing  his  course  at  the  State 
University  at  Madison,  Wis.  He  then  engaged 
in  teaching  for  eight  years,  during  which  he 
had  charge  of  schools  in  Stephenson  County, 
at  Red  Oak,  Iowa,  and,  for  a  time  as  Princi- 
pal of  the  schools  at  Dakota,  111.  April  2, 
1874,  he  was  united  in  marriage  at  Monroe, 
Wis.,  to  Mary  E.  McKahan,  who  was  born  in 
Knox  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  2,  1849,  the  daughter 
of  Lewis  and  Sopora  McKahan.  The  McKahans 
are  of  Scotch  ancestry,  Daniel  McKahan  being 
born  near  the  great  tunnel  at  Washington, 
Penn.,  the  son  of  Daniel  McKahan,  who  was 
a  farmer  of  that  county.  The  children  of 
Daniel  McKahan  were:  Lewis,  Daniel,  Eliza 
Jane,  Robert,  Esther,  Margaret  and  Mary. 
During  the  William  Henry  Harrison  campaign 
(1840),  Daniel  McKahan,  Sr.,  accompanied  by 
his  two  sons,  Lewis  and  Daniel,  made  a  horse- 
back trip  to  Ohio,  looking  for  land,  and  having 
bought  100  acres  for  $1,500,  he  returned  to 
his  home  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  died  some 
years  later.  His  sons,  Lewis  and  Daniel,  and 
their  sister  Eliza  Jane,  settled  on  the  Ohio 
land,   and    opened    up    a   farm    erecting   on   it 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


983 


good  buildings.  Daniel  later  settled  on 
adjoining  land,  but  finally  removed  to  Wiscon- 
sin and  still  later  to  Iowa.  Lewis  pros- 
pered on  the  Ohio  farm,  was  married  in  that 
State  to  Sopora  Ely,  the  daughter  of  Peter  Ely, 
and  having  bought  land  in  Green  County,  Wis., 
removed  thither  in  1861,  bringing  with  him  a 
herd  of  500  fine-wooled  sheep.  He  became  a 
prosperous  farmer,  dying  Dec.  5,  1902,  aged 
about  eight-one  years.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church  and  a  Republican  in 
politics.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKahan  were  parents 
of  two  children:      George  and   Mary. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newton  A. 
Sunderlin  moved  to  the  vicinity  of  Red  Oak, 
Iowa,  making  the  journey  with  a  canvas- 
covered  wagon  and  a  two-horse  team,  camp- 
ing out  on  the  way  and,  with  an  assistant, 
driving  a  herd  of  seventy  head  of  cattle.  Here 
he  had  bought  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  wild 
land,  upon  which  he  built  a  frame  house  and 
made  improvements,  teaching  school  during 
the  winter.  Two  years  later  he  sold  his  land 
at  a  clear  profit  of  $1,000,  and  coming  to 
Illinois  spent  the  next  three  years  (1877-80) 
at  Garrett  Biblical  Institute,  Evanston,  study- 
ing for  the  ministry.  While  a  student  he  held 
a  license  as  a  "local  preacher,"  but  having 
graduated  in  1880,  he  at  once  joined  the  Rock 
River  Conference,  and  was  appointed  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Garden  Prairie,  where  he 
remained  the  full  limit  of  three  years.  His 
next  appointment  was  at  Rockton,  and  during 
his  incumbency  there,  an  extensive  revival 
occurred  resulting  in  more  than  doubling  the 
membership  of  his  church.  His  next  charge 
was  at  Capron,  111.,  where  he  remained  five 
years;  in  1890,  he  was  assigned  to  Harvard, 
111.,  remaining  a  like  period.  In  1895,  Rev.  Mr. 
Sunderlin  was  appointed  to  his  present  charge 
at  Woodstock,  where  he  has  remained  con- 
tinuously ever  since.  The  time  limit  having 
been  removed,  in  view  of  his  popularity  as  a 
pulpit  orator  and  the  marked  success  which 
has  attended  his  ministerial  labors,  his  numer- 
our  friends  hope  that  his  ministration  at  his 
present  location  may  be  continued  for  many 
years  longer.  His  services  are  much  sought 
after  on  occasion  of  weddings  and  funerals. 
Still  in  the  prime  of  a  matured  manhood,  there 
are  many  years  of  usefulness  before  him. 

Rev.    and    Mrs.    Sunderlin    are    the    parents 


of  the  following  children:  Lulu  Blanche,  born 
at  Red  Oak,  Iowa,  Feb.  13,  1875,  married  W. 
E.  Chilcote,  now  in  the  railway  mail  service, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Donald  and 
Margaret:  Floyd  M.,  born  in  Garden  Prairie, 
111.,  Oct.  10,  1881,  and  resides  at  home;  Eva 
Gertrude,  born  at  Capron,  111.,  April  29,  1886, 
and  is  now  attending  the  Woodstock  high 
school;  Hiram  Harold,  born  at  Harvard,  111., 
Feb.  2,  1891.  In  political  opinions  Mr.  Sunder- 
lin is  an  earnest  Republican,  and  an  enthus- 
iastic worker  for  the  cause  of  temperance 
While  a  resident  of  Capron  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Village  Trustees.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Capron  Lodge  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  and  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
Woodstock  Encampment,  of  which  he  is  Chief 
Patriarch.  Besides  his  ministerial  labors  he 
has  been  called  upon  to  devote  much  atten- 
tion to  private  interests,  in  which  he  has 
given  evidence  of  marked  business  ability. 


WILLIAM   SALISBURY. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  McHenry  County, 
there  are  few  whose  career  has  been  more 
noteworthy  than  that  of  the  venerable  and  re- 
spected subject  of  this  sketch.  The  Salisburys 
are  of  English  descent,  the  founders  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  family  being  the 
early  settlers  in  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island 
William  Salisbury,  the  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Rhode  Island.  His 
father  having  died  when  the  son  was  quite  small, 
and  his  mother  having  married  a  Mr.  Petti- 
place,  the  family  moved  to  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.  Here  William  was  brought  up  to  the 
life  of  a  farmer,  and  married  Huldah  Thomas, 
the  daughter  of  William  and-  Huldah  (Cook) 
Thomas — both  branches  of  the  family  being 
of  early  New  England  origin.  After  his  mar- 
riage, Mr.  Salisbury  settled  at  Pownal,  Vt.,  but 
subsequently  removed  to  Chenango  County,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  bought  a  farm  about  1816-20,  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  there.  His 
children  were:  William,  Arthur,  Ambrose,  Per- 
ry and  Harriet. 

William  Salisbury  (2),  whose  name  heads 
this  article,  was  born  near  Bennington,  Vt.,  Oct. 
3,  1815,  and,  while  still  an  infant,  was  taken 
by  his  parents  to  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  as 
described  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  Here 
he  was  brought  up  a  farmer,  meanwhile  receiv- 


984 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing  a  common-school  education,  later  engag- 
ing for  a  time  in  teaching.  In  October,  1841, 
he  came  west,  making  the  journey  by  the  Erie 
Canal  and  the  lakes  to  Milwaukee.  He  then 
crossed  the  State  of  Wisconsin  to  Galena,  111., 
and  from  there  he  proceeded  down  the  Miss- 
issippi to  Burlington,  Iowa.  His  next  move 
was  to  Cameron,  Warren  County,  111.,  where  he 
spent  the  following  winter  (1841-42)  teaching. 
In  the  following  spring  he  made  the  journey 
on  foot  to  Chicago,  and  thence  to  McHenry 
County,  locating  in  Nunda  Township.  Here  he 
worked  on  a  farm  for  a  time,  and  also  engaged 
in  his  old  vocation  as  a  teacher.  In  June. 
1842,  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land,  consist- 
ing of  prairie  and  oak  openings,  which  he 
improved,  building  thereon  a  frame  house  in 
1844.  On  October  1,  1844,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Eliza  Jane  Terwilliger,  born  in 
Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  7,  1823,  the 
daughter  of  SamUel  and  Laura  L.  (Chamber- 
lain) Terwilliger.  Mr.  Terwilliger,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Salisbury,  was  of  Holland-Dutch  stock, 
born  on  the  Mohawk  River,  in  New  York.  He 
had  married  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and,  in 
1836,  came  to  McHenry  County,  settling  on 
the  line  between  Nunda  and  Dorr  Townships, 
where  he  entered  land  and  improved  a  farm. 
He  had  six  children — William,  Eliza,  Lorenzo, 
Jerome,  Louisa  and  Elizabeth — and  died  in 
Nunda  Township,  aged  over  eighty  years, 
leaving  a  reputation  as  a  respected  and  useful 
citizen. 

After  his  marriage  in  1844,  as  detailed  above, 
William  Salisbury  and  wife  lived  on  the  home 
farm  for  many  years  until  his  final  retirement 
from  active  business  life.  He  still  owns  the 
homestead,  however,  which  is  a  fine  farm  of 
250  acres  and  which  was  improved  largely  by 
his  own  hands.  In  his  old  age  he  is  still 
regarded  as  one  of  McHenry  County's  most 
honored  citizens,  as  he  is  now  one  of  the  most 
venerable  of  the  few  remaining  pioneers  of 
the  county.  His  official  life  has  been  comprised 
in  three  terms  of  service  as  Supervisor  of 
Nunda  Township,  while  his  standard  of  intelli- 
gence is  indicated  by  his  experience  as  a 
teacher  during  the  first  two  yeairs  of  his 
residence  in  the  county.  Mrs.  Salisbury,  who 
was  also  a  member  of  a  pioneer  family,  died 
June  3,  1877,  leaving  four  children — Laura  A., 
Charles  A.,  Emma  J.,  and  Bertha  V.  An  old 
line  Whig  in  politics,  Mr.  Salisbury  became  a 


Republican  on  the  organization  of  that  party, 
and  was  one  of  the  supporters  of  John  C. 
Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  Presi- 
dency. His  career  has  been  essentially  that 
of  the  self-made  man,  and  he  is  passing  the 
evening  of  a  well-spent  life  in  the  enjoyment 
of  the  well-deserved  respect  and  confidence  of 
his    fellow    citizens. 


ERASMUS  W.  SEAMAN. 

Erasmus  W.  Seaman  (deceased),  Hebron,  111., 
was  a  veteran  soldier  of  the  Civil  War  and  a 
son  of  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Hebron 
Township.  The  Seamans  are  an  old  colonial 
family  of  Vermont,  and  of  Puritan  English 
extraction.  Erasmus  W.  Seaman  was  born  in 
Paris,  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  26,  1837,  a 
son  of  Lorenzo  D.  and  Lucinda  (Whipple)  Sea- 
man. Lorenzo  D.  Seaman  was  a  native  of 
Rutland  County,  Vt.  The  Whipples  were  an 
old  colonial  Vermont  family,  and  one  of  the 
earlier  generation  was  a  signer  of  the  Declar- 
ation of  Independence. 

In  1844,  when  Erasmus  W.  Seaman  was  but 
seven  years  old,  the  family  came  to  Illinois, 
making  the  journey  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal 
and  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and  thence  by  team  to 
Hebron  Township.  He  was  reared  on  the 
farm  and  received  the  usual  common-school  ed- 
ucation under  the  regime  of  the  district  schools 
of  that  period,  and  among  his  teachers  were  a 
Miss  Hopkins,  a  Mr.  Knight  and  a  Miss  Turner 
who  became  the  wife  of  Squire  Henry  W. 
Mead. 

On  March  13,  1860,  Mr.  Seaman  was  married 
in  Hebron,  111.,  to  Fannie  Gates,  who  was  born 
in  Rome,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Jane  (Hawley)  Gates. 

Henry  Gates  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and 
came  from  an  old  colonial  family.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and  in  early  manhood 
went  to  Rome,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  married  to 
Jane  Hawley,  whose  ancestors  were  of  an  old 
New  England  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gates  lived 
in  Rome,  N.  Y.,  for  about  five  years  and  then 
in  1843  or  '44,  moved  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  to  Southport  (now  Kenosha),  Wis., 
via  the  lakes.  They  settled  three  miles  south- 
west of  Hebron  on  a  40-acre  tract  of  land  pur- 
chased of  the  Uuited  States  Government,  and 
upon  which  there  were  no  improvements  ex- 
cept that  a  log    shanty   had    been    built.     Mr. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


985 


Gates  improved  his  land,  to  which  he  made 
subsequent  additions  until  he  finally  owned  120 
acres.  Here  he  made  a  comfortable  home  and 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  days,  both  he  and 
his  wife  dying  on  the  old  homestead;  Mr. 
Gates  being  about  sixty-six  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  Originally  a  Democrat 
in  politics,  he  became  a  stanch  Republican  and 
a  strong  Union  man  in  the  days  of  Fremont 
and  Lincoln.  He  had  one  son,  Ellis  W.,  who 
served  in  the  Civil  War,  enlisting  for  three 
years  as  a  private  in  Company  H,  Eighth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry.  He  was  in  the  battle  of  Fort 
Stevens,  besides  many  skirmishes,  and  died  iu 
Hebron,  111.,  1864,  from  the  effects  of  army  life. 
The  children  of  Henry  and  Jane  (Hawley) 
Gates  were:  Fannie,  Ellis  W.,  Mary,  Elizabeth 
and  William  H. 

After  marriage  Erasmus  W.  Seaman  settled 
in  Hebron  Township  and  engaged  in  farming. 
On  February  10,  1863,  he  enlisted  as  a  private 
in  Company  H,  Eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Cav- 
alry, under  the  command  of  Capt.  O.  DeWitt 
Dowd,  and,  after  fourteen  months  service,  was 
honorably  discharged  March  30,  1865,  on 
account  of  wounds  received  during  the  battle 
of  Fairfax  Court  House.  Mr.  Seaman  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  Fort  Stevens,  Md.,  near 
Washington,  when  Early  made  his  famous 
raid  on  the  National  Capital,  and  also  in  the 
battle  of  Upperville,  Va.,  besides  many  skirm- 
ishes in  which  his  company  was  engaged. 
The  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry  saw  very  active 
service  and  had  several  fights  with  Mosby's 
guerrillas,  in  one  of  which  Company  H  cap- 
tured Mosby's  wife,  who  was  taken  as  a  spy 
to  Washington.  Mr.  Seaman  and  his  company 
were  with  Gen.  Sheridan  on  his  famous  raid 
in  the  Shenandoah  "Valley,  and  witnessed  the 
devastation  of  that  country,  which  made  it  so 
famous  in  national  history.  Mr.  Seaman  was 
twice  wounded,  receiving  his  first  wound 
during  the  three  days  battle  at  Fort  Stevens, 
when  a  minnie-ball  passed  under  his  left  knee 
cap,  but  after  two  weeks'  treatment  in  the 
Reginould  Hospital,  he  again  resumed  active 
service  with  his  company.  On  February  5, 
1865,  during  the  skirmish  with  Mosby's  guerril- 
las, his  left  hand  was  struck  with  a  minnie- 
ball  and  so  badly  shattered  that  amputation 
was  necessary.  After  partially  recovering 
from  the  effects   of  his   wounds,   Mr.   Seaman 


settled  on  a  40-acre  tract  of  land  near  He- 
bron, 111.,  but  in  1867,  removed  to  Hebron  vil- 
lage, where  he  followed  his  occupation  as  a 
carpenter  and  general  mechanic,  until  his 
death,  July  24,  1902.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seaman 
were  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Jennie  D.  (deceased),  William  W.  and  Cla- 
rissa. William  W.  continues  the  business  for- 
merly carried  on  by  his  father.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Seaman  were  members  and  liberal  supporters 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which 
Mr.  Seaman  was  one  of  the  stewards  and  also 
Vice-President  of  the  Epworth  League.  Mr. 
Seaman  was  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  at 
Harvard,  and  of  the  G.  B.  Menger  Post,  and  in 
political  opinions  was  a  stanch  Republican  ac- 
cording to  the  principles  advocated  by  Abra- 
ham  Lincoln. 


CAPT.   WILLIAM    H.   STEWART. 

Capt.  William  H.  Stewart  is  a  retired  lawyer, 
farmer,  soldier  and  ex-County  officer,  Wood- 
stock, McHenry  County.  During  the  visit  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales  (now  Edward  VII.,  King 
of  England),  to  the  United  States  in  1860,  he 
had  an  interesting  interview  with  Ralph  Farn- 
ham,  then  the  last  surviving  soldier  of  the 
Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  which  had  been  fought 
between  British  and  Colonial  troops  June  17, 
1775 — eighty-five  years  previously.  It  may  be 
that  some  soldiers  of  our  great  Civil  War,  who 
enlisted  at  fourteen  to  fifteen  years  of  age, 
and  fought  for  the  integrity  of  the  Nation,  will 
still  survive  when  an  equal  period  shall  have 
elapsed  after  that  crisis  in  our  national  life, 
although  the  procession  of  war  veterans,  now 
annually  passing  into  the  mysterious  Beyond, 
gives  warning  that,  in  a  comparatively  short 
period,  the  vast  majority  will  be  counted 
among  the  silent  hosts  whose  graves  are  an- 
nually covered  with  garlands  in  token  of  the 
respect  in  which  their  memories  are  held  by 
a  united  and  appreciative  people.  The  last 
survivors  of  the  Civil  War  will  be  as  much 
objects  of  interest  and  honor  to  the  American 
people  as  was  Ralph  Farnham,  the  Revolu- 
tionary patriot,  to  those  of  a  generation  ago. 
There  are  yet  many  survivors  of  the  great 
struggle  between  the  North  and  the  South, 
who  fought  as  bravely  and  with  as  true  a  sense 
of  patriotism  for.  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
as  did  any  Revolutionary  soldier  for  our  nation- 
al  independence;    and   it  is   fitting  that   both 


986 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


should  be  held  in  equal  respect  and  veneration 
by  the  American  people  through  future  gen- 
erations. 

Capt.  William  H.  Stewart,  who  belongs  to 
the  class  of  patriots  of  the  latter  period,  was 
born  at  Fayetteville,  N.  Y.,  Oct.,  8,  1818,  and 
received  a  superior  education  in  the  public 
schools  and  in  Union  College  at  Schenectady, 
in  his  native  State.  His  family  is  of  Scotch 
ancestry,  his  great-grandfather,  Alexander 
Stewart,  being  a  farmer  whose  home  was  in 
the  edge  of  the  Highlands  in  Perthshire,  Scot- 
land. Robert  Stewart,  the  son  of  the  latter, 
and  a  native  of  Perthshire,  was  the  founder 
of  this  branch  of  the  family  in  America.  Af- 
ter his  marriage  in  Scotland,  he  came  to 
America  sometime  subsequent  to  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  settled  at  Johnstown,  Mont- 
gomery County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  bought  land, 
on  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety  years. 
One  of  his  sons,  John,  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  dying  of  camp  fever,  while 
another,  James,  became  the  father  of  our 
subject.  James  Stewart  was  born  in  Perth- 
shire, and  in  infancy  was  brought  by  his  par- 
ents to  America,  where  he  became  a  wagon- 
maker  by  trade.  He  was  married  at  Johns- 
town, N.  Y.,  to  Sarah  Wright,  who  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  parentage,  and  then  settled  on  the 
Oneida  Indian  Reservation,  near  Utica.  He 
lived  here  about  two  years,  when  he  removed 
to  Fayetteville,  where  he  bought  land  and  pur- 
sued his  trade.  In  1841  he  came  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  and,  having  bought  600  acres  of 
land  in  Hebron  Township,  opened  up  a  large 
farm.  As  were  his  forefathers  he  was  an  ad- 
herent of  the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  assisted 
in  founding  the  Presbyterian  church  in  He- 
bron, in  which  he  was  a  deacon.  His  children 
were:  Robert  W.,  William  H.,  John,  Jane, 
and  James  M.  He  was  a  prominent  and  high- 
ly esteemed  citizen  in  his  community  and  died 
on  his  farm  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 

After  receiving  a  primary  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  attending  Union  College 
for  a  time,  William  H.  Stewart  entered  the 
office  of  Judge  Watson,  of  Fayetteville,  as  a 
student  of  law.  Having  been  admitted  to  prac- 
tice in  New  York  State  in  1843,  he  came  di- 
rectly west,  making  the  journey  by  way  of  the 
lakes  to  Milwaukee  and  Southport,  and  thence 
to  Hebron  Township,  McHenry  County,  whither 


his  father  had  preceded  him  two  years  earlier. 
Here  he  purchased  300  acres  of  wild  land, 
which  he  improved  and  engaged  in  farming. 
In  November,  1856,  he  was  married  in  Hebron 
to  Marietta  Ehle-  who  was  born  in  Canajo- 
harie,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  John  A.  Ehle, 
who  came  to  McHenry  County  in  1843.  Mr. 
Ehle  was  the  son  of  Anthony  and  Angelina 
(Stear)  Ehle,  and  was  also  a  native  of  Cana- 
joharie,  as  was  his  father  before  him.  The 
father  of  the  latter  was  a  native  of  Germany. 
Capt.  Martin  G.  Van  Alstine,  who  was  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Stewart  on  the  maternal 
side,  was  of  Holland-Dutch  ancestry  and  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  Ehles  and 
Van  Alstines  were  both  prominent  families  of 
Cauajoharie,  the  village  having  been  built  on 
the  farm  of  the  latter.  After  marriage  Captain 
Stewart  resided  on  his  farm  until  1857,  when, 
having  been  elected  County  Clerk  of  McHenry 
County  on  the  Whig  ticket,  he  removed  to 
Woodstock.  He  served  in  this  office  for  four 
years,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Re- 
publican party  in  McHenry  County,  taking  a 
prominent  part  in  the  Fremont  campaign  of 
1856,  as  he  did  in  the  election  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln four  years  afterward. 

On  September  4,  1862,  Mr.  Stewart  enlisted 
as  a  soldier  in  the  Ninety-fifth  Regiment,  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  he  served  as 
Captain  until  August,  1865,  completing  the  full 
period  of  his  enlistment  several  months  after 
the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox.  Among 
the  battles  and  campaigns  in  which  he  partic- 
ipated were  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  the  Red 
River  expedition,  the  battles  of  Champion  Hills, 
of  Guntown,  Spanish  Fort,  Fort  Blakely,  the 
capture  of  Mobile,  the  second  battle  of  Nash- 
ville and  many  skirmishes.  At  the  battle  of 
Guntown  he  was  severely  wounded  by  being 
shot  through  both  legs,  and,  after  spending 
three  months  on  furlough,  during  which  he  re- 
sided at  his  home,  he  rejoined  his  regiment, 
serving  until  honorably  discharged.  He  was  an 
active  participant  in  all  campaigns  and  battles 
in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged  except 
while  disabled  by  wounds. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Stewart 
returned  to  his  home  at  Woodstock,  and  in 
company  with  his  brother  Robert  built  the  first 
cheese  factory  at  Hebron,  where  he  was  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cheese 
for  a  Dumber  of  years.    He  also  served  as  Dep- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


981; 


uty  County  Clerk  for  several  years  and  County 
Treasurer  for  four  years.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Woodstock  Commandery  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  of  which  he  was  Treasurer  for  ten  years. 
At  the  venerable  age  of  over  eighty-four  years, 
Captain  Stewart  enjoys  in  an  eminent  degree 
the  respect  which  should  be  the  reward  of  an 
honorable  life  as  a  patriotic  soldier,  an  honest 
and  capable  public  official  and  a  high-minded 
and  useful  private  citizen. 


JACOB    STORY. 

The  American  family  of  Story,  which  pro- 
duced Joseph  Story,  the  jurist,  William  Wet- 
more  Story,  the  sculptor,  and  Wilbur  F.  Story, 
the  founder  of  the  Chicago  Times,  and  of 
which  Jacob  Story,  of  McHenry  County,  111., 
is  a  representative,  is  of  English  origin,  and 
three  brothers  of  the  name  are  said  to  have 
come  over  the  sea  and  settled  in  Southern 
Vermont  in  the  days  before  the  Revolution. 
One  of  these  brothers  was  the  ancestor  of 
Jacob  Story.  Mr.  Story's  grandfather,  in  whose 
honor  he  was  named,  was  Jacob  Story,  a 
native  of  Southern  Vermont,  who  had  children 
named  John,  Hiram,  Harriet,  another  daughter 
whose  name  is  not  recalled,  Joseph  (who  was 
a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812),  Elijah  and 
another  son  who  was  a  school-teacher.  When 
his  son  John  was  in  his  fifth  year,  Jacob  Story 
removed  with  his  family  to  the  Green  Mountain 
region,  locating  in  Fairfax  County,  Vt.,  where  he 
cleared  woodland  and  made  a  good  farm  on 
which  he  lived  out  his  days  and  died  at  an 
advanced  age.  The  wilderness  round  about 
his  place  of  settlement  abounded  in  bear, 
wolves,  wild-cats  and  all  kinds  of  wild  beasts 
and  birds  native  to  the  country.  Mr.  Story 
was  a  noted  bear-hunter,  and  he  had  a  famous 
bear  dog,  which  he  had  trained  to  chase  and 
attack  the  bear  and  hold  it  at  bay  until  it 
fell  before  the  pioneer's  unerring  aim.  The 
dog's  confidence  in  Mr.  Story's  ability  to 
kill  a  bear  before  the  bear  could  harm  it,  led 
at  length  to  a  premature  attack  on  the  bear 
which  killed  the  dog  before  the  hunter  could 
bring  his  trusty  rifle  into  action.  This  pion- 
eer's wife  also  lived  to  be  very  old.  Their 
son  John  was  born  in  Southern  Vermont  and, 
after  the  family  removed  to  Fairfax  County, 
was  educated  there  in  the  common  schools  and 
early  developed  much  ability  as  a  mathemati- 


cian, which  he  cultivated  through  life.  He  and 
his  brother  Hiram  cleared  and  improved  a 
large  farm  adjoining  their  father's  and  gave 
much  attention  to  stock-raising.  In  1818,  John 
Story  bought  an  improved  farm  of  150  acres 
on  the  Lamoille  River  a  mile  and  a  half  above 
Cambridge,  Vt.  Later  he  bought  another  farm 
two  and  a  half  miles  down  the  river  and,  after 
living  there  a  few  years,  removed  to  New 
York  State,  where  he  farmed  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety- 
one  years.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Whitcomb,  a 
native  of  Fairfax  County,  Vt.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Story  were  Baptists  and  exerted  a  good  influ- 
ence upon  the  communities  in  which  they  lived. 
They  had  children  named:  Jacob,  Rhoda, 
Charlotte,  Susan,  Maria — all  born  in  Fairfax 
County,  Vt. — Rosetta,  Andrew,  and  Harriet — 
who  were  born  at  Cambridge,  Vt. 

Jaoob  Story  was  born  Dec.  25,  1814,  was 
brought  up  to  farming  and  was  given  such 
education  as  was  obtainable  in  the  district 
schools  near  his  home.  In  the  spring  of  1837, 
he  went  to  Massachusetts,  and  was  employed 
on  a  farm  near  Boston  for  six  months  until  he 
came  to  Illinois.  He  journeyed  by  rail  and 
steamer  to  New  York  City  and  by  steamer  up 
the  Hudson  River  to  Albany,  from  Albany  to 
Buffalo  by  a  canal-packet  and  from  Buffalo  to 
Detroit  by  steamer.  From  Detroit  he  and  two 
other  young  men  walked  to  Lake  Michigan,  and 
they  came  to  Chicago  by  the  last  steamer  of 
the  season,  arriving  about  Dec.  1,  1837.  Chi- 
cago  was  then  nothing  but  a  big  village  claim- 
ing 5,000  inhabitants,  and  its  business  centered 
on  South  Water  Street.  From  Chicago  to  Mc- 
Henry, where  he  arrived  December  10,  Mr. 
Story  walked  by  way  of  Elgin  and  the  Fox  River 
road  to  Dundee,  stopping  at  nearly  every  log 
cabin  he  saw  and  inspecting  the  country  close- 
ly. That  winter  he  lived  at  Brown's  Log-cabin 
Tavern,  then  kept  by  Gideon  Colby.  He  found 
employment  at  farm  work  and  made  a  claim 
on  forty  acres  of  timber  land,  across  the 
river,  two  miles  south  of  McHenry.  This  he 
bought  at  a  land  sale,  improved  it  and  put  it 
under  cultivation  and,  later,  he  bought  eighty 
acres  one  mile  south  of  it.  On  November  22, 
1844,  he  married  Mary  Ann  Colby,  who  was 
born  Nov.  15,  1828,  and  died  March  28,  1847. 
He  set  up  housekeeping  in  a  log  house  with  a 
shingle  roof,  on  his  eighty  acre  tract,  ten  acres 


988 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


of  which  had  by  that  time  been  fenced  and 
plowed.  For  eight  years  after  the  death  of 
his  wife  Mr.  Story  and  his  children  lived  with 
Ira  Colby,  his  father-in-law.  In  1853  he  enter- 
ed upon  a  mercantile  career  at  McHenry,  in 
the  front  part  of  the  store  now  occupied  by 
his  daughter  as  a  drug  store,  which  was  built 
by  Robert  Matthews.  He  gradually  dropped 
other  lines  of  trade  and  was,  for  many  years, 
one  of  the  leading  hardware  merchants  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  He  has  speculated  to  some 
extent  in  western  lands,  having  bought  a  half 
section  of  Iowa  prairie  land  at  Government 
price,  which  he  sold  to  advantage  and  after- 
wards purchased  a  section  in  Brooks  County, 
Kan.,  which  he  still  holds.  His  judgment  in  busi- 
ness affairs  is  excellent,  and  he  is  especially 
well-informed  concerning  real  estate  values, 
and  was,  for  that  reason,  during  his  two  years' 
incumbency  of  the  office,  one  of  the  best  as- 
sessors his  township  ever  had.  Early  in  life 
he  was  a  Whig  and  he  voted  the  Republican 
ticket  in  Lincoln's  time;  later,  he  became  in- 
dependent in  politics  and  voted  for  Cleveland 
and  afterwards  became  a  Prohibitionist.  His 
fellow-citizens  accord  to  him  the  respect 
due  to  an  honest  man  and  the  peculiar 
regard  which  attaches  to  the  pioneer, 
for  his  residence  in  the  county  dates  back 
sixty-three  years,  to  within  three  years  of  the 
location  of  the  first  settler,  Samuel  Gillian,  in 
Algonquin  Township,  Nov.  18,  1834.  Mr.  Story 
has  two  children,  Julia  A.,  born  July  15,  1845, 
and  John  I.,  born  May  19,  1847,  nine  days  before 
his  mother's  death.  Miss  Julia  A.  Story  was 
graduated  at  Rockford  College  in  1866,  and 
taught  school  two  years  and  a  half  in  Missouri. 
She  was  later  graduated  from  the  Illinois 
School  of  Pharmacy,  Chicago,  and  is  winning 
success  as  a  druggist  at  McHenry. 


JOHN   W.  SANBORN. 

John  Sanborn,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  the  first  actual  settler  on 
English  Prairie,  McHenry  County,  where  he 
located  in  the  spring  of  1837.  The  family  is 
of  strictly  English  ancestry,  the  name  being 
originally  spelled  Sanbourne.  Three  brothers — 
respectively  named  John,  William  and  Stephen 
Sanborn — who  were  the  sons  of  Ann  Sanborn, 
came  to  America  with  their  maternal  grand- 
father, Rev.   Stephen  Bachiler,  in  1632.       The 


Christian  name  of  their  father  is  unknown,  but 
it  is  believed  that  Hampton,  England,  was  their 
original  home,  as  many  of  the  name  were  there 
at  an  earlier  day.  The  earliest  known  mention 
of  the  name  was  in  1194,  although  the  name 
is  found  in  the  records  connected  with  the 
history  of  Normandy,  France,  from  which  Eng- 
land received  a  large  accession  to  the  dominant 
element  of  its  population  in  the  days  of 
William  the  Conqueror,  and  for  a  century  or 
two  later. 

From  John  Sanborn,  one  of  the  three  brothers 
just  mentioned,  is  descended  the  branch  of  the 
family  now  represented  in  McHenry  County. 
He  was  born  in  Hampton,  England,  and,  after 
coming  to  America  in  1639  with  his  two  broth- 
ers, was  living  at  Hampton,  Mass.  He  was  one 
of  the  Selectmen  of  his  town  and  often  employ- 
ed to  execute  grants  and  the  survey  of  high- 
ways. He  was  a  man  of  prominence,  as  shown 
by  the  fact  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee to  lay  out  a  new  partition,  served  as 
foreman  of  jury  trials  at  Salisbury,  Mass.,  and 
was  chosen  Ensign  at  Hampton  Military  Court. 
In  1669  he  was  chosen  agent  of  Hampton  to 
settle  a  disputed  boundary  question.  In  1676 
he  was  foreman  of  the  Grand  Jury;  in  1679  was 
commissioned  Lieutenant  of  the  Hampton 
forces  for  protection  against  the  Indians,  and 
he  was  recommended  to  Charles  II.,  of  Eng- 
land, as  one  of  four  persons  qualified  to  serve 
on  a  commission  in  regard  to  making  New 
Hampshire  a  Royal  Province.  In  1685  he  and 
his  grandfather,  Rev.  Bachiler,  were  among 
those  chosen  to  serve  in  the  General  Assembly. 
He  was  married  twice:  first,  to  Mary,  daughter 
of  Robert  Fuch,  of  Gorleston,  Suffolk,  and 
Hampton,  N.  H.,  and  the  second  time  to 
Margaret  (Page)  Moulton,  a  widowed  daughter 
of  Robert  Page.  He  was  the  father  of  eighteen 
children — a  part  of  whom  were:  John,  Mary, 
Abigail,  Richard,  Mary  (2),  Joseph,  Stephen, 
Ann,  Dinah,  Nathaniel,  Benjamin  and  Capt. 
Jonathan.  Lieut.  John  Sanborn  died  Oct.  20, 
1692,  leaving  a  goodly  estate  for  that  period. 

Second  Generation. — John,  the  older  son  of 
this  family,  was  born  about  1649,  and  married 
Nov.  19,  1674,  Judith,  the  daughter  of  Tristram 
Coffin,  of  Newbury.  He  died  Sept.  23,  1727. 
His  children  were:  Judith,  Mary,  Sarah,  Debora, 
John,  Tristram,  Enrah,  Lydia,  Peter  and  Abner. 

Third    Generation. — Tristram    Sanborn,    born 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


980 


in  1684,  lived  in  Kingston;  was  Selectman 
there  in  1725,  and  Representative  from  that 
place  in  1734,  1736  and  1737;  was  a  church 
deacon  for  thirty  years;  D.  H.  S.,  says 
was  an  Ensign  and  a  granter  of  Steventown. 
His  house  having  been  burned  by  the  Indians, 
he  built  a  garrison  house  on  the  site.  He  was 
married  April  25,  1711,  to  Margaret,  daughter 
of  William  Taylor;  died,  Jan.  7,  1771.  His 
children  were:  Peter,  Jethro,  Abraham,  Tris- 
tram, Jethro  (2),  and  William. 

Fourth  Generation. — Abraham  Sanborn,  born 
in  Kingston,  March  2,  1717,  signed  "the  Test" 
there;  married  Jan.  6,  1737,  Abigail  Clifford, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Clifford,  of  Hamp- 
ton. He  died  Feb.  21,  1780,  and  his  wife, 
Feb.  19,  1797.  Children:  Joseph,  Sarah — died 
1743— John,  Debota,  Sarah  (2)— died  1746 — 
Sarah  (3),  Judith,  Shuah,  Isaac  and  Abraham. 

Fifth  Generation.  John  Sanborn,  born  in 
Kingston,  Feb.  19,  1741;  settled  in  Sandown, 
N.  H.,  signed  "the  Test"  there;  married 
Elizabeth  Sargent,  said  to  be  of  Scotch  de- 
scent; lived  in  Chester,  N.  H.;  died  April  10, 
1797;  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution. Children:  Abijah,  Abraham,  Winthrop, 
Sarah,  Moses,  Elizabeth  and  Jethro. 

Fifth  Generation. — John  Sanborn,  born  in 
at  Sandown,  N.  H.,  January  11,  1761;  moved 
to  Salisbury,  N.  H.,  where  he  was  an  early  set- 
tler; was  a  farmer;  married  March  6,  1797, 
Betsy  Fitz,  who  was  born  Jan.  26,  1766,  and 
died  in  Salisbury,  N.  H.  Winthrop  Sanborn 
came  to  Illinois  with  his  son  John  (see  sketch 
of  latter)  his  wife  being  then  deceased,  and 
died  Feb.  24,  1843.  Children:  Elizabeth  (died 
in  infancy),  Elizabeth  (2),  John,  Ira,  Sarah, 
Daniel  (deceased),  Daniel  (2)  and  Winthrop  S. 

Seventh  Generation. — John  Sanborn  of  the 
family  last  mentioned  and  father  of  John  W. 
Sanborn  of  McHenry  County,  was  born  in  Sal- 
isbury, N.  H.,  July  22,  1797,  became  a  farmer 
and  served  at  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812 
while  still  in  his  boyhood,  being  stationed  at 
Portsmonth,  N.  H.,  and  taking  part  in  the  cap- 
ture of  a  prize.  He  came  to  Michigan  some 
time  before  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  was  with 
his  brother  Daniel  at  White  Pigeon  when  he 
enlisted  for  service  in  that  contest.  He  was 
married  July  5,  1840,  at  Salisbury,  N.  H.,  to 
Mehitabel  Sanborn,  who  was  born  there  in 
1812,  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Abraham  Sanborn. 


He  inherited  his  father's  farm  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and,  in  the  spring  of  1837,  came  to  Ben- 
ton— now  Burton  Township — McHenry  County, 
with  $2,000,  having  meantime  spent  some  years 
at  White  Pigeon,  Mich.  What  were  known 
as  the  "English  settlers"  from  White  Pigeon 
had  already  been  on  the  ground  in  McHenry 
County,  which  afterwards  took  the  name  of 
"English  Prairie,"  and  had  staked  off  claims 
six  months  previously,  but  had  not  made  any 
actual  settlement.  A  Mr.  Huffman  was  then 
living  on  the  south  side  of  the  Nippersink, 
but  no  one  having  yet  settled  on  the  north 
side  where  Mr.  Sanborn  located,  he  thus  be- 
came the  first  permanent  white  settler  there. 
He  staked  out  his  claim,  began  to  break  his 
land,  and  built  a  cabin  partly  in  a  hill-side  near 
the  site  of  what  is  now  the  Sanborn  home. 
Some  six  months  later  the  "English  settlers" 
came  to  establish  their  settlement,  and  put 
in  their  claim  to  the  land  on  which  Mr.  iSan- 
born had  located.  He  was  mowing  grass  at 
the  time  when  one  of  the  new  settlers  ap- 
peared and  made  an  offer  to  him  of  $100  to  in- 
duce him  to  leave.  This  he  refused  to  do, 
when  his  visitor  remarked.  "What  can  you  do? 
There  are  twenty  of  us."  Mr.  Sanborn  replied, 
"I  can  make  the  prairie  stink  worse  with  dead 
British  than  ever  hell  did  with  brimstone." 
His  visitor  departed  and,  although  Mr.  San- 
born afterwards  had  several  encounters  with 
the  intruders,  he  held  his  ground.  For  some 
time  he  carried  with  him  the  musket  which  he 
had  borne  in  the  Black  Hawk  War.  His 
weapon  had  a  hole  bored  through  the  stock, 
by  which  he  hung  it  to  his  plow  ready  for 
prompt  use  in  case  of  emergency.  He  carried 
upon  his  face  the  mark  of  a  blow  received 
from  his  assailants.  He  was  a  man  of  stub- 
born character,  kept  his  land  and,  at  the  Gov- 
ernment land  sale,  bought  320  acres,  and  as- 
sisted many  new-comers  to  settle  on  the  east 
side  of  the  prairie.  There  were  many  en- 
counters between  land-claimants  in  those  days, 
and  it  frequently  happened  that  cabins  were  de- 
stroyed and  "claim-jumpers,"  as  they  were 
called,  were  driven  away  by  force.  Mr.  San- 
born kept  the  musket  he  carried  in  the  Black 
Hawk  War  until  1862.  Besides  his  farm  of 
320  acres,  he  owned  160  acres  in  Richmond 
Township,  which  he  had  bought  at  a  Govern, 
ment  land  sale.    This  was  on  a  disputed  claim. 


990 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Several  settlers  had  been  driven  from  this 
land,  their  cabins  torn  down  and  themselves 
beaten,  when  Mr.  Sanborn  announced:  "As 
two  men  have  been  driven  from  this  claim  I 
guess  I  will  take  it."  And  this  he  did  in 
spite  of  all  opposition.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Sanborn  had  children  named:  Levina,  John, 
Clarinda  (who  died  aged  eighteen  years),  Ben- 
jamin and  Minerva  (who  died  aged  twelve 
years).  Mr.  Sanborn  was  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics and  served  as  Supervisor  of  Burton  Town- 
ship several  terms;  was  also  School  Director 
for  some  time.  He  died  Feb.  26,  1866,  aged 
seventy-two  years,  and  Mrs.  Sanborn  August  16, 
1883,    aged    seventy-one. 

While  a  resident  of  Michigan  Mr.  Sanborn 
made  a  visit  to  his  old  home  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and,  on  his  return,  made  the  journey 
in  a  canvas-covered  wagon  drawn  by  four  yoke 
of  oxen.  Mrs.  Sanborn's  parents  were  Captain 
Abraham  and  Lois  (Taylor)  Sanborn,  her 
father,  who  was  a  Captain  of  militia,  belong- 
ing to  the  same  stock  as  her  husband's  family. 
There  is  preserved  in  the  Sanborn  family  a 
British  military  coat,  which  had — in  some  man- 
ner not  now  known — come  into  possession  of 
some  older  members  of  the  family,  and  which 
has  been  handed  down  for  several  generations. 

John  W.  Sanborn,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  on  his  father's  farm — 
now  the  Sanborn  homestead — in  Burton  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  Dec.  28,  1843.  Here 
he  received  the  usual  common-school  education 
of  his  day  in  the  "old  red  school  house,"  one 
of  his  first  teachers  being  Malinda  Peebles. 
In  his  boyhood  he  was  brought  up  to  the  life 
of  a  farmer,  but,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years, 
enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  for  the  Union, 
being  mustered  in  Sept.  4,  1862,  as  a  private 
in  Company  H,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  under  Capt.  Charles  Tryon.  He 
served  for  nearly  three  years  and  until  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  being  mustered  out  at 
Springfield,  Aug.  17,  1865.  Some  of  the  prin- 
cipal battles  in  which  he  was  engaged  included 
those  of  Champion  Hills  and  Black  River,  fol- 
lowed by  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  the  as- 
saults of  May  19  and  May  22,  1863;  the  cap- 
ture of  Fort  De  Russey;  the  Red  River  expe- 
dition with  the  battles  of  Blair's  Landing. 
Old  River,  Cloutierville,  Marksville  and  Yellow 
Bayou;   the  battle  of  Guntown,  Miss.,  and  the 


battles  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  December,  1864. 
During  the  Red  River  expedition  he  was  a 
sharpshooter.  Although  sick  in  his  quarters 
for  one  week  and  in  convalescent  camp  for 
three  months,  he  was  never  in  hospital  on  ac- 
count of  sickness  during  his  entire  term  of 
service,  but  took  part  in  all  the  campaigns, 
marches,  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  his 
regiment  was  engaged,  except  the  pursuit  of 
Price  through  Missouri  in  the  fall  of  1864.  At 
that  time  he  came  home  on  furlough  to  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Sanborn  returned  to  his 
home  in  McHenry  County,  and,  on  May  22, 
1868,  was  married  to  Olive  Walker,  who  was 
born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  July  13,  1846, 
the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Diana  (Smith) 
Walker.  The  Walkers  are  of  colonial  Puritan 
stock,  and  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Sanborn 
settled  at  an  'early  day  in  Otsego  County,  N. 
Y.  Her  father,  Henry  Walker,  was  born  in 
Connecticut  and,  in  childhood,  removed  with 
his  parents  to  New  York.  He  served  as  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  War  in  a  New  York  regiment 
for  two  years,  but  died  in  hospital  in  conse- 
quence of  a  wound  received  in  a  skirmish, 
the  ball  passing  through  his  arm  and  entering 
his  side.  His  children  were:  Albert,  Olive. 
Jane,  Laura,  Phoebe,  Mary,  Sarah,  Henry  (died 
in  infancy),  Annie  and  Nellie.  Albert  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War  and  died  in  hospital. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Sanborn  settled  on  the 
paternal  homestead  where  he  has  continued  to 
reside  ever  since.  He  purchased  the  interests 
of  the  other  heirs  in  his  farm,  and  now  owns 
269  acres  of  fine  farming  land  with  excellent 
improvements.  He  is  a  Democrat  politically 
and  has  served  as  School  Director  twenty-five 
years;  has  been  Road  Commissioner  eleven 
years  and  Tax  Collector  four  years.  His 
children  are:  Clyde  W.,  Harry  W.,  Flora  M., 
Guy  C,  Edith  L.  and  Wade  H.  Mrs.  Sanborn 
came  to  McHenry  County  in  the  spring  of 
1866  in  company  with  acquaintances  from  her 
native  State,  and  taught  school  in  English 
Prairie,  Solon  Mills,  Ringwood  and  Huntley 
for  four  years  before  her  marriage.  She  is  a 
woman  of  much  mental  force  and  high  charac- 
ter. Mr.  Sanborn  is  a  strong  temperance  man, 
of  lofty  integrity  and  exerts  a  strong  moral 
influence  in  the  community. 

Since    the    above    sketch    was    written    Mrs. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


991 


Sanborn  died  at  her  home  on  English  Prairie, 
McHenry  County,  Dec.  20,  1902,  aged  56  years. 
Her  death  has  removed  a  beloved  friend  whose 
genial  presence  will  long  be  missed  by  her 
family  and  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


CHARLES   B.  SHIAPLEY. 

Charles  B.  Shapley,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of 
Grafton  Township,  McHenry  County,  descends 
from  a  Colonial  Masachusetts  family  of  that 
name,  his  great-grandfather,  David  Shapley, 
being  a  farmer  in  that  State,  who  removed 
with  his  son  David  and  family  to  Madison 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  settled  on  a  farm. 

David  Shapley,  the  grandfather,  settled  on 
land  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  which  he  con- 
verted from  a  wilderness  to  a  well-improved 
farm.  His  children  were:  Calvin  A.,  an  early 
pioneer  of  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County; 
David,  Louis,  who  lived  on  the  old  homestead 
in  Madison  County;  Rebecca,  and  Nelson.  Mr. 
Shapley  was  a  substantial  farmer  and,  after 
settling  in  Madison  County,  resided  there  all 
of  his  remaining  days  and  died  at  the  age  of 
about  fifty  years. 

Nelson  Shapley,  the  father  of  Charles  B., 
was  born  on  his  father's  farm  in  Madison  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  May  26,  1810.  He  received  a  good 
common  school  education  and  married  in  that 
county  Agnes  Payne,  born  in  May,  1811,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Hannah  Payne. 

William  Payne,  well-known  as  'Squire  Payne, 
was  a  pioneer  of  Georgetown,  N.  Y.,  and  a  well- 
to-do  citizen,  serving  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  many  years,  and  was  the  first  Supervisor 
of  Georgetown,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.  He  was 
born  in  Connecticut,  descending  from  an  old 
Puritan  English  family,  was  a  deacon  in  the 
Congregational  church  and  died  in  1854,  aged 
seventy-nine  years.  His  son,  Weston,  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Georgetown. 

After  the  birth  of  his  son,  Charles  B.,  In 
1837,  Nelson  Shapley  entered  a  Congregational 
Theological  Institute  at  Quincy,  111.,  to  fit  him- 
self for  the  ministry.  He  remained  there  nearly 
three  years  when,  on  account  of  his  father's 
sickness,  he  returned  home.  He  nevertheless 
secured  his  diploma,  and  began  the  ministerial 
profession  at  Stockbridge,  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  remained  about  one  year.  He  con- 
tinued to  preach  in  New  York  State  and  North- 
ern Pennsylvania  for  several  years,  and  after- 
wards came  to  Illinois  and  preached  in  Bloom- 


ingdale,  Algonquin,  Carpenterville,  Dundee  and 
one  year  at  Huntley.  He  lived  at  Dundee  and 
in  that  vicinity  for  three  years  (1852-1855). 
He  then  preached  in  Michigan  and  Ohio,  look- 
ing after  and  preaching  in  the  new  churches 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Home  Missionary 
Society.  He  lived  in  Michigan  four  years,  and 
then,  on  account  of  poor  health,  returned  to 
Illinois  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War — perhaps  in  1859.  He  then  retired  from  the 
ministry,  bought  a  farm  and  settled  in  Hamp- 
shire Township,  Kane  County,  where  he  re- 
mained twelve  years,  but  on  account  of  ad- 
vanced age,  he  and  his  wife  went  to  Iowa  to 
live  with  their  daughter  Julia.  Here  he  died 
in  1885,  aged  about  seventy-five  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shapley  were  the  parents  of  Charles 
B.,  Newell  F.  and  Julia  T. 

Newell  F.  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War 
and  served  as  a  private  in  the  Fifteenth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry  for  a  term  of  three  years. 
He  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Pittsburg 
Landing  and  was  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability, but  upon  partial  recovery,  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Seventeenth  "Volunteer  Cavalry, 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Charles  B.  Shapley  was  born  on  his  grand- 
father Shapley's  farm  July  14,  1835,  and  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois  in  1836,  re- 
turning with  them  to  New  York  State  two 
years  later.  His  father  returned  to  Illinois 
with  the  family  in  1859,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
near  Harmony  in  Hampshire  Township,  Kane 
County.  Charles  B.  received  a  common  school 
education  and  had  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  at  which  he  had  worked 
for  some  time.  He  married  Dec.  31,  1861,  Mary 
Jane  Williams  of  Harmony,  who  was  born 
March  14,  1840,  at  Eaton,  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  daughter  of  James  and  Catherine  (Jenkins) 
Williams. 

James  Williams  was  born  in  Cardiganshire, 
Wales,  Feb.  15,  1819,  son  of  David  and  Mary 
(Morgan)  Williams.  Their  children  were: 
James,  David,  Thomas,  Ann,  Elizabeth  and 
William,  all  born  in  Wales.  Mr.  Williams  was 
raised  on  a  farm  and  received  a  limited  com- 
mon school  education.  His  father  died  when 
he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  and  after  that 
time  he  took  care  of  himself  and  assisted  his 
mother  to  support  the  younger  children.  He 
married  in  Wales,  May  7,  1838,  Catherine  Jen- 
kins, born  in  Wales  April  12,  1815,  daughter  of 
John  A.  and  Mary  Jenkins. 


992 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


John  A  Jenkins  was  born  in  Wales  and  he 
and  wife  were  the  parents  of  Jane,  Cath- 
erine, Eleanor,  Mary  and  John.  In  1839  Mr. 
Jenkins  and  his  family  came  to  America  in  a 
sailing-vessel,  and  were  seven  weeks  on  the 
ocean  from  Liverpool  to  New  York.  They  were 
accompanied  by  James  Williams  and  wife  and 
David  Edwards,  who  had  married  Eleanor  Jen- 
kins. John  A.  Jenkins  settled  in  Madison 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  had  bought  a  farm. 
In  1847  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  settled  on  a 
farm  consisting  of  260  acres  in  Coral  Township, 
McHenry  County.  He  was  a  substantial  cit- 
izen and  lived  here  until  1850,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Jefferson  County,  Wis.,  where  he  set- 
tled on  land  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  Mr.  Jenkins  lived  to  be  about  ninety- 
four  years  old,  and  died  Aug.  5,  1884.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Welsh  Congregational  church. 

After  marriage,  Charles  B.  Shapley  and 
wife  settled  on  a  farm  of  twenty  acres 
which  he  had  bought  in  Grafton  Town- 
ship, and  to  which  he  added  until  he 
owned  eighty  acres  of  excellent  farming 
land.  He  continued  to  work  at  his  trade  until 
he  moved  to  Huntley  in  1900,  where  he  built 
his  present  residence.  Politically  Mr.  Shapley 
is  a  Republican  and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont 
and  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  always  taken 
an  active  interest  in  matters  pertaining  to 
good  schools  and  has  served  in  an  able  manner 
as  a  member  of  the  School  Board  and  as  a 
School  Trustee.  Mr.  Shapley  has  always  been 
an  industrious  man,  well  known  for  his  integ- 
rity of  character,  skillful  in  farming  and  a  prac- 
tical mechanic,  having  built  many  of  the  best 
buildings  in  this  part  of  McHenry  County. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shapley  adopted  a  son,  Claude 
E.  Williams,  when  he  was  four  weeks  old.  He 
was  the  son  of  Walter  W.  Williams,  a  brother 
of  Mrs.  Shapley.  His  mother,  Evelyn  G.  (Ax- 
tell)  Williams,  a  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Lucy 
Aixtell,  died  when  Claude  E.  was  four  weeks 
old,  and  his  father  died  ten  years  later  at  Lead- 
ville,  Col.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shapley  brought  up 
the  child  as  their  own  and  gave  him  a  good 
education.  He  married  Nettie  A.  Welcome  and 
settled  on  the  old  homestead,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Walter  W. 


ABRAHAM  STILL. 

Abraham   Still,   who    resides   on    his    well- 
tilled   farm   adjacent  to    the    city    of    Wood- 


stock, is  the  son  of  William  and  Hannah 
(Bridges)  Still.  Both  the  Still  and  Bridges 
families  were  of  English  nativity.  William 
Still  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  June  19, 
1819,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  which 
had  also  been  his  father's  vocation.  The  lat- 
ter owned  a  good  farm  and  comfortable  home, 
and  had  children,  named :  Joseph,  Hannah,Mary 
and  William.  He  was  a  Methodist  in  religious 
belief,  and  died  on  his  farm  at  a  venerable  age. 

William   Still    married    in   Lancashire,    Eng- 
land,    Hannah    Bridges,     born     in    the    same 
vicinity,  and  they  settled  in  Lancashire  where 
all  their  children  were  born,  viz.:     Ann,  Fan- 
nie,    Bridges,    William    and    Joseph.    In    the 
autumn   of  1852   Mr.   Still   brought  his   family 
to  America,  sailing  from    Hull,    England,    the 
voyage  to  Quebec  occupying  six  weeks.    From 
Quebec  they  came  direct    to    Chicago,    where 
they    were    met    by    Robert  and  Richard  Har- 
rison, who  brought  with  them    a    team    from 
Ringwood,    McHenry    County,    and     conveyed 
the  family  and  their  household  goods  to  Ring- 
wood     Prairie.     On     arriving     at     the     latter 
place,  Mr.  Still  worked  at  farm-labor  for  a  few 
years,  after  which  he  purchased  an  improved 
farm  of  100  acres  in  Nunda  Township.    Several 
years  later  (in  1867)  he  bought  the  farm  where 
Bridges  Still  now  resides,  which  was  a  200-acre 
tract  of  well-improved  land  supplied  with  good 
farm  buildings.     Here  he  lived  the  rest  of  his 
life  and  died  in  May,  1900,  aged  about  eighty 
years;   his  wife  dying  in  January  of  the  same 
year,  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of  her  age. 
They   were  both    members    of    the  Methodist 
church  and  took  an  active  part  in  its  general 
welfare.       In   politics   Mr.   Still  was   a  stanch 
Republican,  and  cast  his  vote  for  John  C.  Fre- 
mont and  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Abraham  Still,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  Feb. 
17,  1844,  and  when  eight  years  of  age  came  with 
his  parents  to  America.  He  well  remembers 
the  voyage,  and  was  the  only  member  of  the 
family  who  did  not  suffer  from  sea-sickness. 
Young  Still  acquired  a  common-school  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Nunda  Town- 
ship, and  was  reared  to  a  life  on  the  farm, 
a  pursuit  he  has  always  followed. 

In  February,  1864,  Mr.  Still  enlisted  at  Wood- 
stock as  a  private  in  Company  G,  Seventeenth 
Illinois  Cavalry,  Capt.  L.  D.  Kelly,  and  after 
seeing  service  at  various  points  in    Missouri, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


993 


was  mustered  out  and  discharged  at  Spring- 
field, 111.,  in  January,  1866,  after  having  served 
nearly  two  years.  The  Seventeenth  Illinois  Cav- 
alry was  under  command  of  Col.  John  L.  Bev- 
eridge,  previously  a  Captain  and  Major  of  the 
Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  and  after  the  war  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State.  During  its  period  of  en- 
listment the  regiment  took  part  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  rebel  General  Price  in  his  raid  through 
Missouri,  during  which  it  marched  some  1200 
miles  and  saw  much  active  service  fighting 
Missouri  bush-whackers  and  guerrillas.  Among 
the  points  at  which  the  regiment  was  stationed 
or  took  part  in  skirmishes  or  regular  battles 
during  this  campaign,  were  Boonville,  Inde- 
pendence, Lexington,  Jefferson  City,  Springfield, 
Raleigh,  Cape  Girardeau  and  Fort  Scott,  Kans. 
One  of  its  most  active  experiences  was  in  the 
repulse  of  Price's  attack  on  Jefferson  City.  It 
was  also  at  Lawrence,  Kans.,  shortly  after  the 
blood-thirsty  and  brutal  raid  on  that  place  by 
the  famous  Quantrell.  At  this  period  a  large 
portion  of  the  State  of  Missouri  was  almost 
entirely  depopulated  and  the  soldiers  endured 
much  hardship  and  privation  in  consequence,  at 
times,  of  the  difficulty  in  securing  rations.  Mr. 
Still  served  as  saddler  of  his  company,  being 
entrusted  with  the  care  of  saddles  and  harness- 
es, and  thus  picked  up  much  knowledge  of  this 
branch  of  business.  The  last  few  months  of 
the  regiment's  service  was  spent  at  Fort  Leav- 
enworth, Kans.,  where  it  was  mustered  out  in 
December,  1865,  and  discharged  in  January  fol- 
lowing at  Springfield. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Still  returned 
to  his  farm  in  McHenry  County.  On  October 
3,  1869,  he  was  married  in  Woodstock,  111.,  to 
Adelina  Hickox,  who  was  born  in  McHenry 
Township,  March  28,  1850,  the  daughter  of  Mark 
and  Betsy  (Abbott)  Hickox.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Still  settled  on  the  old  Still  home- 
stead in  Nunda  Township,  where  they  resided 
for  fifteen  years  and  then  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent farm  near  the  city  of  Woodstock,  which  was 
formerly  the  Mark  Hickox  estate,  comprising  an 
area  of  120  acres.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children:  Edgar  B.,  Guy  E.,  Maude  E. 
Emilia  May  and  Carrie  D.  Mr.  Still  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in 
which  he  has  been  a  class-leader  for  many 
years,  and  has  always  taken  an  active  interest 
in  the  affairs  of  his  church.    In  politics  he  is  a 


Republican  and  is  a  School  Trustee  of  Dorr 
Township. 

Concerning  Mr.  Still's  children,  the  following 
is  of  interest:  Edgar  is  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  at  Fairdale,  111.  He  married  Amanda 
Taylor,  and  they  have  two  children,  Perrie  and 
Floyd. 

Guy  married  Carrie  Baird,  and  they  reside  in 
Woodstock,  111.,  where  he  holds  a  position  as 
clerk  in  the  County  Treasurer's  office. 

The  remainder  of  Mr.  Still's  children  reside 
at  home.  His  daughter,  Maude,  is  a  clerk  in 
Cheat's  mercantile  establishment,  a  position 
she  has  ably  filled  for  several  years. 

Mrs.  Still  died  April  20,  1901. 


JACOB  SNYDER. 

Mr.  Jacob  Snyder  is  one  of  the  early  settlera 
of  Dorr  Township,  emigrating  to  Illinois  from 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born  on  a  farm  at 
Lime  Stone  Ridge,  Northumberland  County,  and 
being  the  descendant  of  Pennsylvania-Dutch  an- 
cestry. He  was  raised  on  the  farm  by  his 
mother,  his  father  having  died  when  he  was  an 
infant,  leaving  his  mother  with  a  family  of  the 
following  children:  Simon,  Jacob,  Ann,  Lydia. 
Mrs.  Snyder  had  previously  been  married  Lo 
Thomas  Van  Kirk,  and  from  this  marriage  there 
were:  Thomas,  Peter,  Hannah  and  Hester.  Af- 
ter Mr.  Snyder's  death,  Mrs  Snyder  married 
John  Hoosel,  and  from  this  marriage  there 
were  David  and  Margaret. 

Jacob  Snyder  was  brought  up  among  stran- 
gers, as  a  result  of  his  father's  death,  but.  after 
his  mother's  marriage  to  John  Hoosel,  he  had  a 
home  until  Mr.  Hoosel  died,  which  occurred 
while  he  was  yet  a  boy.  After  Mr.  Hoosel's 
death,  his  mother  removed  to  Bradford  County; 
Pennsylvania,  where  Jacob  engaged  to  work  for 
a  farmer.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  went 
to  Chemung  County,  New  York,  and  worked  at 
farm  work  and  lumbering  in  Steuben  County. 
New  York,  until  he  moved  west  when  he  was 
twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  had  no  chance  of 
gaining  an  education  and  is  entirely  self-edu- 
cated. In  1850  he  came  to  Illinois,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  13th  day  of  May.  Here  he  hired 
out  by  the  day,  but  the  same  fall  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  company  with  David  Hoosel, 
his  half-brother.  Two  years  later  they  divided 
the  eighty,  each  retaining  forty  acres.  This 
land  had  been  but  little  improved,  the  only 


994 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


building  being  an  old  log  house.  Mr.  Snydei 
worked  hard,  improved  his  farm  and  was  mar- 
ried in  McHenry  County,  January  1,  1853,  to 
Sarah  S.  Parks,  born  in  Massachusetts,  within 
fourteen  miles  of  Boston,  April  26,  1837,  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  and  Almira  (Wesson)  Parks. 

The  Parks  family  were  of  old  New  England 
Puritan  ancestry,  and  Jonathan  H.  owned  a 
farm  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  In  1843 
he  settled  in  Stockbridge,  and  there  bought  a 
farm,  where  he  lived  until  1855,  when 
he  came  to  Illinois  with  his  family,  mak- 
ing the  journey  via  the  great  lakes  to  Chicago. 
He  settled  in  McHenry  Township  and  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land,  part  of  which  had  been 
broken,  but  no  buildings  had  been  previously 
erected.  Mr.  Parks  improved  his  farm,  erected 
substantial  buildings  and  made  a  good  home  and 
lived  here  until  his  death,  July  28,  1856.  Be- 
sides being  a  farmer  he  was  a  brickmaker  and 
burned  charcoal  and  lime,  a  pursuit  he  also 
followed  in  Massachussets,  during  the  two 
years  he  resided  in  that  State.  He  was  a  nat- 
ural mechanic  and  could  do  almost  anything 
with  tools.  He  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Rock- 
bottom  factory  in  Massachusetts.  In  religious 
belief  he  was  a  Universalist.  He  was  an  in- 
dustrious and  hard  working  man,  highly  re- 
spected by  all,  and  reared  an  excellent  family. 
The  names  of  his  children  in  order  of  their 
birth  are:  George,  Martha,  Mary,  Sarah, 
Charles  and  Hannah. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder 
settled  on  his  farm  consisting  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  the  eastern  part 
of  Dorr  Township,  where  they  first  lived  in  an 
old  log-cabin.  Mr.  Snyder  went  to  Waukegau 
and  bought  a  common  iron-cookstove  for  which 
he  paid  $30.00.  This  was  before  his  marriage 
and  when  his  mother  was  keeping  house  for 
him.  Mr.  Snyder's  mother  lived  with  him  and 
Mrs.  Snyder  until  her  death,  which  occurred 
eighteen  years  after  their  marriage.  She  was 
eighty-eight  years,  Bight  months  and  eight  days 
old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  lived  on  the  farm 
until  they  moved  to  their  present  home, 
Nov.  14,  1883.  They  worked  hard  on  the 
old  farm  and  converted  it  into  excellent  shape, 
besides  adding  to  its  area  until  they  owned  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  excellent  farm- 
ing land  in  Dorr  and  twenty-eight  and  one-half 
acres  in  Greenwood  Township.  In  1883  they 
bought  nine  and  one-half  acres  within  the  cor- 


poration of  Woodstock,  which  now,  after  sever- 
al years  of  their  care,  presents  a  very  attract- 
ive appearance.  Before  leaving  the  old  farm, 
Mr.  Snyder  had  built  a  substantial  frame  house 
and  barn  besides  several  frame  buildings.  On 
account  of  being  disabled  for  manual  labor  he 
nas,  for  the  past  six  years,  devoted  his  attention 
to  the  selling  of  medicines.  His  attention  was 
called  to  a  remedy  which  has  proven  of  great 
value.  His  wife  was  the  victim  of  a  serious 
nervous  trouble  which  affected  her  memory, 
and  was  entirely  cured  after  taking  a  course  of 
treatment  with  this  remedy  called  the  "Oxien 
Nerve  Food."  Mr.  Snyder  began  introducing 
it  to  the  people  in  connection  with  other  medi- 
cines of  the  same  nature,  and  many  remarkable 
cures  have  been  effected  by  means  of  the  mer- 
its of  the  various  remedies  he  handles.  One 
year  he  sold  over  $230  worth  of  this  one  rem- 
edy, and  so  successful  have  been  the  cures  of 
nervous  diseases  with  these  remedies  that  they 
have  become  a  standard  article.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Snyder  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
He  served  sixteen  years  as  Road  Commissioner 
in  Dorr  Township  and  two  terms  as  School  Di- 
rector. They  are  the  parents  of  one  son, 
Charles  H.,  who  married  Rosetta  Sherman 
daughter  of  Jose  and  Mary  Ann  (Roan)  Sher- 
man. 

Charles  H.  is  a  farmer  and  resides  on  the 
homestead  near  Woodstock.  He  and  wife  have 
two  children:  Alta  H.,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
ten  vears,  and  Nina  May,  now  attending  the 
public  schools. 

Mr.  Jacob  Snyder  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
With  the  assistance  of  his  faithful  and  indus- 
trious wife  he  has  earned,  by  honest,  hard 
labor  and  economy,  a  valuable  property. 


PHILIP  EDWARD  SAUNDERS. 

Thilip  Edward  Saunders,  insurance  man  and 
prominent  citizen  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County, 
was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  May  6,  1838: 
of  colonial  Puritan  and  English  stock,  his  an- 
cestry dating  back  to  the  early  settlement  of 
that  portion  of  New  England.  Philip  Saunders., 
his  great-grandfather,  was  a  resident  of  Tolland 
County,  Conn.,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and 
served  as  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution..  His 
musket  is  still  preserved  in  the  family.  A 
member  of  this  family  was  with  Col.  Ethan 
Allen  at  the  capture  of  Ticonderoga,  in  1775. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


995 


Philip  (2),  the  son  of  the  preceding  and  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  origi- 
nally a  farmer,  but  later  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising. He  married,  and  his  children  were: 
Asahel,  Stephen,  Christopher  and  a  daughter, 
Maria,  who  married  a  Mr.  Wilber.  Philip  (3). 
son  of  the  preceding,  was  born  in  New  Haven 
about  17S5;  was  a  merchant  and  did  a  large 
business,  dealing  in  West  India  products.  He 
married  Nancy  Smith,  who  was  born  at  West 
Haven,  Conn.,  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Ichabod 
and  Martha  (Richards)  Smith.  Her  father  was 
a  sea-faring  man,  and,  as  Captain  of  the  good 
ship  Pacific,  made  many  voyages  to  Mogadore 
on  the  coast  of  Africa.  The  children  of 
Captain  Smith  were:  Ichabod,  Seaman, 
Simeon,  Edgar,  Nancy,  Minerva,  Angeline, 
Francis  and  Emily.  The  Smith  family  resi- 
dence, which  was  erected  by  the  father  of  Capt. 
Ichabod  Smith  more  than  150  years  ago,  is  still 
standing,  and  is  occupied  by  descendants  of  the 
family.  During  the  Revolutionary  War,  this 
house  was  visited  by  a  party  of  raiding 
Hessians,  who  committed  some  depredations 
wounding  Captain  Smith's  father,  then  an  old 
man.  After  marriage,  Philip  Saunders  (3)  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  business  in  New  Haven, 
residing  there  for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dy- 
ing in  1862,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and 
in  politics  an  old  line  Whig.  His  childreD 
were:  Martha,  Eliza,  Mariette,  Jane,  Adela, 
Lovisa,  Virginia,  Josephine,  Charles  and 
Philip  Edward. 

The  last  named,  born  as  already  stated,  in 
New  Haven,  May  6,  1838,  was  reared  in  his  na- 
tive place  and  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  that  city  and  at  the  Russell  Institute.  At 
an  early  age  he  went  to  New  York  City,  where 
he  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  a  broker's  office, 
but  in  1859,  went  to  Wisconsin  and  entered  the 
employment  of  the  Milwaukee  &  Mississippi 
Railroad  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  having  charge  of 
the  freight  department.  He  remained  there 
about  three  years  when,  in  1864,  he  came  to  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  and  engaged  in  farming  in 
Chemung  Township.  In  1870  he  removed  to  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  and  was  there  connected  with  the 
freight  department  of  the  Grand  Rapids  &  Indi- 
ana Railroad  until  1872,  when  he  returned  tc 
McHenry  County  and  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business  at  Harvard.  After  being  engaged  in 
this  line  for  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Saunders 


entered  into  the  insurance  business  in  Harvard, 
and  is  now  the  oldest  representative,  in  point 
of  service,  of  that  business  in  Harvard.  He  rep- 
resents a  number  of  the  largest  Eastern,  as  well 
as  several  wealthy  English  companies,  and  has 
conducted  a  large  and  successful  business  for 
many  years.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leading  men  in  his  line  in  Northern  Illinois 
On  October  11,  1862,  Mr.  Saunders  was  married 
at  Prairie  du  Chien,  Wis.,  to  Josephine  Mary 
Bowen,  who  was  born  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  Feb. 
29,  1844,  the  daughter  of  Elias  S.  and  Minerva 
D.  Bowen.  Her  father  was  a  pioneer  farmer  of 
Crawford  County,  Wis.,  who  was  personally 
acquainted  with  Zachary  Taylor  and  Jefferson 
Davis  at  old  Fort  Crawford,  and  was  accus- 
tomed to  relate  many  interesting  reminiscences 
of  that  early  period.  His  children  were:  Jose- 
phine M.,  who  married  Mr.  Saunders,  George 
and  Harvey.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Saunders  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  are  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  Philip,  born 
July  18,  1864;  Charles,  born  Jan.  30,  1866; 
Stuart,  born  May  19,  1868;  Eugene,  born  Feb. 
f.,  1870;  Harvey  B.,  born  Jan.  16,  1873;  Foster 
B.,  born  March  23,  1875,  and  Walter  D.,  born 
April  8,  1877.  Mr.  Saunders  is  widely  known 
as  a  representative  citizen  of  Harvard,  served 
as  City  Clerk  for  ten  years,  and  has  been 
Superintendent  of  the  Water  Works  and  the 
electric  light  plant,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
principal  promoters.  This  position  he  has  re- 
cently resigned.  He  also  held  the  office  of 
Treasurer  of  Chemung  Township  for  some 
twenty  years.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason  and 
member  of  the  Woodstock  Commandery 
Knights  Templar. 


EUGENE    SAUNDERS. 

Eugene  Saunders,  one  of  the  proprietors  and 
manager  of  the  mechanical  department  of  the 
"Harvard  Independent,"  was  born  in  Chemung 
Township,  McHenry  County,  Feb.  5,  1870,  the 
son  of  Philip  Edward  and  Josephine  (Bowen) 
Saunders,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  the  High  School  of  Harvard. 
In  1887  he  began  to  learn  the  printer's  trade  in 
the  office  of  "The  Harvard  Independent,"  under 
editor  O.  S.  Eastman,  remaining  until  1890. 
Then,  after  spending  three  years  in  various  oc- 
cupations, in  1893,  he  established  a  job-printing 
office  in  Harvard,  which  he  conducted  success- 
fully for  two  years.    In  1895  he  bought  an  inter- 


996 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


est  in  "The  Harvard  Independent,"  with  Merton 
J.  Emerson  as  partner,  immediately  assuming 
control  of  the  mechanical  department,  which  he 
has  continued  ever  since,  and  which  has  re- 
sulted in  a  large  improvement  in  the  business 
of  the  concern.  Mr.  Saunders  brought  with 
him  to  his  new  position  a  large  trade,  but  it 
has  required  much  hard  work  and  good  man- 
agement to  bring  the  business  up  to  its  present 
state  of  prosperity.  New  presses,  machinery 
and  other  appliances  have  been  added  to  the 
establishment,  and  it  now  boasts  the  largest, 
most  modern  and  best  equipped  newspaper 
press  in  McHenry  County,  while  the  business 
occupies  the  largest  floor-space  of  any  similar 
establishment  in  the  county.  For  this  result,  as 
well  as  the  skillful  and  workmanlike  manner 
in  which  the  affairs  of  the  office  are  conducted, 
and  the  attractive  appearance  of  the  paper, 
much  credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Saunders.  Mr.  Saun- 
ders and  Mr.  F.  R.  Phelps,  in  copartnership, 
became  proprietors  of  the  Harvard  Opera  House 
in  1890. 


ISRAEL   C.  ST.   CLAIR. 

Israel  Chamberlain  St.  Clair,  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  McHenry  County,  now  deceased,  was 
born  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  June  15,  1829,  the  son 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Simmons)  St.  Clair, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Chicago  in  1835: 
and  to  McHenry  County  in  1837.  His  father 
settled  on  wild  land  and  the  family  were  true 
pioneers  in  a  new  country,  where  they  endured 
all  the  hardships  connected  with  pioneer  life, 
shared  its  simple  pleasures  and  took  part  in  all 
the  affairs  of  their  locality.  His  parents  were 
early  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  in  those  pioneer  days,  the  log  houses 
of  the  early  settlers  serving  as  the  homes  of 
the  Methodist  itinerant  preachers,  and  there  re- 
ligious services  were  frequently  held.  Israel  C. 
St.  Clair  was  reared  amid  the  scenes  and  inci- 
dents of  pioneer  life,  and  here  his  early  experi- 
ences assisted  in  forming  those  many  traits  of 
character  which  remained  with  him  through 
life.  He  received  the  limited  education  afforded 
in  the  pioneer  log-cabin  schoolhouse,  but  pos- 
sessing an  intelligent  mind,  he  read  every  good 
book  to  which  he  could  gain  access,  and  thus 
became  well-informed,  especially  in  history,  of 
which  he  read  extensively.  He  was  a  devout 
student  of  the  Bible  and  passed  many  hours  in 
reading  its  sacred  pages,  thus  acquiring  an  ex- 


tensive knowledge  of  tne  Book  of  Books.  He 
was  a  successful  farmer  and  stock-raiser 
and  an  expert  in  the  manufacture  of 
dairy  products,  taking  several  first  premiums 
in  this  line  at  the  county  fairs.  He 
married  in  Coral  Township,  June  15,  1852. 
Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Samuel  R.  and  Sallie 
(Bowley)  Morris,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  children  named:  Ellen,  Morris,  George,  Leila 
and  Susie.  Mr.  St.  Clair  moved  on  the  old  St. 
Clair  homestead,  on  which  he  made  improve- 
ments and  established  one  of  the  pleasantest 
homes  in  McHenry  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  St. 
Clair  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  in  which  Mr.  St.  Clair,  at  different 
times,  was  steward  and  trustee.  He  joined 
the  pioneer  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
Ridgefield  when  a  boy.  In  politics  he  was  an 
old  line  Whig,  and  later  became  a  Republican 
on  the  organization  of  that  party.  Mrs. 
St.  Clair  was  born  Oct.  6,  1830,  in  Madison 
County,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Sallie  (Bowley)  Morris.  Samuel  Morris  was 
descended  from  an  old  New  York  family,  the 
town  of  Morrisville,  N.  Y.,  being  named  after 
them.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Morris  moved  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  in  1840,  and  settled  in 
Coral  Township,  and  were  among  the  pioneers 
of  that  vicinity.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  named  as  follows:  Charlotte  M.. 
Sarah  E.,  Mary  E.,  Edwin  R.,  Martha  E.  Wilbur 
F.,  Samuel  J.  and  Charles  W.  Two  sons — 
Edwin  R.  and  Wilbur  F. — served  in  the  Civil 
War.  Charles  W.  was  drowned  after  enlist- 
ment, while  in  camp  at  Freeport,  111. 


JOHN  J.  STAFFORD. 

John  J.  Stafford,  leading  furniture-dealer  of 
Woodstock,  also  engaged  in  marble  working 
and  other  enterprises,  has  for  over  twenty 
years  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
business  Interests  of  his  city.  Mr.  Stafford 
comes  of  good  English  ancestry,  many  of  the 
early  members  of  the  family  having  settled 
in  New  England  in  colonial  days.  He  was  born 
in  Rutland,  Vt.,  August  17,  1863,  the  son  of 
Jonas  J.  and  Helen  (Finn)  Stafford.  In  1868, 
when  about  five  years  old,  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111., 
where  for  a  number  of  years  he  attended  the 
public  schools,  cultivating  his  literary  tastes, 
and   developing  habits  of  industry  and   atten 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


997 


tion,  which  have  characterized  him  through 
life.  Turning  his  attention  to  business  at  an 
early  age  he  entered  the  wood -working  estab- 
lishment of  his  brother,  L.  H.  Stafford,  and 
there  passed  two  years  of  profitable  apprentice- 
ship. Having  mastered  the  details  of  the 
business,  in  1S80  he  came  to  Woodstock  and 
opened  a  furniture  shop  of  his  own,  to  which 
he  added  the  undertaking  business.  High 
grade  articles,  prompt  service,  and  square 
dealings  won  him  patronage  from  the  start; 
and  wise  financial  management  soon  placed 
the  business  on  a  solid  foundation.  Trade 
has  steadily  increased,  and  he  has  from  year 
to  year  enlarged  his  stock  of  goods,  and 
made  other  improvements  in  the  store.  The 
business  is  now  extensive  and  profitable.  En- 
couraged by  his  success,  in  1889,  in  company 
with  A.  J.  Zoia,  he  opened  a  marble-works 
establishment  under  the  firm  name,  "Stafford 
&  Zoia."  Here  he  has,  if  anything,  been  more 
successful  than  in  the  furniture  business. 
Making  a  specialty  of  monuments,  the  firm 
has  turned  out  some  very  artistic  work,  and 
orders  come  in  from  far  and  near.  During 
the  year  1901  the  business  yielded  twenty 
thousand  dollars. 

In  1886  Mr.  Stafford  married  in  Woodstock, 
Marcella  C.  Donnelly,  who  was  born  in  Wood- 
stock, daughter  of  John  Donnelly.  Of  this 
union  there  have  been  two  children:  Gordon 
and    Marcellus. 

Mr.  Stafford  started  life  with  little  but  his 
own  brains  and  muscle  to  depend  upon,  and 
has  risen  to  a  foremost  place  among  the  bus- 
iness men  of  his  city.  He  has  also  found 
time  to  cultivate  the  literary  and  social  sides 
of  his  nature.  From  year  to  year  he  has  laid 
in  a  stock  of  good  books,  and  his  private  library, 
where  he  passes  his  leisure  hours,  now  con- 
tains some  of  the  choicest  literature  of  an- 
cient and  modern  times.  Fraternally  he  is  af- 
filiated with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  all  of  Wood- 
stock. In  politics  he  is  a  strong  Democrat. 
He  is  outspoken,  liberal  in  his  views  and  pos- 
sesses a  high  sense  of  honor. 


CAPT,  CHARLES  HOPKINS  TRYON. 

Gapt.  Charles  Hopkins  Tryon,  present  County 
Surveyor  of   McHenry   CouDty,    was   a   soldier 


and  officer  of  the  Civil  War,  and  ranks  among 
the  pioneers  and  most  honored  and  substantial 
citizens  of  this  section  of  the  State.  He  is  of 
English  ancestry  through  a  colonial  Puritan 
family,  which  settled  in  Massachusetts  at  an 
early  day.  *  His  grandfather,  William  Tryon, 
was  born  at  Deerfield,  Mass.,  where  the  family 
were  settlers  before  the  date  of  the  Deerfield 
massacre  by  the  Indians.  This  Mr.  Tryon 
married  a  Miss  Hopkins,  and  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution.  Of  his  children,  the  names 
of  Samuel,  Ann  and  Bela  are  remembered. 
About  1827  he  moved  to  Manlius,  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  settled  on  a  farm  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  at  an 
advanced  age.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a 
Presbyterian.  Bela  Hopkins  Tryon,  his  son, 
was  born  at  Deerfield  in  1797,  received  a  good 
common-school  education,  became  a  farmer 
and  was  married  in  1825  to  Miss  Harriet  Bil- 
lings, daughter  of  Jesse  Billings,  also  of  Deer- 
field. About  1827  he  accompanied  his  father 
to  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  but  in  1836  came 
to  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  to  look  up  a  home  in  the 
West.  Having  brought  out  his  family  the 
following  fall,  he  first  settled  near  Milwaukee, 
but  in  December  of  the  following  winter  re- 
moved to  McHenry  County,  111.,  settling  in 
what  is  now  Hebron  Township.  Having  bought 
200  acres  of  Government  land,  he  built  upon 
it  a  log-cabin,  which  he  continued  to  occupy 
until  he  was  able  to  build  a  commodious  frame 
dwelling,  bringing  material  for  this  purpose 
from  Chicago.  This  house  is  still  standing. 
He  was  the  first  Postmaster  of  Hebron,  being 
appointed  Dec.  23,  1839,  and  receiving  his  com- 
mission from  Postmaster-General  Amos  Ken- 
dall. This  is  still  retained  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation  in  the  family.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  first  County  Commisioners  of  McHenry 
County  and  the  first  Justice  of  the  Pe'ace  in 
Hebron  Township,  holding  the  latter  position 
until  his  death.  Mr.  Tryon  was  a  man  of  wide 
intelligence,  of  undoubted  integrity  of  character 
and  a  recognized  leader  in  the  community. 
Although  brought  up  a  Presbyterian,  in  his 
later  years  he  became  a  Universalist.  By  in- 
dustry, enterprise  and  economy  he  prospered 
until  he  became  the  owner  of  1200  acres  of  land 
in  McHenry  County,  besides  lands  in  Wiscon- 
sin, which  he  left  to  his  children.  On  the 
maternal  side  Mr.  Tryon  was  descended  from 


998 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Edward  Hopkins,  who  emigrated  from  Shrews- 
bury, England,  to  Boston  in  1637,  afterwards 
removed  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  served  as 
Governor  of  Connecticut  Colony,  from  1640 
to  1654.  Returning  to  England,  he  became 
Warden  of  the  English  fleet  and  a  Member 
of  Parliament,  but  died  in  1657,  leaving  large 
bequests  for  the  support  of  schools  in  New 
England.  Among  his  descendants  were  some 
of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  New  England 
and  Pennsylvania,  including  Stephen  Hop- 
kins, for  fourteen  years  Governor  of  Rhode 
Island  in  pre-Revolutionary  times,  and  one  of 
the  Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence; 
Samuel  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  of  Yale  College  and 
founder  of  the  "Hopkinsian  Theology,"  and  the 
celebrated  theologian,  Jonathan  Edwards.  It 
is  said  that  Bela  Hopkins  Tryon,  both  phys- 
ically and  mentally,  strongly  resembled  the 
two  last  named  in  his  love  for  investigation 
of  the  occult  and  mysterious  in  divine  truth 
and  revelation.  In  politics  Mr.  Tryon  was 
an  old  line  Whig.  He  died  at  his  home  in 
Hebron  Township,  Jan.  4,  1848,  leaving  two 
sons — Charles  H.  (the  subject  of  this  sketch), 
born  at  Deerfleld,  Mass.,  June  2,  1826,  and 
George  F.,  born  in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y., 
in  1828. 

Mrs.  Harriet  (Billings)  Tryon,  the  wife  of 
Bela  H.  Tryon,  was  the  first  white  woman  who 
ever  resided  in  Hebron  Township.  Their 
home  consequently  became  a  favorite  visiting 
place  for  the  young  men  and  others  who  had 
come  west  in  search  of  new  homes  for  them- 
selves and  families,  and  who  here  found  some 
one  to  take  a  motherly  interest  in  them  and 
furnish  them  the  rarity  of  a  well-cooked  meal 
Meetings  for  singing  were  a  favorite  enter- 
tainment during  the  long  winter  evenings.  On 
one  of  these  occasions  the  company  having 
enjoyed  themselves  in  singing  a  number  of 
popular  airs  and  melodies  of  the  time,  finished 
with  the  grand  old  tune,  "Hebron,"  when 
Mrs.  Tryon  remarked,  "This  is  my  choice  of 
all  tunes,  and  I  think  'Hebron'  would  make  a 
good-  name  for  our  township."  The  idea  was  re- 
ceived with  favor;  an  early  meeting  was  held 
at  her  house  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  upon 
a  name  and,  at  this  impromptu  christening, 
it  is  said  that  Mrs.  Tryon  fried  more  than  a 
bushel  of  crullers,  which  were  devoured,  smok- 


ing hot,  by  her  guests.  She  was  a  woman  of 
marked  ability  and  her  home  the  center  of 
hospitality  and  good  cheer  at  that  early  day. 

Charles  Hopkins  Tryon,  born  (as  already 
stated)  at  Deerfleld,  Mass.,  June  2,  1826,  was 
still  an  infant  when  his  parents  took  him  to 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1827,  and  about 
ten  years  of  age  on  their  removal  to  Illinois 
in  1836.  Before  leaving  New  York,  he  spent 
some  time  at  an  academy  at  Manlius;  but  after 
coming  to  Illinois,  attended  the  first  school  in 
Hebron  Township,  taught  by  a  Mr.  Filkins  in 
a  frame  house  erected  in  District  No.  1,  about 
1838.  Among  the  scholars  remembered  were 
Edwin  and  Elvira  Douglass;  Thomas,  Henry 
Eliza  and  Cornelia  Gilbert;  James  and  Clar- 
risa  Parker;  Jeremiah  Tuck,  Milton  Stewart, 
George  F.  Tryon  and  Emily  Parker,  now  Mrs. 
Deacon  Barrows  of  Woodstock.  The  school- 
house  stood  in  the  edge  of  the  prairie,  and 
herds  of  deer  could  often  be  seen  from  its 
windows.  Other  game  was  abundant,  includ  - 
ing  wild  geese,  ducks,  swans,  pelicans  and 
prairie  chickens,  while  wolves  could  be  heard 
howling  at  night.  Charles  and  his  brother 
George  often  carried  their  rifles  with  them  to 
school,  and  killed  many  deer  in  their  time. 
The  Winnebago  and  Pottawatomie  Indians  had 
formerly  had  a  village  in  a  grove  near  the 
Tryon  home,  but  it  was  deserted  after  the 
Black  Hawk  War.  Some  members  of  these 
tribes  were  accustomed  to  return  here  to  hunt 
in  the  fall  and  winter,  and  camped  on  the  site 
of  the  old  village.  They  were  peaceful,  and 
often  visited  the  Tryon  home  and  received  food 
from  the  hand  of  Mrs.  Tryon. 

Attending  this  school  in  winter  and  working 
on  the  farm  in  summer  until  eighteen  years  of 
age,  Mr.  Tryon  obtained  the  rudiments  of  an 
English  education,  studied  geography,  English 
grammar  ,and,  later,  algebra,  natural  philosophy 
and  astronomy — a  rather  extensive  curriculum 
for  a  country  school — but  Mr.  Tryon  insists  that 
the  common  branches  were  well  taught. 
Among  his  teachers  were  Gardner  and  Lathrop 
Barrows — the  latter,  Deacon  Barrows  of  Wood- 
stock. "Webster's  Elementary  Speller"  was 
in  use,  and  spelling-matches  in  vogue.  The 
young  people  would  come  together  from  miles 
distant  on  ox-sleds,  and  spend  a  winter  evening 
in  what  was,  to  them,  a  delightful  and  improv- 


Jlu  €ft% 


l-^Zt-z^l. 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


999 


ing  diversion,  with  the  result  that  many  be- 
came accurate  spellers.  "The  Columbian 
Orator,"  "English  Reader"  and  "Kirkham's 
Grammar"  were  other  school-books  of  the  time, 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  others  of  the  present 
day  have  produced  more  thorough  and  accurate 
scholars  in  the  particular  branches  to  which 
the  attention  of  pupils  were  directed  by  the 
books  and  teachers  of  that  period.  When 
about  nineteen,  Mr.  Tryon  spent  a  term  in  the 
Ringwood  Academy  studying  surveying,  at 
twenty-one  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  place  of  his  father  (then  deceased),  holding 
the  office  four  years.  In  January,  1848,  he  was 
married  to  Laura  A.  Hodge,  daughter  of  Robert 
W.  and  Sallie  Hodge,  born  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  about  1828.  Mr.  Hodge  came  to  Hebron 
Township  somewhat  later  than  the  Tryons,  and 
improved  a  farm  of  160  acres,  where  he  died  at. 
an  advanced  age.  His  children  were:  Laura 
A.  and  Sarah.  After  marriage  Mr.  Tryon  re- 
mained on  the  paternal  homestead,  settled  up 
the  estate — of  which  he  was  administrator — 
he  and  his  brother  dividing  about  1,000  acres 
of  land  between  them.  For  many  years  he 
managed  a  farm  of  some  500  acres,  but  long 
after  the  death  of  his  son,  Bela  H.,  sold  all  but 
120  acres,  which  he  still  retains. 

August  13,  1862,  Mr.  Tryon  enlisted  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  War,  was  elected  Captain  of 
Company  H,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, which  he  had  been  instrumental  in  or- 
ganizing, and  was  mustered  in  at  Rockford. 
He  served  in  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Missis- 
sippi, but,  at  the  expiration  of  about  a  year, 
was  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability from  wounds  accidentally  received.  In 
1882  he  was  elected  Representative  in  the 
Thirty-third  General  Assembly,  and  was  as- 
signed to  the  Committees  on  Agriculture,  Horti- 
culture, Dairying  and  State  Institutions.  Of 
his  record  in  the  Legislature,  "The  Illinois 
State  Journal"  of  June,  1883,  said: 

"Among  the  quiet  and  unobtrusive  members 
of  the  General  Assembly  during  the  recent  ses- 
sion, there  has  been  none  who  looked  more 
faithfully  or  conscientiously  after  the  interests 
of  his  constituents  and  the  people  of  the  State 
generally,  than  Hon.  Charles  H.  Tryon,  Repre- 
sentative from  the  Eighth  District.  Though 
an  infrequent  speaker,  and  seldom  calling  at- 
tention to  himself  on  the  floor,  his  industry  and 
close  attention  to  business  secured  for  him  a 
degree  of  influence  exerted  by  few  members  on 


either  side  of  the  House.  He  was  particularly 
influential  in  securing  the  passage  through  the 
House  of  two  measures — one  a  bill  providing 
for  the  more  certain  conviction  and  effective 
punishment  of  persons  guilty  of  burglary,  for- 
gery, etc.,  the  other  a  bill  authorizing  the  erec- 
tion of  private  telegraph  and  telephone  lines  of 
much  importance  to  suburban  and  farming 
communities.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  man  leaves 
the  General  Assembly  with  more  earnest 
friends  on  both  sides  of  the  House,  while  the 
respect  and  confidence  won  by  his  high  char- 
acter for  honesty  and  fair-dealing,  have  placed 
him  in  a  position  to  serve  his  constituents  even 
more  efficiently  in  the  future  than  in  the  past." 

In  politics  Captain  Tryon  was  originally  an 
old-line  Whig,  later  a  Republican,  and,  frater- 
nally, a  Mason.  He  served  as  a  member  of 
the  McHenry  County  Board  of  Supervisors  for 
Hebron  Township,  1852-54;  in  1888  was  elected 
County  Surveyor,  has  been  re-elected  every 
four  years  since  and  renominated  and  re- 
elected in  1900 — his  constant  re-election  prov- 
ing his  satisfactory  administration  of  the  office. 
In  1891  Captain  Tryon  came  to  Woodstock  to 
reside,  as  the  location  afforded  better  con- 
veniences for  discharging  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice as  County  Surveyor.  Captain  Tryon's 
household  consists  of  his  wife,  himself  and 
"Bonnie  Doon"  (Loula  Blanche  Tryon),  eldest 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ira  (Billings)  Tryon. 
She  is  the  second  of  four  children,  the  others 
being  Charles  Leon  Russell,  George  Leslie  Bil- 
lings and  Ruth  Marguerite.  The  grandfather 
of  these  children,  George  Frederick  Handel  Try- 
on,  was  Captain  Tryon's  only  brother.  Loula 
Blanche  is  attending  the  public  school  in  Wood- 
stock, where  she  is  an  industrious  student  and  . 
an  excellent  musician  for  her  age.  The  death 
of  Captain  Tryon's  brother,  which  occurred 
many  years  ago,  left  a  shadow  over  his  life 
that  time  fails  to  remove,  and  still  living  amid 
the  scenes  of  their  boyhood  and  maturer  man- 
hood, their  happy  days  together  are  freshly 
kept  in  his  memory.  But,  while  cherishing  the 
recollections  of  his  lost  ones,  he  has  been  con- 
stant in  weaving  a  chaplet  of  tenderness  for 
the  living. 

Captain  Tryon's  first  wife  died  in  1876  leav- 
ing two  children — Jessie  M.,  who  married  Mr. 
George  Trow,  a  farmer  of  Hebron  Township, 
and  Bela  A.,  a  young  man  of  high  promise,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  years.  On  July 
4,  1877,  Captain  Tryon  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Marion  E.  Sherman,  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Clarinda  (Watson)  Downs,  born  in  Oswego 


1000 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  18,  1841.  Mr.  Downs  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  was  brought  by  his  parents 
to  America  at  seven  years  of  age,  came  to  Wis- 
consin in  1844  and  settled  in  Walworth  County 
near  Lake  Geneva,  where  he  had  a  farm  of  160 
acres.  Previous  to  coming  to  Wisconsin  he 
was  married  at  iSackett's  Harbor,  N.  Y.,  to 
Clarissa  Watson,  a  native  of  that  place  and 
daughter  of  Major  and  Mary  (Robinson)  Wat- 
son. Major  Watson,  while  young,  was  a  pris- 
oner for  a  time  among  the  Indians  and  com- 
pelled to  run  the  gauntlet;  was  later  adopted 
by  an  Indian  chief,  but  assisted  by  a  fur-trader 
to  escape.  He  became  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
the  Revolution,  serving  under  Washington  and 
LaFayette,  and  taking  part  in  the  battle  of 
Monmouth;  also  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  was 
an  active  participant  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's 
Harbor,  was  captured  by  the  British  and  placed 
on  board  a  prison-ship,  from  which  he  was 
finally  released  through  the  intervention  of  the 
President.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Downs,  dying  there  at  the  age 
of  one  hundred  years,  three  months  and  twenty- 
one  days,  and  is  buried  in  Hebron  Cemetery. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Downs  had  eight  children:  James. 
Daniel,  William,  John,  Jane  A.,  Ann  M.,  Clara 
E.  and  Marion  B.  James  served  in  the  Seven- 
teenth Illinois  Cavalry  during  the  Civil  War, 
but  returned  broken  in  health,  dying  a  few 
years  after.  Daniel  Downs  (the  father)  was 
an  Old  School  Presbyterian  and  a  Democrat  in 
politics.  He  died  in  1878,  aged  seventy-six 
years. 

Mrs.  Marion  E.  Tryon  acquired  a  superior 
education  in  the  common  schools,  the  Wal- 
worth County  Institute  and  the  Liberal  Insti- 
tute at  Jefferson,  Wis.,  taught  for  a  time  in 
Walworth  County  and  the  graded  school  at 
Lake  Geneva,  establishing  a  reputation  as  a 
successful  educator.  She  is  also  a  versatile 
writer  and  has  been  a  contributor  to  the  local 
press.  The  following  tender  little  poem  from 
her  pen  is  a  loving  tribute  to  the  winsome  little 
lassie  of  her  hearthstone: 

"BONNIE   DOONE." 
Today,  within  my  workbox's  depths, 
Wound  'round  with  skeins  of  rainbow  hue, 
And  nestled  in  their  silken  folds, 
I  found  a  little  worn  out  shoe. 
The  precious  wearer  rightly  guessed 
It  would  an  added  treasure  be, 
And  memory's  chords  would  deeper  thrill 
To  know  she  placed  it  there  for  me. 


Dear  little  shoe!     Remembrance  holds 

A  childlike  form  with  spirit  meek, 

The  sunset  glory  on  her  hair, 

The  wild  rose  blooms  on  lip  and  cheek; 

A  winsome  face  upraised  to  mine 

With  tender,  pleading,  glorious  eyes, 

That  must  have  caught,  to  light  their  depth, 

Some  wandering  beam  from  Paradise. 

Two  little  hands  that  have  a  way 
Of  slipping  into  mine,  with  just 
A  semblance  of  that  broader  faith 
O'er-leaping  time  and  scorning  dust: 
A  little  couch,  a  quiet  room, 
Where  evening  shadows  noiseless  creep, 
Two  clinging  arms,  a  good-night  kiss, 
A  soft,  "I  lay  me  down  to  sleep." 

And  holding  oft  a  dimpled  hand, 

While  lids  drop  down  in  slumbrous  ease, 

More  clearly  than  I  understand — 

"My  Kingdom  is  of  such  as  these." 

I  may  not  part  the  mystic  veil 

That  lies  my  darling's  path  before, 

Know  if  these  little,  untried  feet 

Will  reach  the  bounds  of  childhood's  shore; 

Or  who  will  guide  her  tender  youth 

With  loving  care  in  home's  dear  fold; 

So  oft  across  love's  fairest  bower 

The  winds  of  Fate  blow  strangely  cold; 

But  O!  my  darling,  when  my  heart 

Breathes  oft  to  heaven  life's  fondest  care, 

My  rosary  is  thy  sweet  young  face, 

And  tenderest  thoughts  for  thee    my  prayer. 


MRS.  MARY  E.  TRUAX. 
Genealogy  of  the  Gregory  Family. — John 
Gregory  was  the  name  of  the  founder  of  the 
Gregory  family  in  America.  Judah,  who  was 
the  son  of  a  John  Gregroy,  and  who  came  from 
Norwalk,  Conn.,  in  January,  1685,  was  one  of  the 
eight  original  settlers  of  the  town  of  Danbury, 
Conn.  Judge  Savage,  the  eminent  authority  on 
genealogy,  expresses  the  opinion  that  he  was 
probably  the  son  of  John,  the  first  of  the  name 
in  America.  Judah  married  Oct.  20,  1664,  Han- 
nah, the  daughter  of  Walter  Haite,  and  their 
children  were:  Hannah,  born  Sept.  24,  1666; 
John,  born  March  17,  1669;  Percie,  born  Feb. 
11,  1672;  Joseph,  born  July  16,  1674;  Lydia, 
born  Jan.  9,  1677;  Josiah,  born  July  13,  1679; 
Benjamin,  born  March  26,  1682.  It  is  believed 
that  Judah  may  have  been  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  New  Haven,  in  1672,  before  his  settlement 
at  Danbury.  John,  the  son  of  Judah,  was  one 
of  the  early  Justices  of  the  Peace  at  Danbury. 


03/OTVYUJj  l9(VrrvU* 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1001 


In  "Bailey's  History  of  Danbury"  his  name  is 
mentioned  many  times,  and  always  in  honor- 
able terms.    '  ' 

One  of  the  earliest  of  the  Gregory  family  to 
settle  in  New  England  was  Henry,  who  was 
born  in  Nottinghamshire,  England,  and  settled 
at  Springfield,  Mass.,  in  1636.  He  brought  with 
him  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and 
grown-up  sons  and  daughters,  and  died  at 
Stratford,  Conn.,  in  1655,  aged  eighty-five 
years.  His  oldest  son,  John,  born  in  Notting- 
hamshire, between  1600  and  1610,  was  probably 
married  in  his  native  country;  after  coming  to 
America  lived  for  some  years  at  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  but  in  1655  became  one  of  the  original 
settlers  at  Norwalk.  His  son  Judah  was  one  of 
eight  men  who,  in  1685,  made  the  first  settle- 
ment of  Danbury,  Conn.,  and  from  him  the  Dan- 
bury  Gregorys  were  descended,  including  most 
of  those  who  settled  in  Northern  Illinois. 

The  line  of  descent  of  Mrs.  Truax'  family,  as 
near  as  can  be  traced,  is  as  follows:  First, 
Henry  Gregory,  of  Nottinghamshire,  England, 
and  later  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  and  Hartford, 
Conn.;  Second,  John  Gregory,  a  native  of  Not- 
tinghamshire, England,  and  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Norwalk,  Conn.,  in  1655;  Third,  Judah 
Gregory,  of  Norwalk,  Conn.,  one  of  the  original 
settlers  of  Danbury,  1685;  Fourth,  John  Greg- 
ory; Fifth,  Samuel  Gregory;  Sixth,  Ephraim 
Gregory;  Seventh,  Samuel  Gregory;  Eighth, 
Miles  Gregory;  Ninth,  Stephen  Olmstead — all 
after  the  third  generation,  natives  of  Danbury, 
Conn. 

Following  the  later  record  of  the  family,  it 
appears  that  Stephen  O.  Gregory  (deceased), 
late  of  McHenry  County,  was  descended  from 
Ephraim  Gregory,  Sr.,  and  his  wife  Esther 
(Stephens)  Gregory,  the  latter  the  daughter  of 
Stephen  and  Hannah  (Olmstead)  Benedict. 
Their  children  were:  Samuel,  Eliphalet,  Anna 
and  Elijah.  Ephraim  Gregory  died  in  October, 
1775.  The  next  in  line  was  Samuel,  who  was 
born  Nov.  5,  1764,  and  married  Lorena  Olm- 
stead, born  March  16,  1768,  and  died  Sept.  21, 
1848,  aged  eighty  years.  Their  children  were: 
Miles,  Ezra,  Stephen  Olmstead,  Ephraim, 
Harry,  Esther,  Cordelia,  Eliphalet,  Hannah  and 
Samuel.  Samuel,  Sr.,  died  May  19,  1830,  aged 
sixty-six  years.  Of  the  next  generation,  Miles, 
born  Nov.  26,  1784,  married  Annis  Bronson  and 
they  had  children  as  follows:     William  Augus- 


tus, Bailey,  Stephen  Olmstead,  Dennis  (1), 
Lorena,  Mary,  Sarah,  Dennis  (2)  and  Jane. 
Miles  died  Nov.  7,  1828,  aged  forty-four  years. 
The  next  in  genealogical  descent  was  Stephen 
Olmstead,  married  for  bis  first  wife  Mary  Perry 
and  his  second,  Ruth  Ann  Olmstead.  Stephen 
Olmstead  Gregory  was  born  in  Danbury,  Conn., 
Feb.  9,  1811.  The  family  were  of  Scotch  an- 
cestry, the  founders  of  the  American  branch 
coming  with  the  early  Puritan  emigrants  to 
Massachusetts,  and  finally  settling  in  Connecti- 
cut. Ephraim  Gregory,  who  has  already  been 
mentioned  as  dying  in  October,  1775,  and  from 
whom  there  is  no  break  in  the  genealogical 
record,  was  a  respected  resident  of  Danbury 
previous  to  the  Revolution,  but  died  too  early 
to  take  part  in  the  war,  while  his  son  Samuel 
was  too  young  to  become  a  soldier.  The  latter 
became  a  blacksmith  by  occupation.  Miles, 
the  son  of  Samuel,  was  born  in  Danbury,  where 
he  spent  his  whole  life,  dying  at  the  age  of 
forty-four  years.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade,  as  his  father  was  before  him,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  His  wife, 
Annis  Bronson,  was  the  daughter  of  Ezra  and 
Anna  (Knapp)  Bronson,  the  former  having  en- 
listed as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War  at 
sixteen  years  of  age. 

Stephen  O.  Gregory,  who  has  been  mentioned 
in  the  earlier  part  of  this  record,  was  a  farmer, 
and  was  also  engaged  in  mercantile  business. 
About  1849,  he  moved  to  Carbondale,  Penn., 
where  he  again  adopted  the  life  of  a  farmer, 
but  in  the  spring  of  1852  came  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty 
acres  of  land,  on  which  a  log  house  had  been 
built,  and  a  few  acres  brought  under  cultiva- 
tion. This  land  he  still  further  improved,  and 
made  additions  to  it  until  he  was  the  owner  of 
200  acres  with  good  buildings.  Having  sold 
this  farm  he  bought  another  of  335  acres,  upon 
which  he  erected  a  pleasant  residence  and  sub- 
stantial farm  buildings.  This  is  now  the  home- 
stead of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Truax.  In 
politics  Mr.  Gregory  was  an  independent,  hav- 
ing taken  an  oath  that  he  would  support  the 
best  men  for  office  without  fear  or  favor  of  any 
party.  In  their  religious  belief  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gregory  were  Methodists.  Their  children 
were:  Mary  E.,  William  H.,  and  Cordelia  J. 
Mr.  Gregory  died  in  1892  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
one  years,  and  his  wife  one  year  later  (1893) 
about  the  same  age. 


1002 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Mrs.  Mary  E.  (Gregory)  Truax,  the  daughter 
of  Stephen  O.  Gregory,    received    a    common- 
school  education  in  her    Eastern    home,     and 
coming  west  with  her  parents  in  1852,  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  years,  attended  school  in  what 
was  then  called  the  McConnell  district  in  Dorr 
Township,     McHenry     County.     She     married 
Dayton  B.   Truax,  who  was  born  in  Cortland 
County,  N.  Y.,  the    son    of    Isaac    and    Sophia 
(Short)   Truax.     Mr.  Truax  came  to  McHenry 
County  when  about  twenty-two  years   of  age, 
and  has  always     been    a    farmer.     For    many 
years  he  and  his  wife  have  resided  on  the  old 
Gregory  homestead,  where  they  cared  for  Mrs. 
Truax's    venerable    parents    during    the    latter 
years    of    their    lives.     Mr.  Truax  is  an  inde- 
pendent in  politics  and  an  industrious  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen  of  straightforward  character, 
who  enjoys  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the 
community.    The  children    of    Mr.    and    Mrs. 
Truax  are:     George  R.;    Mattie,   who   died   at 
the  age  of  thirty-four  years,  and  Stephen  Earl. 
The  latter  is  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  whole- 
sale shoe-house,  with  which  he  has  been  con- 
nected for  the  past  twelve  years.     George  R. 
married  Kittie  Tower,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Donald.     The  Truax  family  is  one  of  the  best 
known    in   McHenry    County   and    Mrs.    Truax 
is    a    fine    example    of    a    class    of    citizens 
descended  from  the  early  settlers  who  assisted 
in  the   development  of  McHenry  County,   and 
whose  enterprise  and  public   spirit  have  con- 
tributed to  make  it  what  it  has  become  during 
the  last  generation— one  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous sections  of  the  State,  peopled  by  an  intelli- 
gent and   enterprising  community.     A  lady  of 
intelligence    and    high    standing    in  the  com- 
munity, she  has    taken    deep    interest    in    the 
genealogical   record   of  the   family  which   has 
played  so  important  a  part  in  the  history  of  the 
country.    Her    parents     were     widely     known 
among  the  early  settlers  of  McHenry  County 
as  people  of  high  moral  principle  and  upright 
course  of  life. 

Gregory  Revolutionary  History.— The  record 
of  the  Gregory  family  in  connection  wtih  the 
War  of  the  American  Revolution  may  properly 
be  inserted  here:  In  1772  a  cavalry  company 
was  organized  at  Danbury,  Conn.,  under  the 
name  of  the  Fourth  Company,  Third  Regiment, 
Third  Brigade,  which  served  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War  under  command  of  General  Israel  Put- 


nam, with  Benjamin  Hickox  as  Lieutenant, 
who  was  afterwards  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Major.  At  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  Lieuten- 
ant Hickox  was  in  command.  Eight  of  those 
connected  with  the  ancestral  stock  of  Col. 
Samuel  Gregory — who  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War — were  soldiers  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  and  two  were  soldiers  in  the  War 
of  1812.  Col.  Ira  Gregory  was  Marshal  of  the 
Day  on  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  the 
Fourth  of  July,  1838,  at  Danbury,  Conn.,  and 
in  the  procession  were  sixty  soldiers  of  the 
Revolution,  and  one  hundred  who  had  served 
in  the  War  of  1812.  Twenty-five  of  the  Greg- 
ory name  from  different  Connecticut  towns, 
who  were  all  of  the  original  Gregory  stock, 
served  in  the  Revolution,  two  of  these  being 
Samuel  Gregorys,  who  were  distant  relatives 
from  Danbury.  The  Gregorys  were  blood  rela- 
tives of  many  other  Danbury  families. 

The  grandfather  of  Reverend  Bronson  was 
Amos  Bronson,  a  Baptist  minister  who  hailed 
from  Tolland,  Conn.,  but  later  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Fairfield.  He  was  the  father  of  severa? 
sons,  one  of  whom  was  Ezra  Bronson,  men- 
tioned in  the  earlier  part  of  the  history  of  the 
Gregory  family.  Ezra  Bronson  married  in 
Danbury,  Conn.,  Anna  Knapp,  and  to  them 
were  born  twelve  children.  Ezra  Bronson  be- 
came a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  War  at 
sixteen  years  of  age.  An  incident  of  the  war 
was  the  attack  of  the  British  on  Danbury. 
Having  landed  at  Horse  Neck,  the  British 
troops  started  on  foot  for  Danbury,  intending  to 
burn  the  provision  stores  there.  Warned  of 
their  approach  from  Norwalk,  the  people  of 
Danbury  fled  from  their  homes.  Anna  Knapp, 
then  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  accompanied 
by  two  of  her  sisters,  fled  on  horseback  to  the 
adjoining  towns  of  New  Fairfield,  while  a  man 
in  the  employ  of  the  family  followed  with  a 
cart  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  horse  (a 
Yankee  team),  carrying  the  household  furniture 
and  provisions.  The  Congregational  church, 
located  in  the  center  of  the  village  of  Danbury 
was  stored  with  pork.  The  provision  houses 
in  the  town  were  burned  and,  on  her  return  to 
her  home  two  days  later,  Anna  Knapp  rode 
through  grease  over  fetlock  deep  to  the  horse. 


ANDREW  THOMAS. 

Andrew  Thomas  (deceased),  former  honored 
pioneer  and  prominent     citizen     of     McHenry 


C£yi-&Z7^g**<^<^&?s>?l,<Z^/' 


^U^Li \  yiL^t^ttj  ^fi^t^t^i 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1003 


County,  111.,  was  born  at  Windsor,  Mass.,  Oct 
14,  1806,  the  son  of  Zadoc  and  Chloe  (Tinkham) 
Thomas.     Zadoc    Thomas,   the   father,    was   of 
Scotch  descent  and  was  born  in  Bridgewater, 
Mass.,  Sept.  20,  1772,    while    his    wife,    Chloe 
Tinkham,  was  a  native    of    Middlebury,    same 
State,  born  May  3,     1780.     The    wife    died    at 
Volney,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  20,  1828,  in  the  forty-ninth 
year  of  her  age,  and  her  husband  at  the  same 
place,   April,    1848,    in   his    seventy-sixth   year. 
The  children  of  Zadoc  Thomas  and  wife  were: 
Cassandra,  born  at  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  Feb.   23, 
1800,  died  in  Volney,    N.    Y.,     Oct.    16,    1833; 
Clarinda,  born  at  Windsor,     Mass.,     July     15, 
1802,   died   at  Windsor,    Mass.,    Oct.   22,    1805; 
James  Tinkham,  born  at  Windsor,  Mass.,  Dec. 
29,  1803,  died  at  Dalton,  Mass.,  February,  1831; 
Albert,  born  at  Windsor,  Mass.,  April  6,  1805, 
died  in  Michigan,  Nov.  28,  1872;  Andrew,  born 
at  Windsor,  Mass.,  Oct.  14,  1806,  died  at  West 
McMenry,  111.,  Dec.  29,  1888;  Mercena,  born  at 
Windsor,  Mass.,  Nov.  11,  1808,  died  at  Chippe- 
wa, Wis.,  Aug.  18,  1873;   Nancy  Jane,  born  at 
Windsor,   Mass.,   Jan.   16,   1811,    died   at  West 
Bend,  Wis.,  April  5,  1855;   Celia  Lucinda,  born 
at  Windsor  Mass.,  Jan.  13,  1816,  died  at  New- 
ton, Ohio,  Oct.  20,  1842;  Alason  Thurston,  born 
at  Windsor,  Mass.,  April     27,     1818,     died     at 
Jamestown,  Penn.,  Dec.  16,   1878;    George  W., 
born  at  Windsor  Mass.,  Jan.  7,   1823,   died  at 
Volney,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  26,  1894.  (The  above  items, 
except  as  to  death  of  Andrew  Thomas,  are  taken 
from  the  record  prepared  by  him  sometime  be- 
fore his  death.)     Zadoc  Thomas  was  a  pioneer 
resident  of  Volney,  N.  Y.,  where  he  settled  in 
1825.     His  son,  Andrew  Thomas,  was  educated 
in  the  common  school  of  his  native  State,  and 
also  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  there,  after 
which,  at  the  age  of  about  nineteen  years,  he 
accompanied  his  parents  to  their  new  home  in 
New  York.     On  Sept.   25,  1833,  he  married  at 
Mexico,  N.  Y.,  Elvira  A.  Brown,  and  they  after- 
wards settled  at  West  Volney,  where  he  bought 
a  small  tract  of  twenty  acres   of  land,   upon 
which  he  built  a  house  and  barn.     In  1840  he 
came  west,  locating  first  in  Lake  County,  111., 
but  in  September  of  the  same  year  removed  to 
McHenry  County,  which  became  his  permanent 
home.     The  journey   westward   was    made    by 
team  to  Buffalo,  thence  by  lake  to  Toledo,  Ohio, 
and  then  by  teams    overland    to    Chicago,    to 
which  point  their  furniture  had  been  shipped 
around  the  lakes. 


After  coming  to  McHenry  County,  Mr.  Thom- 
as entered  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land,  for 
which  he  paid  the  Government  price  of  $1.25 
per  acre.  This  land  was  mostly  prairie  and  is 
now  a  part  of  the  Thomas  homestead.  Here 
he  built  a  log  house  in  which  he  lived  until  it 
was  replaced  by  a  more  comfortable  frame 
dwelling.  He  was  a  skillful  mechanic  and 
erected  his  own  buildings  which  are  still  stand- 
ing in  good  condition.  He  added  to  his  real 
estate  until  he  was  the  owner  of  220  acres,  also 
becoming  a  successful  stock-raiser,  devoting 
his  attention  especially  to  the  breeding  of 
Poland-China  hogs  and  Spanish  merino  sheep, 
of  the  latter  having  at  one  time  a  flock  of  350 
head.  Mr.  Thomas  was  a  public-spirited  and 
enterprising  citizen,  and  was  an  important  fac- 
tor in  securing  the  construction  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  Railroad  through  McHenry 
County.  He  was  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat  in 
his  political  views,  and  he  and  his  family  were 
attendants  upon  the  Universalist  church  at  Mc- 
Henry, of  which  he  was  a  liberal  supporter. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  were: 
Andrew  W.,  born  Jan.  9,  1835,  died  Dec.  15, 
1899;  James  M.,  born  Dec.  23,  1836,  died  July 
18,  1854;  Julius  A.,  born  Oct.  6,  1839,  served  iu 
the  Civil  War  as  a  member  of  the  Eighth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry,  died  July  21,  1890;  Mary  A.,  born 
Feb.  23,  1842,  died  Aug.  6,  1850;  Eliza  J.,  born 
May  16,  1844;  George  C,  born  Dec.  16,  1846: 
William  H,  born  July  31,  1849;  Laura  M.,  born 
Dec.  26,  1851;  Warren,  born  July  26,  1855; 
Emma  D.,  born  Jan.  25,  1858.  Of  these  chil- 
dren the  three  oldest  were  born  in  New  York 
State. 

Laura  Melissa  Thomas,  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Elvira  A.  (Brown)  Thomas,  was  married 
Nov.  16,  1876,  to  Leonard  Harrison,  who  was 
born  in  McHenry  County,  the  son  of  William 
Harrison.  They  first  settled  on  the  William 
Harrison  homestead  in  McHenry  County,  after- 
wards removing  to  Nebraska  and  later  to  Slay- 
ton,  Minn.  Their  children  were  Alta  (de- 
ceased),Eugene  Clayton,  Leon,  Elmer  and  Wil- 
liam (deceased).  On  March  29,  1897,  Mrs. 
Harrison  married  for  her  second  husband, 
Julius  Randall,  who  is  now  a  hardware  mer- 
chant at  Genoa  Junction,  Wis. 

Mrs.  Andrew  Thomas  (nee  Elvira  A.  Brown) 
was  born  at  Linnsboro,  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.,  where  her  father  died  while  she  was 
still  an  infant.    His  first  name  is  not  remem- 


1004 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


bered,  but  her  mother,  Sarah  Brown,  was  the 
daughter  of  Nathan  and  Susannah  Brown,  and 
Elvira  A.  was  brought  up  by  her  grandparents. 
Her  grandparents  having  removed  to  New 
York,  settled  at  Phoebus,  in  that  State,  and 
here  her  grandmother  having  died,  her  grand- 
father, Nathan  Brown,  moved  to  Oswego  Coun- 
ty. He  finally  died  at  the  home  of  his  son-in- 
law,  Zadoc  Pierce,  at  Volney,  N.  Y.,  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  Mrs.  Thomas'  mother,  Sarah 
Brown,  was  twice  married,  her  second  husband 
being  Elisha  Harrington,  who  moved  with  his 
father  and  family  to  Michigan.  Mr.  Harring- 
ton died  en  route  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.  The 
family  settled  near  Whitewater,  Mich.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Elisha  Harrington  had  four  children: 
Nathan,  Lyman  E.,  Jennette  and  one  daughter 
born  in  Michigan,  whose  name  is  not  remem- 
bered.   Mrs.  Harrington  died  in  Michigan. 

Mrs.  Andrew  Thomas  still  survives  (1903)  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years,  in  the  en- 
joyment of  her  mental  and  physical  energies  in 
a  remarkable  degree.  Her  retentive  memory 
enables  her  to  furnish  much  entertainment  to 
her  friends  of  the  present  day,  as  she  has  a 
vivid  recollection  of  the  experiences  of  pioneer 
life — the  days  of  the  loom  and  the  spinning- 
wheel,  with  which  she  formed  a  practical  ac- 
quaintance in  her  early  days  in  McHenry 
County. 

GEORGE  CLARENCE  THOMAS,  the  son  of 
Andrew  and  Elvira  A.  (Brown)  Thomas,  was 
born  in  McHenry  Township,  McHenry  County, 
Dec.  16,  1847;  received  a  good  common-school 
education  while  working  on  the  farm  in  the 
summer  months,  and,  on  Sept.  23,  1875,  was 
married  at  the  Sayler  homestead  in  McHenry 
Township,  to  Alma  Agusta  Sayler,  who  was 
born  March  22,  1856,  the  daughter  of  James 
and  Melissa  Wealthy  (Sherman)  Sayler.  (See 
sketch  of  James  Sayler.)  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  settled  on  eighty  acres 
of  land  which  had  received  but  little  improve- 
ment in  the  way  of  buildings.  This  land  he 
has  since  greatly  improved,  erecting  on  it  good 
buildings,  setting  out  orchards  and  shrubbery 
and  now:  has  a  delightful  home  as  the  result  of 
years  of  industry  and  good  management,  in 
which  he  has  been  aided  by  his  faithful  wife. 
Of  independent  and  liberal  views,  Mr.  Thomas 
is  a  firm  believer  in  the  doctrines  taught  by 
Thomas  Jefferson,  and  is  an  adherent  of  the 


principles  of  the  Democratic  party.  He  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  the  community  and  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  School  Board  in  his 
district.  Mrs.  Thomas  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Callie  Melissa, 
born  Oct.  13,  1877;  Ray  Leslie,  born  July  28, 
1879,  and  Ella  Elvira,  born  May  18,  1887. 


WILLIAM    H.  THOMAS. 

William  Henry  Thomas,  farmer  and  promi- 
nent citizen  of  McHenry  Township,  McHenry 
County,  was  born  on  the  paternal  homestead 
in  McHenry  County,  July  31,  1849,  the  son  of 
Andrew  Thomas  (whose  sketch,  see  elsewhere 
in  this  volume).  The  son,  William  Henry,  re- 
ceived the  usual  common-school  education  of 
his  time  and  locality,  and  upon  his  father's 
farm  acquired  a  practical  knowledge  of  the 
life  of  the  farmer,  which  he  has  followed  ever 
since. 

On  November  23,  1881,  William  Henry  Thom- 
as was  married  at  Ringwood,  111.,  to  Hiley  A. 
Grimoldby,  who  was  born  at  Cary  Station,  111., 
June  18,  1862,  the  daughter  of  Christopher  and 
Charlotte  (Walmsley)  Grimoldby.  The  father, 
Christopher  Grimoldby,  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, born  at  Tetney,  Lincolnshire,  Dec.  6,  1819, 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Snow)  Grim- 
oldby. Thomas  Grimoldby  was  a  farmer  and 
lived  on  a  rented  farm  which  he  occupied  on 
the  long-lease  system  customary  in  England, 
under  which  the  same  family  often  retained 
possession  of  the  same  farm  for  generations. 
Mr.  Grimoldby  and  wife  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Thomas,  James, 
Henry,  Benjamin,  Reuben,  Israel,  Lusby, 
Henry,  John,  Mary,  Dinah,  Melcha  (or  Milcah), 
Leah  and  Elizabeth.  The  family  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  England  Thomas  Grim- 
oldby and  wife  both  died  in  their  native  Eng- 
land— he  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years  and 
she  aged  fifty-three. 

Christopher  Grimoldby,  the  son  of  the  pre- 
ceding, received  a  common-school  education  in 
his  native  place,  and  in  boyhood  was  trained 
up  to  the  life  of  a  farmer,  which  he  pursued 
through  his  life.  He  was  married  in  South 
Lincolnshire,  England,  Nov.  23,  1850,  to  Char- 
lotte Walmsley,  who  was  born  in  Grimoldby, 
April  24,  1824.  After  marriage  they  settled  on 
a  farm  near  the  home  of  his  parents,  where 
they  remained  until  1854,  when  they  came  to 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1005 


America,  sailing  from  Hull,  England,  to  Que- 
bec, on  a  sailing-vessel,  the  "Fergus,"  the  voy- 
age occupying  seven  weeks  and  three  days. 
From  Canada  they  soon  after  came  on  to  Chi- 
cago, thence  proceeding  to  Cary  Station,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  where  Mr.  Grimoldby  began 
farming  on  rented  land.  In  1867  he  bought  a 
farm  of  partially  improved  land  near  Fort  Hill, 
in  Lake  County,  consisting  of  fifty-five  acres. 
Here  he  lived  until  1881,  when  he  moved  to 
Ringwood,  McHenry  County,  where  he  bought 
160  acres  of  improved  land,  and  upon  this  he 
lived  until  1883,  when  he  retired  from  business, 
moving  to  McHenry.  Mr.  Grimoldby  was  an 
industrious  man  and,  after  coming  to  America, 
was  quite  successful.  He  and  his  wife  had 
children  named:  Thomas  C,  born  at  Tetney, 
England,  Oct.  3,  1851;  John  W.,  born  at  Tetney, 
England,  March  8,  1853,  died  at  Colorado 
Springs,  Colo.,  Oct.  7,  1902;  Benjamin  W.,  born 
in  Montreal,  Can.,  Aug.  22,  1855,  died  Feb.  25, 
1881;  Georgia  W.  born  at  Cary  Station,  111., 
Nov.  20,  1855;  Charles  Henry,  born  March  31, 
1860;  Hiley  A.,  born  at  Cary  Station,  June  18, 
1862;  Loveina  E.,  born  at  Fort  Hill,  Lake  Coun- 
ty, July  3,  1867. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grimoldby  were  members  of 
the  Christian  church.  He  died  at  the  home  of 
his  son-in-law,  William  H.  Thomas,  Oct.  29, 
1898.  His  wife,  Charlotte  (Walmsley)  Grim- 
oldby, was  the  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth (Craft)  Walmsley.  Her  father  was  a 
farmer,  and  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
being  Sarah  Needham,  by  whom  he  had  five 
daughters:  Elizabeth,  Mary,  Soboenia,  Eliza 
and  Susan.  Mrs.  Grimoldby  was  the  only  child 
by  her  father's  second  marriage.  Her  father 
came  to  America  and  settled  in  New  York 
State  in  1827,  many  years  afterwards  coming 
to  Wauconda,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he 
died. 

Since  his  marriage  William  Henry  Thomas 
has  lived  on  the  old  homestead  and  has  estab- 
lished for  himself  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  re- 
liable and  trustworthy  citizens  of  McHenry 
County.  He  and  his  wife  have  two  children: 
Elbert  Anderson,  born  Feb.  11,  1884,  and  Hazel 
Arlene,  born  May  1,  1892.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat.  In  company  with  his  brother  War- 
ren, he  now  owns  260  acres  of  fine  farming 
land. 

WARREN  THOMAS,  brother  of  the  preced- 
ing and  son  of  Andrew  Thomas  (deceased), 
was  born  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  July  26,  1855. 


He  received  in  his  home  township  a  common- 
school  education  and  has  always  followed  the 
life  of  a  farmer  on  the  family  homestead.  On 
Nov.  29,  1889,  he  married  Loveina  E.  Grim- 
oldby, the  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Char- 
lotte (Walmsley)  Grimoldby,  and  sister  of  Mrs. 
William  Henry  Thomas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warren 
Thomas  have  one  child,  Emil  Warren,  born 
June  21,  1891.  They  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

The  two  brothers  William  Henry  and  Warren 
Thomas,  occupy  adjoining  dwellings  on  the  old 
family  homestead,  purchased  of  the  Govern- 
ment in  1840,  and  their  surroundings  give  evi- 
dence of  that  thrift  and  prosperity  which  has 
attended  their  career  as  enterprising  and  suc- 
cessful farmers. 


AHIRA  THOMPSON. 

Ahira  Thompson,  pioneer  settler  and  Civil 
War  veteran,  Marengo,  McHenry  County,  is  of 
combined  English  and  Welsh  descent  through 
Puritan  ancestors  who  were  among  the  foun- 
ders of  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  His  grand- 
father, Moses  Thompson,  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts  who  served  seven  years  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  taking  part  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Bunker  Hill.  In  later  life  he  settled  on 
a  farm  in  New  Hampshire.  He  was  a  ship  car- 
penter by  trade  and  spent  some  time  in  the 
service  of  the  Government  getting  out  ship 
timber  in  Florida.  He  finally  died  near  Proc- 
torsville,  N.  H.  Three  of  his  children,  whose 
names  are  remembered,  were:  Isaac,  Jonathan 
and  Moses. 

Jonathan  Thompson,  son  of  the  preceding 
and  father  of  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  where  he 
received  a  limited  education  and,  in  boyhood, 
removed  with  his  father  to  New  Hampshire. 
He  became  a  farmer  and  married  in  Vermont 
Polly  Reed,  daughter  of  Stephen  Reed,  who  be- 
longed to  an  old  colonial  family  and  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  Mr.  Reed  was  a 
farmer  at  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  where  he  died 
at  the  age  of  ninety-six  years.  His  children 
were:  Silas,  Jesse,  John,  James,  Martha  and 
Polly. 

After  marriage  Jonathan  Thompson  settled 
at  Irasburg,  Vt,  on  land  which  had  been 
granted  to  Col.  Ethan  Allen  for  service  during 
the  Revolutionary  War.  Here  he  improved  a 
farm  of  100  acres  from  a  tract  of  150  acres,  re- 
maining until  1829,  when  he  sold  out  His  Ver- 


1006 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


mont  home  and  removed  to  Ashtabula  County, 
Ohio,  then  called  "New  Connecticut,"  settling 
near  the  town  of  Monroe.  Here  he  bought  160 
acres  of  heavily  timbered  land  upon  which  he 
built  a  block-house  and,  assisted  by  his  stalwart 
sons,  cleared  up  a  farm  of  120  acres  on  Ashta- 
bula Creek.  His  three  sons — Lemon,  Clark  and 
Ahira — moved  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  in  1835, 
'36  and  '37,  and,  in  1840,  Ahira  return&d  to  Ohio 
and  brought  out  his  parents,  making  the  jour- 
ney overland  with  wagon  and  horses.  Having 
sold  his  land  in  Ohio,  Jonathan  Thompson,  on 
coming  to  McHenry  County  in  company  with 
his  sons,  invested  his  money  in  land  in  Coral 
Township,  settling  on  a  small  farm  on  which 
his  sons  built  a  house  for  him.  Here  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  in  1858  at  the 
age  of  eighty-three,  and  his  wife  at  eighty-five 
years.  The  latter  was  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  Their  children,  all  born  in  Iras- 
burg,  Vt.,  with  dates  of  birth,  were:  Martha, 
March,  5,  1805;  Stephen,  June  18,  1808;  Wil- 
liam, Aug.  30,  1809;  Lemon,  June  23,  1811; 
Amanda,  Jan.  2,  1813;  Fannie,  June  22,  1815; 
Clark,  Oct.  8,  1816;  Lucy,  June  24,  1818;  Ahira, 
April  6,  1819;  Mary,  Dec.  2,  1821;  Sarah,  Sept. 
2,  1823. 

Ahira  Thompson  was  born  on  the  old  farm 
in  Vermont  and  was  ten  years  of  age  when  his 
father  removed  to  Ohio — the  journey  being 
made  to  Burlington,  Vt.,  by  wagon,  thence  by 
steamer  over  Lake  Champlain  to  White  Hall, 
and  from  there  by  canal  to  Buffalo — this  being 
the  third  year  after  the  completion  of  the  Erie 
Canal.  From  Buffalo  the  remainder  of  the  jour- 
ney was  made  by  lake  steamer  to  Ashtabula. 
The  youthful  Ahira  received  but  a  meager  edu- 
cation in  the  pioneer  schools  in  Ohio.  While  a 
boy  he  drove  the  oxen  which  hauled  the  logs 
used  in  building  the  first  log  school  house  in 
his  home  district.  He  was  brought  up  to  farm 
work,  remaining  at  home  until  1837,  when  he 
joined  his  brothers,  Lemon  and  Clark,  who  had 
preceded  him  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  had 
located  claims  in  Coral  Township.  The  entire 
journey  from  Ashtabula  County,  O.,  was  made 
on  foot,  except  for  an  occasional  ride  in  the 
wagon  of  some  kind  farmer  or  with  some 
passing  traveler.  The  youthful  pedestrian  car- 
ried with  him  a  heavy  valise  containing  his 
baggage,  weighing  some  forty  pounds,  coming 
by  way  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  Niles,  Mich.,  and 
reaching  Chicago  in  March,  1837,  the  journey 
having  occupied  sixteen  days.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  Amos  Mitchell,  a  carpenter,  who  had 


previously  made  two  trips  west,  and  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  country.  The  nights  were 
usually  spent  in  some  log  tavern  or  in  the  home 
of  some  friendly  frontier  settler. 

After  remaining  a  week  in  Chicago  without 
being  able  to  find  employment,  Mr.  Thompson 
proceeded  to  McHenry  County  where  his  broth- 
ers had  taken  up  claims  in  what  is  now  Coral 
Township.  As  their  claims  were  larger  than 
they  could  hold  under  the  regulations  adopted 
by  the  frontier  settlers,  or  could  enter  under 
the  pre-emtion  laws  enacted  by  Congress, 
Ahira  took  a  part  of  their  claims  off  their 
hands,  built  upon  it  a  log  cabin  7x9  feet,  and 
then  secured  employment  with  a  Mr.  Lee  who 
was  building  a  saw-mill  on  the  Kishwaukee 
River  near  Kingston.  Later  he  went  to  Michi- 
gan City,  and  finally  to  Cheboygan,  where  he 
found  employment  in  the  pineries  for  some 
months,  but  returning  in  the  following  spring, 
put  in  a  crop  on  his  claim  in  Coral  Township. 
Unable  to  find  a  market  for  his  corn-crop  in 
the  following  fall,  even  at  the  rate  of  ten  cents 
per  bushel,  he  abandoned  his  claim  and  going 
to  Chicago,  obtained  work  in  a  cooper-shop  for 
a  year.  In  1839  he  bought  land  in  Seneca 
Township  through  R.  K.  Swift  of  Chicago, 
which  he  subsequently  sold.  For  the  next 
three  years  he  worked  in  Chicago  for  a  butcher 
and  packer  whom  he  had  known  in  Ohio,  when, 
returning  to  McHenry  County  in  1842,  he  bought 
the  land  upon  which  he  had  located  his  first 
claim  on  coming  west  in  1837,  paying  for  it 
at  the  rate  of  $6  per  acre.  Having  spent  the 
next  two  years  in  the  carpentering  business  in 
Chicago,  he  returned  to  his  farm  in  McHenry 
County,  upon  which  he  erected  a  frame  house, 
hewing  the  timber  for  the  frame-work  with  his 
own  hands.  This  house  is  still  standing  on  the 
old  homestead. 

On  October  7,  1844,  Mr.  Thompson  was  mar- 
ried to  Charlotte  M.  Morris,  who  was  born  in 
Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  March  29,  1827,  the  daughter 
of  Samuel  R.  and  Sallie  (Bowly)  Morris.  Then 
settling  upon  his  farm,  he  proceeded  to  make 
further  improvements  and,  by  the  erection  of 
good  farm  buildings,  converted  it  into  into  a 
pleasant  and  well  improved  homestead  of  208 
acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  have  had  chil- 
dren born  as  follows:  William  Miron,  Aug.  9, 
1845;  Esther  Ann,  Jan.  24,  1847;  Charles  Al- 
burtes,  Dec.  1,  1850;  Mary  Lovie,  Oct.  29,  1857; 
Herbert  Russel,  Sept.  6,  1859. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  been  an  indefatigable 
worker,  and  has  brought  up  his  family  to  habits 


t 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1007 


of  industry  and  thrift.  In  politics  he  was 
originally  an  old-line  Whig,  casting  his  first 
vote  in  1840  for  William  Henry  Harrison  for 
President.  Later  he  became  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  Republican  party,  vot- 
ing  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  Abraham  Lincoln. 
To  these  principles  he  has  consistently  ad- 
hered ever  since.  In  1845  he  was  Collector  of 
Coral  Township  and,  for  twelve  years,  served 
as  Deputy  Sheriff  of  McHenry  County. 

In  June,   1862,  Mr.  Thompson  enlisted  as   a 
soldier,  although  he  had  then  nearly  reached 
the  limit  of  military  service  prescribed  by  law. 
He  immediately    began    recruiting    to    secure 
other  enlistments  and,  on  Sept.  4th,  following, 
was  mustered  in  at  Rockford,  111.,  as  a  private 
in  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.    He  was  soon  after  assigned  to  serv- 
ice in  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  but  a 
few  months  later  was  detailed  to  the  hospital 
service  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  performing 
duty  in  the  field  hospital  under  Generals  Powell 
and  Greene.    Among  battles  in  which  he  took 
part  during    the    Vicksburg    campaign,     were 
those  of  Raymond,  Utica  and  Champion  Hills. 
For  four  days  and  nights  he  was  on  duty  dur- 
ing the  assaults  upon  Vicksburg,  and  witnessed 
much  of  the  horrible  sufferings  of  the  wounded 
during  the  day  and  assisted  in  burying  the  dead 
at  night.     It  was  while  in  this  service  that  he 
was  one  of  the  stretcher-bearers  to  carry  Col. 
William  Avery  off  the  field  after  he  had  been 
shot  through  the  thigh.     He  was  next  detailed 
for  duty  at  General  Powell's  headquarters,  un- 
der a  tree  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,   serving 
there  until  the  end  of  the  siege.     After  the  sur- 
render at  Vicksburg,  having  been  taken  with 
typhoid  fever,  he  was  granted   a  furlough   in 
August,  1863,  remaining  at  home  until  Decem- 
ber following,  when  he  rejoined  his  regiment 
at   Vicksburg,    although    still    unfit   for    active 
duty.     On   March  1,  1864,  he  was  detailed  in 
charge  of  thirty  men  to  procure  wood  for  the 
regiment,  and  still  later  his  discharge  on  ac- 
count of  disability  was  recommended   by  the 
Examining  Surgeons.     No  action  was  taken  in 
this,  however,  probably  owing  to  the  killing  of 
his  Colonel,  Thomas    W.     Humphrey,     in    the 
Guntown  disaster,  when  the  discharge  papers 
were  lost.  Continuing  in  the  service,  therefore, 
he  took  part  in  the  Red  River  expedition  and 
was  present  at  the  capture  of  Fort  De  Russy 
and     the    skirmishes     about    Alexandria.     Al- 
though somewhat  improved  in  general  health 
during  this  expedition,  he  met  with  an  accident 


which  disabled  one  of  his  arms.  So,  on  return- 
ing to  Vicksburg,  he  was  ordered  into  con- 
valescent camp  at  Memphis  and,  in  October 
following,  was  granted  a  permanent  discharge 
for  disability.  Returning  to  his  home  in  Illi- 
nois, broken  in  health,  he  was  laid  up  for  three 
months,  and  has  never  entirely  recovered.  He 
resumed  farming,  but  was  obliged  to  hire  two 
men  to  carry  on  his  farm  work. 

In  1882  Mr.  Thompson  removed  to  Marengo, 
where  he  bought  the  property  on  which  he 
now  resides.  Here  his  wife  died  on  Oct.  18. 
1885.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  On  June  11,  1888,  he  was  married  to 
Mrs.  Julia  A.  Baldwin,  who  was  born  in  Steu- 
ben, Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  June  10,  1828,  the 
daughter  of  William  E.  and  Almira  (Sibley) 
Meyers.  Mrs.  Thompson  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

Mrs.  Thompson's  father,  William  E.  Meyers, 
was  the  son  of  Reuben  and     Annie     (Benton) 
Meyers,  and  the  grandson  of  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  War.     The  Meyers  family  origi- 
nated from  the  region  of  the  River  Rhine  in 
Germany,  four  brothers  of  the  name  coming  to 
America  to  fight  in    the    Revolutionary    War. 
Annie  Benton  was  a  descendant  of  the  Allen 
family,  of  which  Col.  Ethan  Allen  was  a  mem- 
ber.   Reuben  Meyers  was  a  pioneer  of  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  on  the  same  farm 
for  a  period  of  fifty-four  years.     He  was  mar- 
ried twice,  his  first  wife  being  Annie  Benton, 
by  whom  he     had    eight    children:     Miranda, 
William   E.,   Egbert,   Mariah,  Heman,   Harriet, 
Philinda  and  Isaac.     His  second  wife  was  Lucy 
Adsit,  who  bore  him  six  children:  Annie,  Reu- 
ben, John,  Lucinda,  Orange  and  Elizabeth — the 
last  of     whom  died     young.     Reuben     Meyers 
died  aged  seventy-eight  years.     His  son,   Wil- 
liam E.  Meyers,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,   was  married  in   Steuben,  that 
State,  to  Almira   (Sibley)   Mills,  who  was  the 
daughter    of   Benjamin    and    Dorothy    (Smith) 
Sibley.    Mrs.  Reuben    Meyers'    first    husband 
was  Palmer  Mills,  by  whom  she  had  one  son 
named   Caleb    P.   Mills.    The   Sibleys  were  of 
the  same  family  as  Judge  Sibley  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y.     The  children  of  William  Meyers  were: 
Julia  A.,  Sarah  J.  and  William  H.  H.     In  1852 
he  moved  to  McHenry  County,   111.,  and  con- 
ducted a  hotel  in  Union  for  three  years,  when 
he  retired,  dying  at  Franklin  Grove  at  the  age 
of  nearly  eighty-eight  years.       In  politics  he 
was  first  an  old-line  Whig,  and  later  a  Repub- 
lican, and  held  the  offices  of  Deputy  Sheriff, 


1008 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


constable,  collector  and  was  census-taker  for 
his  town  in  New  York.  His  son,  William  H. 
H.,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War. 

Mrs.  Thompson's  first  marriage  was  to  Wil- 
liam A.  Baldwin,  in  Cayuga,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Bald- 
win was  a  merchant,  moved  to  Illinois,  and 
settled  at  Union,  McHenry  County,  and  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land  near  there.  Having  sold 
out  there,  he  removed  to  Franklin  Grove, 
where  he  carried  on  the  mercantile  business 
for  fifteen  years.  He  next  moved  to  Story 
County,  Iowa,  where  he  was  the  owner  of  two 
farms.  He  died  at  Franklin  Grove,  111.,  in 
September,  1885,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years. 
His  children  were:  Melissa  G.  and  Almira  C. 
Mr.  Baldwin's  father  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  and  was  one  of  the  party  which 
captured  the  British  General  Prescott  in  his 
bed,  on  July  20,  1777. 


Henry   T.   THOMPSON. 

Henry  T.  Thompson,  of  Marengo,  McHenry 
County,  is  one  of  those  men  in  whom  one  finds 
combined  the  attributes  of  the  skilled  horticul- 
turist, the  successful  business  man  and  the 
public-spirited  citizen.  On  the  paternal  side 
Mr.  Thompson  is  descended  from  sterling 
English  stock,  but  by  intermarriage,  Scotch, 
Welsh,  French  and  Swedish  blood  has  been  m- 
fused  in  his  veins.  His  great-grandfather, 
James  Thompson,  was  a  sea-captain,  who  was 
born  in  England,  July  12,  1746,  and  married  a 
woman  of  Swedish  birth  named  Jane — sur- 
name unknown.  She  was  born  March  11,  1752, 
and  their  marriage  took  place  at  Clerkimack, 
Aug.  29,  1768.  Their  children,  with  dates  of 
birth,  were:  Jane,  July  23,  1769;  James,  July 
5,  1771  (died  in  infancy);  James  (2),  Sept.  15, 
1774;  Thomas,  March  25,  1776;  Ann,  June  15, 
1779;  Moses,  April  26,  1782;  Mary  Ann,  June 
24,  1785;  Sophia  Finley,  Aug.  19,  1786;  Har- 
riet, Oct.  18,  1787  (died  in  infancy);  Harriet 
(2),  Jan.  17,  1789;  Elizabeth,  Feb.  17,  1790; 
Benjamin,  Dec.  29,  1793.  James  Thompson, 
the  father  of  this  family,  died  June  8,  1810,  and 
his  wife,  March  1,  1795.  Henry  T.  Thompson, 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the  descendant  of 
Thomas  Thompson,  who  was  born  in  London, 
England,  March  25,  1776,  received  a  liberal 
education,  became  an  artist  and  was  a  well- 
known  writer  on  scientific  subjects.  He  was 
married  in  Laubert  Street  church,  London, 
Jan.  1,  1800,  to  Elizabeth  Lamplo  Fassett,  who 
was   of  French  parentage,   and   born   Jan.    29, 


1770.  Thomas  Thompson  lived  in  London, 
where  he  kept  an  art-store,  and  some  of  his  old 
steel  engravings  are  preserved  by  his  descend- 
ants. The  name  of  the  firm  was  Darling  & 
Thompson,  and  a  steel-engraving  bearing  their 
imprint,  under  date  of  July  1,  1794,  is  still  in 
possession  of  Henry  T.  Thompson.  Among 
the  paintings  of  Thomas  Thompson,  still  pre- 
served, is  an  oil-portrait  of  his  father,  and  also 
a  scene  on  the  Hudson  River.  The  children  of 
Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Thompson,  with  respec- 
tive dates  of  birth,  were:  Ann  Jane,  April  27, 
1801;  Thomas  Washington,  Nov.  9,  1802; 
James,  Sept.  23,  1804;  Henry,  Feb.  28,  1807; 
Elizabeth,  Nov.  28,  1808;  Alfred,  Jan.  27,  1814; 
Sarah  Fassett,  Aug.  19,  1815 — all  born  in  Eng- 
land. In  1816,  Thomas  Thompson,  accompa- 
nied by  his  sons,  Thomas  and  James,  came  to 
America,  making  the  journey  by  sailing-vessel 
to  New  York,  where  his  wife  and  the  remain- 
der of  the  family  joined  him  a  few  months 
later.  He  first  settled  in  Pennsylvania  on  the 
Susquehanna  River,  where  he  improved  a  farm 
on  which  he  remained  some  years.  Later  he 
removed  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  where  he  resumed 
his  profession  as  an  artist,  dying  there  Nov.  15, 
1852.  He  was  the  first  of  his  line  to  settle  in 
America,  and  was  a  man  of  broad  and  liberal 
views  on  both  political  and  religious  subjects. 
He  was  a  strong  advocate  of  free  government 
as  dpposed  to  monarchical  institutions.  An 
excellent  oil-portrait  of  him  is  preserved  by 
Mr.  Thompson  of  Marengo. 

Thomas  Washington  Thompson,  next  in  line 
of  descent  of  this  family,  was  but  fourteen 
years  of  age  when  he  came  with  his  father  to 
America.  He  received  a  good  common-school 
education  and  grew  up  on  the  farm  in  Susque- 
hanna County,  where  he  adopted  the  life  of  a 
farmer.  June  15,  1826,  he  was  married  to 
Meroe  Campbell,  who  was  born  at  Lebanon, 
Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  13,  1804,  the 
daughter  of  Charles  Stewart  and  Sarah  (Jones) 
Campbell.  Her  father  was  of  Scotch  blood,  his 
ancestors  having  settled  in  the  North  of  Ire- 
land, whence  they  removed  to  America,  while 
her  mother  was  of  English  and  Welsh  descent, 
her  family  genealogy,  extending  back  a  period 
of  four  hundred  years,  of  which  two  hundred 
years  had  been  spent  in  the  United  States.  The 
line  of  descent  before  the  family  came  to  Amer- 
ica, is  traced  to  John  Woodbridge,  a  follower 
of  the  celebrated  Scotch  reformer,  John  Wick- 
liffe.  The  Woodbridges  were  English-Puritans, 
and. were  related  to  Gov.  Winthrop  of  the  old 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1009 


Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  Mrs.  Campbell 
was  also  related  to     Rev.     Joseph     Elliott    of 

Guilford, .    After  his  marriage 

Thomas  Washington  Thompson  settled  on  the 
farm  which  his  father  had  occupied  in  Susque- 
hanna County,  Penn.,  but  in  1836,  removed  to 
New  York  City,  where  he  engaged  in  milk 
business.  Two  years  later  (1838)  he  made  a 
second  removal,  this  time  to  Green  County, 
Wis.,  making  the  entire  journey  overland  by 
wagon  with  horses.  Here  he  settled  on  a  tract 
of  200  acres  of  land,  of  which  forty  acres 
were  timber  and  the  remainder  prairie,  upon 
which  he  established  a  good  home  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  opened  a  coun- 
try store  on  his  farm  in  1846,  but  died  three 
years  later — Sept.  27,  1849.  He  was  a  Uni- 
tarian in  religious  views  and  in  politics  a 
Democrat  of  those  days;  was  held  in  high 
esteem  as  a  representative  citizen  of  his  com- 
munity, and  held  county  offices.  His  children 
were:  Ellen  Maria,  born  June  5,  1827;  Charles 
Frederick,  born  Dec.  2,  1828;  Henry  Thomas., 
born  Aug.  3,  1830,  and  James  Alfred,  born  Aug. 
12,  1841.  Mrs.  Thompson  died  at  the  home  of 
her  son,  Henry  T.  Thompson,  Feb.  11,  1877. 

Henry  Thomas  Thompson,  having  accompa- 
nied his  parents  at  six  years  of  age  to  New 
York,  and  to  Wisconsin  two  years  later,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and  spent 
three  months  in  an  academy  at  Monroe,  Wis. 
He  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  doing  farm 
work  in  his  boyhood,  but  early  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  for  his  father,  and  while  thus 
employed  made  frequent  trips  to  Milwaukee, 
hauling  grain  to  that  place  and  returning  with 
goods.  When  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 
his  father  died.  Later  he  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  his  brother,  Charles  Frederick,  for 
the  prosecution  of  the  mercantile  business  in 
which  he  had  been  engaged  with  his  father, 
and  this  they  carried  on  until  1853,  when,  hav- 
ing sold  out  his  interest  to  his  brother,  Henry 
T.  Thompson  he  turned  his  attention  exclu- 
sively to  managing  the  farm.  On  June  15,  1852, 
Mr.  Thompson  was  married  at  Sylvester,  Green 
County,  Wis.,  to  Caroline  Smith  Chamberlain, 
who  was  born  June  25,  1831,  in  Erie  County, 
N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  John  M.  and  Philinda 
(Smith)  Chamberlain.  After  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thompson  remained  on  the  farm  until 
1857,  when  they  removed  to  Monroe,  Wis., 
where  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business.  Here 
he  remained  two  years,  when  (1859)  he  re- 
moved to  Milwaukee  and  embarked  in  a  gen- 


eral commission  business,  which  he  continued 
until  1865.  During  the  latter  year  he  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  and  there  engaged  In  the 
same  business,  a  few  years  later  turning  his 
attention  solely  to  the  wool  trade,  in  which  he 
had  previously  been  an  extensive  dealer.  He 
was  a  heavy  sufferer  by  the  great  Chicago  fire 
of  Oct.  8-9,  1871,  as,  shown  by  the  following  in- 
cident related  in  a  history  of  that  event: 

"The  writer,  walking  among  the  mournful 
ruins  of  the  North  Division,  on  the  day  after 
that  quarter  was  destroyed,  met  a  gentleman 
whom  he  accosted  with  the  usual  salutation: 
'How  did  you  come  out?'  The  answer  was, 
'yesterday  morning  I  had  over  there  a  building 
with  $30,000  worth  of  wool  in  it.  I  had  a  fine 
house  well  furnished  for  my  home,  and  two 
others  to  help  out  my  income.  Today,  I  have 
nothing  except  what  is  on  my  back;  my  wife  is 
the  same — that  is  all.' 

"Are  you  going  to  give  up?  we  asked.  'No, 
sir,'  he  answered;  and,  a  week  later,  we  en- 
countered the  same  friend,  who  was  then  on 
the  track  of  a  man  to  put  up  a  building  for 
him,  and  he  kept  right  on  with  his  business. 
Such  was  the  pluck  of  the  men  of  the  West." 

It  will  cause  no  surprise  to  those  who  know 
the  personal  character  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  to  be  told  that  the  individual  referred 
to  in  the  above  extract  was  Henry  T.  Thomp- 
son. He  not  only  resumed  business,  but  great- 
ly extended  it.  In  1873,  he  was  a  heavy  loser 
by  the  Boston  fire,  but  recovered  from  that  dis- 
aster also.  He  not  only  conducted  a  success- 
ful business,  but  gained  a  wide  reputation  as  a 
business  man  of  enterprise  and  unswerving  in- 
tegrity. The  firm  of  Henry  T.  Thompson  & 
Co.  is  still  doing  business  in  Chicago,  although 
Mr.  Thompson  retired  from  active  participa- 
tion in  it  in  1889.  The  concern,  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  Thompson's  son-in-law,  H. 
T.  Fry,  who  has  associated  with  him  Mr.  L.  G. 
Styles,  still  does  a  large  wool  commission 
business.  In  1884,  Mr.  Thompson  purchased 
1,500  acres  of  land  in  Dawson  County,  Neb., 
which  he  stocked  with  cattle,  and  conducted  an 
extensive  business  in  that  line  for  some  years. 
In  1892  he  purchased  his  present  home  farm  of 
200  acres  in  Coral  Township,  upon  which  he 
has  made  extensive  improvements,  under- 
draining  the  land,  erecting  houses  for  tenants 
and  enlarging  and  remodeling  the  residence 
and  supplying  it  with  all  modern  conveniences. 
Mr.  Thompson  rents  the  bulk  of  his  land,  re- 
taining five  acres  for  horticultural  purposes,  to 
which  he  devotes  his  personal  attention.  It  is 
safe  to  say  that  there  is  no  other  tract  of 
equal  size  in  McHenry  County,  or  even  in  the 


1010 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


State  of  Illinois,  under  a  higher  state  of  culti- 
vation, or  where  so  many  different  varieties  of 
fruits,  flowers  and  shrubs  may  be  found.  From 
boyhood  Mr.  Thompson  has  felt  a  deep  interest 
in  horticulture,  which  he  is  now  able  to  gratify 
to  the  fullest  extent.  Inheriting  the  taste  of 
his  artist  grandfather,  he  has  surrounded  him- 
self with  beautiful  flowers  which  please  the 
eye  and,  with  their  rich  colors,  adorn  the 
shaded  vistas  of  the  verdant,  well-kept  lawns. 
Here  are  to  be  found  fruits  of  every  variety 
capable  of  cultivation  in  the  climate  of  North- 
ern llinois,  all  carried  to  the  highest  degree  of 
perfection  by  the  skill  of  the  expert  horticul- 
turist. One  would  be  well  repaid  for  a  visit  to 
his  grounds  by  the  splendid  display  of  fruits 
and  flowers  in  their  respective  seasons,  to  be 
seen  on  those  five  acres.  Mr.  Thompson  is  a 
member  of  the  Executive  Board  of  the  State 
Horticultural  Society,  President  of  the  Horti- 
cultural Society  of  Northern  Illinois,  and  .also 
President  of  the  McHenry  County  Farmers'  In- 
stitute; served  for  three  years  as  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Horticultural  Department  of  the 
McHenry  County  Fair  Association,  being  one 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  said  Association, 
and  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Farmers' 
Picnic  Association  and  its  first  President.  For 
several  years  he  was  the  chief  exhibitor  of 
fine  fruits  at  the  McHenry  County  Fairs,  and 
his  displays  always  attracted  a  great  deal  of 
attention.  In  politics,  Mr.  Thompson  is  a  Re- 
publican and,  during  the  Civil  War,  he  took  an 
active  interest  in  the  Union  cause,  and"  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Milwaukee,  established  for  the  purpose  of  ac 
commodating  soldiers  going  to  or  returning 
home  from  the  war,  and  also  assisted  in  rais- 
ing the  means  to  make  it  a  permanent  institu- 
tion, as  it  afterwards  passed  into  the  control 
of  the  General  Government.  Being  prevented 
by  his  obligations  to  his  family  and  business 
affairs  from  enlisting  in  person,  he  had,  at  one 
time,  three  substitutes  in  the  service,  besides 
contributing  liberally  to  fill  the  quota  of  Mil- 
waukee, and  to  the  support  of  the  needy 
families  of  soldiers  in  the  field.  During  the 
war  period  he  was  also  a  member  of  the 
"Union  League  of  America,"  a  patriotic  order 
which  had  its  origin  in  the  efforts  to  defeat  the 
schemes  of  the  "Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle" 
and  other  organizations  designed  to  aid  the 
cause  of  the  rebellion.  In  Chicago,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thompson  were  members  of  and  liberal 
supporters   of   the   Unity   church.     They   have 


one  child,  Julia,  born  March  7,  1853,  who  mar- 
ried Henry  T.  Fry,  now  at  the  head  of  the  wool 
commission  firm  of  H.  T.  Thompson  &  Co.,  201 
to  209  Michigan  Street,  Chicago. 


ASA H EL   C.  THOMPSON. 

Asahel  Chamberlain  Thompson,  Woodstock, 
111.,  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  McHenry 
County,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resident  nearly 
seventy  years,  is  of  an  old  colonial  and  Puri- 
tan family  of  English  extraction,  of  which 
branches  were  located  at  an  early  day  in  Con- 
necticut and  Massachusetts.  His  grandfather, 
Seth  Thompson,  believed  to  have  been  born 
in  Connecticut  in  1760,  was  a  farmer  and 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  having  en- 
listed at  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  served  as 
a  private  five  years.  He  was  the  oldest  of  the 
family,  his  next  older  brother  serving  four 
years.  The  other  children  of  the  family  were: 
Ignatius,  Caleb  and  Dexter.  Ignatius  was  a 
teacher,  prepared  for  the  ministry  but  became 
an  editor  and  settled  in  New  Jersey;  also 
wrote  a  "History  of  the  Thompson  Family  in 
America,"  which  was  published  in  pamphlet 
form  about  1845.  Seth  (the  elder  brother) 
married  Mary  Waterman  and  settled  in  New 
Hampshire,  but  a  few  years  later  moved  to 
Orange  County,  Vt.,  where  he  cleared  a  farm 
in  the  woods.  He  next  moved  to  Ashtabula 
County  (Western  Reserve),  Ohio,  about  1812- 
15,  opened  a  farm  and,  in  his  later  years,  made 
his  home  with  his  son  Seth,  dying  in  1828  at 
sixty-eight  years  of  age.  His  children  were: 
Seth,  Sylvia,  Thomas,  Apollos,  Polly,  Robert, 
Zebediah,  Sallie,  Deborah,  George  and  Hannah. 

Apollos  Thompson  of  this  family,  and  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1790,  received  the  education  custom- 
ary in  that  day,  became  a  farmer,  and,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years,  was  married  to  Lu- 
anda Dexter,  in  Stafford,  Orange  County,  Vt. 
Miss  Dexter,  having  been  left  an  orphan  in 
childhood,  was  adopted  by  Col.  Asahel  Cham- 
berlain, a  prominent  citizen  and  regarded,  in 
his  day,  as  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of  the 
town.  His  wealth — estimated  at  about  $3,000 
— consisted  in  a  large  part  of  several  farms,  of 
which  he  gave  one  of  100  acres  to  his  adopted 
daughter.  After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  settled  on  this  farm,  which  he  still 
further  improved,  but  sold  in  1821,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  whither  his 
father  had  preceded  him  several  years  before. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1011 


For  several  years  he  rented  land  in  Conneaut 
Township,  but  in  1832  bought  100  acres  of  wild, 
heavily-timbered  land,  which  he  cleared  and 
improved,  making  for  himself  and  family  a 
good  home.  In  August,  1842,  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  son  Asahel  and  selected  a  loca- 
tion in  McHenry  Township,  McHenry  County, 
where  they  purchased  320  acres,  upon  which  he 
remained  to  build  a  house  while  his  son  re- 
turned to  Ohio  for  the  family.  A  pathetic  inci- 
dent is  told  of  their  removal.  While  passing 
through  Lake  County  on  their  way  from  Chi- 
cago to  McHenry  County,  Abigail  Thompson 
(the  oldest  daughter — afterwards  Mrs.  Herd), 
was  induced  to  stop  to  do  some  sewing  for  a 
family  named  Gridley.  While  there  she  was 
taken  sick  and  her  mother  returned  from  Mc- 
Henry County  to  care  for  her.  The  daughter 
recovered,  but  Mrs.  Thompson  was  soon  taken 
sick,  dying  two  weeks  later.  She  was  a 
Baptist  and  remembered  as  a  woman  of 
sterling  virtues.  Mr.  Thompson  settled  upon 
the  land  which  he  and  his  son  had  selected, 
but  sold  his  share  of  it  a  few  years  later,  and 
purchased  170  acres  near  McHenry,  which  he 
improved  and  made  into  a  comfortable  home. 
By  this  time  Mr.  Thompson  was  advanced  in 
years,  and  he  finally  went  to  reside  with  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Abigail  Herd,  in  Dorr  Township, 
where  he  spent  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  dying 
in  March,  1861,  aged  seventy-one  years.  He 
was  a  Free- Will  Baptist  and  a  deacon  in  the 
church  for  some  twenty  years;  also  served  in 
a  local  office  in  Ohio.  During  the  War  of  1812 
he  was  called  out  as  a  member  of  the  Vermont 
militia,  but  saw  no  active  service.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Abigail,  Erastus  G.,  Asahel  C, 
Lucia,  Jeannette  (died  aged  two  years),  Mark 
and  Lucinda. 

Asahel  Chamberlain  Thompson,  whose  name 
heads  this  article,  was  born  at  Stafford,  Vt., 
Feb.  9,  1820,  the  son  of  Apollos  and  Lucinda 
(Dexter)  Thompson,  and  named  for  his  moth- 
er's foster-father,  Col.  Asahel  Chamberlain. 
In  1821  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  the  journey  of  600 
miles  being  made  in  a  two-horse  sleigh,  and 
occupying  three  weeks.  Here  young  Asahel 
grew  up  on  a  farm,  attended  a  district  school 
and  later  a  term  in  a  select  school;  then 
taught  three  terms  in  a  Baptist  church  on 
South  Ridge  in  Conneaut  Township,  after 
which  he  spent  half  a  term  in  an  academy  at 
Farmington,  Trumbull  County.  The  winter  of 
1841-42  he  spent  in  teaching  again  in  Conneaut 


Township,  working  on  his  father's  farm  during 
the  summer  and,  in  August  following,  he  ac- 
companied his  father  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
making  the  trip  with  a  two-horse  team  in  two 
weeks.  Having  purchased  a  tract  of  320  acres, 
his  father  remained  to  build  a  frame  house 
16x24  feet,  while  Asahel,  returning  to  their 
Ohio  home  a  month  later,  sent  the  family  by 
steamer  to  Chicago  in  the  fall,  he  remaining 
until  the  following  spring.  On  April  3,  1843, 
he  started  by  team  to  McHenry  County,  where 
he  assisted  his  father  to  clear  their  land  and 
established  his  permanent  home,  receiving  120 
acres  as  his  share  of  the  land.  On  January  21, 
1847,  he  was  married,  in  Greenwood  Township, 
to  Mary  Jane  Nealley,  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Susan  (Chamberlain)  Nealley,  born  at 
Milton,  Mass.,  March  25,  1829. 

Matthew  Nealley,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Thompson,  was  a  large  farmer  in  Nottingham, 
N.  H.,  who  married  Miss  Mary  True.  Their 
children  were:  Joseph,  Bowdoin,  Abraham, 
Ezra,  Samuel  and  Mary.  Matthew  spent  his 
active  days  in  New  Hampshire,  but  late  in  life 
came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  died  at  the 
home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  James.  He 
aDd  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  each  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  His  son,  Joseph  (the  father  of  Mrs. 
Thompson),  was  born  in  Nottingham,  N.  H., 
Oct.  2,  1803,  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion, became  a  farmer  and,  on  Feb.  27,  1828, 
was  married  to  Susan  Chamberlain  of  Roxbury 
(now  part  of  Boston),  Mass.  His  wife  was 
born  Feb.  24,  1811,  the  daughter  of  Moses  and 
Lucy  (Chamberlain)  Chamberlain,  an  old  New 
England  family  of  Puritan  stock.  Moses  Cham- 
berlain was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  em- 
braced within  the  present  limits  of  the  city  of 
Boston,  where  he  died  Sept.  5,  1825,  his  wife 
dying  Dec.  27,  1830.  Their  children  were: 
Sarah,  Susan,  Hannah,  John  and  Moses. 
Joseph  settled  at  Milton,  ten  miles  from  Bos- 
ton, and  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker.  In 
1837,  accompanied  by  his  brother  Ezra,  he 
came  to  Illinois.  The  latter  remained  in  Chi- 
cago, while  Joseph,  after  an  extended  tour 
through  the  State,  finally  selected  a  location  in 
Greenwood  Township.  The  season  was  a  wet 
one,  the  sloughs  were  full  of  water  and  Mr. 
Nealley  said  this  was  the  only  dry  land  he 
found.  He  bought  a  claim,  entered  240  acres 
of  land  placed  upon  the  market,  and  then  re- 
turned to  Massachusetts  for  his  family,  bring- 
ing them  out  in  June,  1838.    They  made  the 


1012 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


journey  from  Boston  to  Stonington,  Conn.,  by 
railroad,  then  by  steamer  on  Long  Island 
Sound  to  New  York,  up  the  Hudson  to  Albany, 
by  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo,  thence  round  the 
lakes  to  Chicago  and  from  Chicago  to  McHenry 
County  by  private  conveyance,  for  which  they 
paid  $25.  The  place  looked  so  desolate  that 
Mrs.  Nealley  and  the  children  began  to  cry, 
saying  they  could  not  stay  there,  and  the 
teamster  offered  to  take  them  back  to  Chicago 
for  nothing.  They  found  friends,  however,  in 
a  family  by  the  name  of  Stone,  and  decided  to 
remain.  Mr.  Nealley  built  a  log-house  that 
summer,  his  family  became  contented,  he  pros- 
pered as  a  farmer  and  in  a  few  years  had  a 
most  comfortable  home.  He  erected  good 
farm  buildings  and  in  1844  set  out  hard  maple 
trees,  which  he  brought  from  Dorr  Township. 
This  grove  is  still  in  a  flourishing  condition 
and  is  one  of  the  most  noteworthy  and 
picturesque  features  of  its  kind  in  the  town- 
ship. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nealley  had  two  children, 
named  Mary  E.  and  Susan  E.  Mr.  Nealley  was 
a  prominent  and  reputable  citizen  in  his  day, 
and  served  as  one  of  the  early  Treasurers  of 
Greenwood  Township.  He  died  March  23,  1862. 
Mrs.  Nealley  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  though  of  a  Unitarian  family.  She 
lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  dying 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Susan  E. 
Garrison,  Oct.  21,  1883. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Asahel  Thompson  set- 
tled on  the  land  which  he  had  selected  on  his 
first  visit  with  his  father  to  McHenry  Town- 
ship in  1842,  remaining  there  until  1852,  when 
he  sold  his  farm  and  removed  to  his  present 
location  in  Greenwood  Township,  having 
bought  the  farm  of  240  acres  which  had  be- 
longed to  his  father-in-law,  Joseph  Nealley. 
In  1883  he  built  upon  this  a  substantial  and 
commodious  two-story  residence.,  and  while  by 
the  sale  of  a  portion  of  his  property  he  has  re- 
duced his  holdings  to  180  acres,  he  is  still  the 
owner  of  the  finest  farm  and  one  of  the  most 
attractive  homes  in  Greenwood  Township.  In 
1864  he  also  became  interested  in  a  cheese  fac- 
tory, which  he  erected  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
George  Abbott.  "While  a  resident  of  McHenry 
Township  he  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
from  1849  to  1852,  and  after  his  removal  to 
Greenwood  Township,  was  elected  to  fill  a 
vacancy  and  still  later  for  a  full  term  of  four 
years.  He  then  filled  the  office  of  Township 
Assessor  two  years  and  Township  Supervisor 
one  term  (1859-60).     Still  later  he  was  elected 


Justice  of  the  Peace  for  seven  consecutive 
terms  (28  years),  making,  with  his  previous 
service  in  McHenry  Township,  thirty-five  years 
in  this  office.  He  also  filled  the  office  of  Town- 
ship Treasurer  for  a  number  of  years,  and,  at 
an  early  day,  served  as  Trustee  of  Schools.  As 
Justice  of  the  Peace  he  tried  many  important 
cases,  and  proved  himself  a  man  of  the  highest 
probity  and  a  firm  friend  of  justice.  Both 
'Squire  Thompson  and  his  wife  were  early 
members  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  church,  and 
assisted  to  build  the  first  church  edifice  of  that 
denomination  in  McHenry.  Their  children  are 
Herbert  N.,  Edwin  H.,  Merritt  W.,  Frank  G., 
George  E.,  Asahel  E.  and  Mary  L.  In  politics 
'Squire  Thompson  was  an  old-line  Whig,  but 
became  an  original  Republican  and  zealous  ad- 
vocate of  freedom  for  the  slave.  Mr.  Thompson 
died  July  22,  1901. 


STANTON  M.  THOMAS. 

Stanton  Malina  Thomas,  pioneer  and  re- 
spected citizen  of  Nunda,  McHenry  County,  is 
of  Welsh  ancestry,  members  of  the  American 
branch  of  the  family  having  come  to  New 
England  and  their  descendants  settled  at  Mid- 
dlebury,  Vt.,  at  an  early  day.  Noah  Thomas, 
the  great-grandfather  of  Stanton  M.,  was  a 
native  of  New  England,  and  his  son,  also  named 
Noah,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War, 
and  became  a  farmer  at  Middlebury.  The 
latter  had  a  brother  named  Abiah  who  was 
a  pioneer  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  a  large  land- 
holder there,  and  was  the  father  of  General 
George  H.  Thomas  of  Civil  War  Fame.  Noah 
(2),  who  was  the  grandfather  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  lived  to  be  over  ninety-nine 
years  of  age  and  his  wife  to  106  years.  When 
the  latter  was  100  years  old  she  did  a  full  day's 
work  at  the  spinning  wheel  and  walked  three 
miles  to  attend  a  meeting.  During  he  life  she 
never  rode  in  a  vehicle.  Noah  Thompson  was 
a  Universalist  in  religion.  As  he  died  about 
1830  he  is  well  remembered  by  his  grandson 
Stanton  M.,  to  whom  he  related  many  remini- 
scences of  the  early  American  wars. 

Abiah  Thomas,  son  of  Noah  (2)  and  father 
of  Stanton  M.,  was  born  in  Middlebury,  Vt., 
about  1761,  became  a  farmer  and  married  in 
his  native  town  Mary  Stanton,  who  was  born 
in  Middlebury,  the  daughter  of  Phineas  Stan- 
ton, of  an  old  New  England  family,  and  of  the 
same   stock   as   Edwin   M.    Stanton,   who   was 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1013 


Secretary  of  War  under  President  Lincoln. 
Phineas  Stanton  was  a  native  of  Middlebury, 
became  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  serving 
on  Lake  Erie,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Lundy's 
Lane  in  Canada.  Prior  to  the  War  of  1812,  he 
moved  to  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  im- 
proved a  farm  of  500  acres.  He  was  an  ex- 
tensive sheep-grower,  and  was  one  of  the  early 
importers  of  Spanish  Merino  and  Saxony  sheep. 
He  was  a  prominent  man  in  his  locality  and 
lived  to  be  about  seventy-five  years  old.  His 
children  were:  Elias,  Phineas,  George,  Addie, 
Percis,  Polly  and  Mary.  Abiah  Thomas  also 
moved  to  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  before  the 
War  of  1812,  cleared  up  a  large  farm  on  the 
Tonawanda  Flats,  and  there  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  dying  in  1837,  aged  about  sev- 
enty-five years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Universalist  church  and  had  children  named: 
Harriet,  Emory,  Mary,  Nelson,  Cordelia,  Stan- 
ton M.  (subject  of  this  sketch),  Rosette  and 
Fayette — all  born  at  Alexander,  Genesee  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  except  Harriet  and  Emily,  who  were 
born  at  Skeneateles  Lake,  where  Mr.  Thomas 
lived  three  years  before  settling  at  Alexander. 
Stanton  Malina  Thomas,  of  this  family,  was 
born  at  Alexander,  N.  Y.,  April  25,  1816,  and 
his  father  being  a  pioneer  settler  in  a  wilder- 
ness region,  received  only  a  limited  education. 
He  grew  up  a  farmer,  and,  in  1834,  when  about 
eighteen  years  old,  came  with  his  brother  Nel- 
son and  family — the  latter  consisting  of  his 
wife  and  one  child — to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  to  Buffalo  by  wagon,  and  thence  by 
sailing-vessel  to  Chicago,  where  they  arrived 
May  17,  1834.  Nelson  brought  with  him  a  pair 
of  horses,  a  wagon  and  household  goods  with 
some  money,  and,  after  landing  at  the  foot 
of  Michigan  Avenue  near  old  Fort  Dearborn, 
the  brothers  hitched  their  team  to  the  wagon, 
loaded  up  their  goods  and  left  the  same  day 
for  Naperville,  then  a  small  hamlet  in  what 
is  now  Kane  County.  Here  Nelson  Thoma9 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  which  now  con- 
stitutes part  of  the  city  of  Naperville.  The 
brothers  spent  their  first  winter  here,  but  in 
June,  1835,  removed  to  what  is  now  McHenry 
County,  locating  in  Algonquin  Township,  where 
Cary  Station  now  stands.  They  took  with  them 
a  team  of  six  yoke  of  cattle,  hauling  a  load  of 
lumber  which  was  used  for  floors,  roof  and 
doors  for  a  log  house,  which  they  erected  for 


their  new  home.  The  Indians  were  numerous 
in  this  locality  at  that  time,  but  peaceful  and 
friendly.  The  brothers  entered  land  here — 
Stanton  M.  taking  up  160  acres — for  wnich 
they  paid  $1.25  an  acre  at  the  Government 
Land  Office  in  Chicago.  Thomas  M.  built  a 
log  house  on  his  land  and,  on  Jan.  1,  1837,  was 
married  in  Algonquin  Township,  to  Almira 
French,  who  was  born  in  New  York  State,  Aug. 
17,  1817,  the  daughter  of  Joshua  French.  Her 
father,  who  was  of  Scotch  descent,  was  a  na- 
tive of  "Vermont,  but  settled  at  an  early  day 
in  New  York,  where  he  began  life  as  a  farmer. 
In  1839  he  came  with  his  family  to  Algonquin 
Township,  McHenry  County,  whither  his 
daughter  Almira,  coming  with  the  family  of 
Henry  Brink,  had  preceded  him  by  two  years. 
Mr.  French  bought  a  small  farm  here  upon 
which  he  lived  a  few  years,  when  he  removed 
to  Chicago,  and  there  died  at  the  home  of  his 
son  Samuel,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
His  other  children  were:  Harriet,  Mercy, 
Margaret,  Hannah,  Almira,  Abbie,  Phoebe  and 
Arvilla  Ann.  Mr.  French  was  a  Universalist 
in  religious  belief  and  a  man  of  independent 
character. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanton  M. 
Thomas  settled  on  the  farm  which  he  had 
opened  up  in  Algonquin  Township,  but  four 
years  later  sold  out  and  purchased  a  hotel  in 
Algonquin  village,  which  he  managed  a  few 
years.  About  1841  he  bought  from  his 
brother  Nelson  eighty  acres  of  land  in  the  old 
neighborhood,  to  which  he  made  additions 
until  he  became  the  owner  of  320  acres.  In 
1870  he  traded  his  farm  lands  for  property  in 
Chicago,  and  removing  to  that  city,  resided 
there  five  years.  Then,  having  been  appointed 
manager  of  the  State  farm  connected  with  the 
Hospital  for  the  Insane  at  Elgin,  he  remained 
in  connection  with  that  institution  three  years. 
In  1890  he  removed  to  Nunda,  where  he  has 
since  lived  a  retired  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
have  had  six  children,  of  whom  three  died  in 
childhood.  Those  still  living  are:  Adelbert  A., 
Mary  and  Lem.  In  politics  Mr.  Thomas  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  and  in  early  days  he  filled 
various  local  offices,  including  Commissioner 
of  Highways,  Constable,  Collector  of  Taxes, 
and  Deputy  Sheriff.  Venerable  in  years  and 
one  of  the  oldest  surviving  pioneers  of  Mc- 
Henry County,  he  is  spending  the  evening  of 


1014 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


his  days  in  deserved  comfort  in  the  community 
in  which  he  has  resided  nearly  seventy  years. 
(Since  this  sketch  was  written  Mr.  Thomas  has 
passed  away  at  a  venerable  age.) 


ADELBERT  A.  THOMAS. 

Adelbert  A.  Thomas,  a  leading  business  man 
of  Nunda,  McHenry  County,  and  a  patriot  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  War,  was  born  at  Cary  Sta- 
tion,  Algonquin  Township,  Sept.  14,  1843,  the 
son     of     Stanton     M.     and     Almira     (French) 
Thomas.    He  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion in  the  district  school  of  his  native  village, 
and   his    youth    was    spent    on    the    farm.      In 
August,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com- 
pany I,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
commanded  by     Captain     James     Nish,      (see 
sketch  of  Capt.  Nish  in  this  volume),  and  hav- 
ing served  the  full  term  of  his  enlistment,  was 
honorably     discharged     at     Memphis,     Tenn., 
August  3,   1865.    He  took  part  with  his   com- 
pany   in    all    its    battles,    and    joining    Grant's 
army    at    Jackson,    Tenn.,    took    part    in    the 
campaign  in  Central  Mississippi.     Having  been 
attacked   with    typhoid    fever     at     Waterford, 
Miss.,    he   was    first   placed    in   the   field   hos- 
pital, but  afterwards  transferred  to  a  hospital 
at    Holly    Springs.        Here    he    was    captured 
with  twenty-four  other  invalid  soldiers  by  the 
rebel  commander  Van  Dorn,  and  held  a  pris- 
oner twelve  hours,  Van  Dorn  then  being  obliged 
to  retreat.      While  held  as  a  prisoner  in  hos- 
pital,   he    and    his    comrades    were    protected 
from  molestation  by  the  rebels  through  the  de- 
vice of  a  hospital  steward,  who  had  marked  on 
the  door  of  their  room  the  word  "Small-pox." 
His  father  arrived  in  Holly  Springs  the  even- 
ing before  the  place     was     captured     by  Van 
Dorn,  and  found  his  son  in  a  critical  condition, 
having  been  given  up  to  die.    Mr.  Thomas  was 
shortly  afterwards  removed  in  a  stock  car  to 
Jackson,   Tenn.     His  father  accompanied  him 
on  the  journey  and  procured  some  straw  with 
which  he  made  beds  for  the  soldiers,  and  in 
this  manner  saved  many  of  their  lives.     Mr. 
Thomas  remained  in  the  hospital   at  Jackson 
nearly  two  months,  but  at  the  end  of  the  first 
month   began   to    make   progress    towards    re- 
covery  and   his    father    returned    home.      One 
month  later  he  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Lake 
Providence,  La.,  and  served  during  the  remain- 
der of  the  Mississippi  campaign.     He  was  de- 


tailed as  a  teamster  and  was  the  first  to 
transport  a  load  of  ammunition  out  to  the 
works  at  Vicksburg,  which  was  done  under  a 
severe  fire.  He  then  went  with  his  regiment 
to  Natchez,  and  here  was  assigned  to  Com- 
pany B,  which  was  mounted  as  cavalry  and  de- 
tailed on  a  foraging  expedition.  Mr.  Thomas 
was  with  his  regiment  at  Vicksburg,  and  with 
Banks  in  his  Red  River  expedition,  during  which 
he  took  part  in  many  skirmishes,  his  regiment 
serving  as  the  rear-guard  on  the  return  to 
Vicksburg.  Later  he  was  detailed  for  a  time 
to  the  Third  United  States  Colored  Cavalry  as 
Commissary  Sergeant.  They  were  in  several 
skirmishes  and  captured  a  stockade  on  the 
Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Here  fifteen 
Union  soldiers  who  had  been  serving  in  the 
rebel  army  as  prisoners,  were  recaptured  after 
they  had  made  a  charge  to  escape  from  their 
captors.  They  were  in  a  condition  of  complete 
destitution.  In  the  closing  months  of  his  ser- 
vice he  was  on  duty  at  Memphis. 

Returning  home  from  the  war,  Mr.  Thomas 
resumed  work  at  Cary  and  on  July  4,  1868, 
was  married,  at  Genoa  Junction,  Wis.,  to  Fran- 
ces A.  Hawkins,  born  in  Painesville,  Ohio,  Dec. 
15,  1848,  the  daughter  of  Charles  W.  and  Maria 
(Heaton)  Hawkins.  Charles  W.  Hawkins  was 
born  August  8,  1825,  in  Pennsylvania,  the  son 
of  Whipple  and  Mary  (Brown)  Hawkins. 
Whipple  Hawkins,  who  was  a  blacksmith  and 
soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  settled  in  Alleghany 
County,  .  Penn.,  where  he  died  aged  about 
seventy-five  years.  Charles  W.  was  also  a 
blacksmith  and  lived  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  until 
1845,  when  he  came  to  Illinois  and  settled  on 
a  farm  near  Aurora.  The  cholera  was  preva- 
lent at  this  time,  and  some  half  dozen  victims 
were  buried  from  the  boat  in  which  Mr. 
Hawkins  came  west.  He  soon  returned  to 
New  York  and  lived  at  Auburn  until  1858,  when 
he  again  removed  to  Illinois  and  settled  on  a 
farm  at  Cary,  where  he  remained  until  1868, 
when  he  removed  to  Marengo  and,  later,  to 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  where  he  lived  fourteen 
years.  Mr.  Hawkins  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War  for  one  year  and  served  as  a  black- 
smith in  an  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  Regi- 
ment. His  children  are:  Mary,  Frances  A.,  Hen- 
ry (who  died  aged  seven  years),  Clare,  William 
(died  in  infancy)  and  Grace.  In  politics  Mr. 
Hawkins  is  a  Republican. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1015 


After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adelbert 
Thomas  settled  at  Cary  and  later  removed  to 
Aurora,  111.,  where  he  was  a  foreman  in  the 
shops  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy 
Railroad,  for  nine  months.  Then,  returning  to 
Cary,  he  managed  a  farm  there  for  two  years 
but  afterwards  removed  to  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
where  he  engaged  as  a  brakeman  on  a  railroad 
After  nine  months  service  there,  he  was  ten- 
dered a  position  as  fireman  for  the  same  road, 
and  one  year  later  was  promoted  to  engineer, 
continuing  in  this  position  four  years.  In  1877 
he  came  to  Chicago  where  he  engaged  in  the 
milk  business  for  two  years,  and  for  eleven 
years  thereafter  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  as  engineer,  running 
from  Chicago  to  Danville  and  Terre  Haute. 
In  1892  Mr.  Thomas  came  to  Nunda  and  en- 
gaged in  the  livery  business,  and  was  also  land- 
lord of  the  Richmond  House  nine  months,  con- 
ducting the  livery  at  the  same  time.  Politi- 
cally, he  is  a  Republican  and  served  as  a 
member  of  the  Town  Council  for  six  years; 
fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Jeannette. 
Marion  G.,  and  Adelbert  A.,  Jr. 


JOB   TOLES. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  is  a  very  in- 
teresting pioneer  citizen  of  Greenwood  Town- 
ship. He  traces  his  descent  from  a  sterling 
English  family  who  were  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Connecticut,  and  he  was  proprietor 
and  operator  of  the  village  mill  at  Green- 
wood for  more  than  fifty  years. 

Ebenezer  Toles,  the  grandfather,  moved  to 
New  York  State  and  settled  in  Albany  County, 
within  fourteen  miles  of  the  capital  city.  He 
cleared  up  a  farm  from  the  wildnerness  and 
served  as  a  patriot  soldier  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War.  Of  his  .children,  Eben,  Henry,  Ed- 
ward A.,  Nathaniel  and  Zenas  are  remem- 
bered. He  died  on  his  farm  in  New  York, 
and  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  lived  with 
his  daughter,  Mrs.  Job  Chase. 

Edward  A.  Toles,  father  of  Job  Toles,  was 
born  near  Albany,  N.  Y.,  about  1789,  and 
reared  on  a  farm.  He  married  Mary  Chase, 
born  in  New  York  State  about  1791,  and  after- 
wards settled  on  a  part  of  his  father's  farm, 
on    which    he    made    extensive    improvements 


He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812. 
His  children  were:  Edward  S.,  Job,  Electa, 
Nancy,  Harriet,  Mary  Ann  and  Augusta.  He 
lived  on  his  farm  until  all  of  his  children  had 
reached  maturity  and  then  came  to  English 
Prairie,  McHenry  County,  and  lived  with  his 
son  Edward  until  the  time  of  his  death  at  the 
age  of  sixty-seven  years.  He  had  been,  through 
out  his  life,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  took  an  active  part  in  church  affairs, 
serving   as   class-leader   for   many  years. 

Job  Toles  was  born  May  3,  1815,  in  Albany 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  received  a  common-school 
education.  He  became  a  farmer  and  moved 
to  Illinois  in  1836,  arriving  at  English  Prairie, 
September  20.  He  came  via  the  Erie  Canal  and 
the  great  lakes  to  Chicago,  then  went  west 
and  south  to  Vicksburg,  working  his  way  on 
the  Mississippi  River,  and  after  working  three 
months  in  Vicksburg,  returned  to  Chicago  and 
afterwards  moved  to  English  Prairie,  where  he 
entered  160  acres  of  good  prairie  land.  Mr. 
Toles  made  extensive  improvements  on  his 
farm  and  built  a  frame  house,  where  he  lived 
for  a  few  years  and  then  bought  a  saw-mill 
at  Spring  Grove  on  the  Nippersink.  He  oper- 
ated the  Spring  Grove  mill  for  a  short  time 
and  then,  in  company  with  Lewis  Boone,  built 
a  mill  on  the  Nippersink,  known  as  the 
"Boone  Mill,"  one  and  a  half  miles  from  Green- 
wood. Two  years  later  Mr.  Toles  sold  his  in 
terest  to  Mr.  Boone,  and  then  came  to  Green- 
wood and  bought  a  saw-mill  in  company  with 
William  Marvin.  This  partnership  continued 
but  a  short  time,  when  Mr.  Toles  bought  Mr. 
Marvin's  interest,  re-built  the  mill,  and  furn- 
ished it  with  two  runs  of  stone — one  for  feed 
and  the  other  for  flour.  It  was  a  first-class 
mill  for  those  days,  and  received  a  patronage 
that  over-taxed  its  capacity,  customers  coming 
from  a  distance  of  over  twenty  miles.  Many 
times  the  mill  would  be  three  days  behind  in 
grinding,  and  customers  were  often  compelled 
to  remain  over  night  and  sometimes  longer, 
waiting  for  their  grist  of  flour  and  feed.  The 
Toles  mill  at  Greenwood  was  the  only  flour- 
mill  in  the  county,  except  the  Brown  Mill  and 
one  located  at  McHenry.  These  were  the  early 
mills  that  did  the  grinding  for  the  county.  Mr 
Toles  also  built  a  general  store  in  Greenwood 
and  the  building  is  still  standing,  occupied  by 
John  Barber  as  a  dwelling  house.       It  is  now 


1016 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  oldest  house  standing  in  Greenwood.  When 
Mr.  Toles  first  came  to  Greenwood,  there  was 
but  one  house  in  the  village — a  frame  building 
occupied  as  a  dwelling  by  Mr.  Marvin,  who 
afterwards  became  Mr.  Toles'  partner,  Mr. 
Toles  operated  his  grist  and  flour  mill  for 
over  fifty  years,  and  he  is  known  for  miles 
around  as  a  pioneer  miller  and  business  man 
of  Greenwood.  He  was  married  in  Greenwood 
Township,  March  15,  1852,  to  Samantha  Free- 
man, the  ceremony  being  performed  by  Orestes 
Garrison,  a  Justice  of  the-  Peace.  Miss  Free- 
man was  born  at  Potsdam,  St.  Lawrence  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  Sept.  13,  1833,  daughter  of  Ashley  and 
Sarah  (Dewey)   Freeman. 

Ashley  Freeman,  father  of  Mrs.  Toles,  was 
born  near  Montpelier,  Vt.,  April  3,  about  1788, 
son  of  Ezra  and  Sarah  Freeman.  Ezra  Free- 
man was  a  farmer  and  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolutionary  War.  He  settled  in  St. 
Lawrence  County,  and  cleared  up  a  good  farm. 
His  children  were:  Ashley,  Lyman,  Sally  and 
Wilson.  Mr.  Freeman  was  a  Universalist  in 
religious  belief  and  a  member  of  the  old  New 
York  State  militia.  He  lived  to  be  eighty- 
eight  years  of  age,  and  died  in  St.  Lawrence 
County,  N.  Y. 

Ashley  Freeman  was  a  farmer  and  cleared 
up  a  large  farm  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  hav- 
ing located  there  with  his  parents  when  a 
boy.  He  married  in  Potsdam,  Sarah  Dewey, 
born  in  Potsdam,  Aug.  14,  1802,  the  second 
white  child  born  in  the  town  and  the  daughter 
of  Elias  Dewey,  a  native  of  Vermont.  Mrs. 
Freeman  died  in  New  York  State,  and  Mr. 
Freeman  afterwards  lived  at  the  homestead 
with  his  children  until  his  death.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Freeman  were  the  parents  of  Eliza,  Sa- 
mantha, Sabra,  Henry  and  Hattie.  Mr.  Free- 
man had  been  previously  married  to  a  Miss 
Betsy  Bates,  and  by  this  marriage  there  were 
two  children,  Olive  and  Martha,  both  of  whom 
married  in  New  York  State,  but  Martha  and 
her  family  came  to  Illinois  with  Mr.  Freeman. 
The  trip  was  made  via  the  lakes  to  Wau- 
kegan  and  by  wagon  to  Greenwood  Township. 
Mr.  Freeman  bought  120  acres  of  land  in  Green- 
wood Township,  which  he  disposed  of  later 
and  bought  another  farm  in  the  same  township, 
upon  which  he  lived  until  his  death  about 
seven  years  after  his  settlement.  He  was 
sixty-seven  years  of  age  and  died  Dec.  13, 
1855.      In  politics  he  was  an  old  line  Whig. 


Mr.  Job  Toles  continued  to  reside  in  Green- 
wood, operating  his  mill  and  conducting  a  gen- 
eral store.  He  purchased  land  at  several  dif- 
ferent times  until  he  owned  500  acres,  but 
recently  has  sold  much  of  his  landed  property, 
although  he  still  retains  300  acres.  The  mill 
and  water-power  was  disposed  of  about  eight 
years  ago.  In  politics  Mr.  Toles  was  an  old 
line  Whig,  but  advocated  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party  when  it  was  first  organized, 
and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont  and  later  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.  In  religious  belief  both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Toles  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  have  contributed  liberally  in  aiding 
to  build  different  churches.  Mr.  Toles  was 
a  very  active  and  industrious  man  in  his 
younger  days,  and  has  owned  four  grist-mills 
and  several  different  water-powers.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Adelia,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years;  Edward  A.;  Charles  H.;  and  Earl.  Mr. 
Toles  began  to  suffer  about  ten  years  with 
an  affliction  of  the  eyes  which  has  resulted  in 
total  blindness.  He  retained  the  rugged  consti- 
tution, with  which  he  had  always  been  favored 
throughout  his  long  life,  until  April,  1902,  when 
he  was  prostrated  by  a  stroke  of  paralysis. 
It  should  be  said  to  his  credit  that  he  has  al- 
ways lived  a  very  temperate  life,  having  never 
been  addicted  to  the  use  of  liquor  or  tobacco. 

Mrs.  Toles  is  an  excellent  example  of  the 
pioneer  mothers  of  McHenry  County,  and  one 
who  is  greatly  beloved  by  all  her  friends  and 
associates. 


MELVIN    G.  TRIPP. 

Melvin  G.  Tripp,  one  of  the  leading  photog- 
raphers of  his  county,  was  born  in  Woodstock, 
111.,  August  27,  1864,  the  son  of  Daniel  and 
Sarah  E.  (Burbank)  Tripp.  The  Tripp  family 
is  of  English  descent  and  emigrated  to  New 
York  in  the  colonial  period.  Daniel  Tripp, 
father  of  Melvin  G.,  and  a  highly  respected 
representative  citizen  of  Woodstock,  is  the  son 
of  Jonathan  and  Euphemia  (Van  Dyke)  Tripp. 
The  Van  Dykes  were  of  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry. 

Jonathan  Tripp  was  the  son  of  Israel  and 
Sarah  Tripp,  and  settled  after  marriage  in 
Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  until 
he  reared  his  family.  When  he  became  too  old 
and  feeble  to  manage  his  farm,  he  moved  to 
De  Ruyter  village,  where  he  died,  aged  eighty- 
six  years.    His  wife,  Euphemia  Van  Dyke,  was 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1017 


the  daughter  of  Mynder  Van  Dyke,  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  1812. 

Daniel  Tripp  was  horn  Nov.  16,  1827,  in 
Lincklaen,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  and  re- 
ceived the  usual  common-school  education. 
He  was  reared  a  farmer  and  learned  the 
harness-maker's  trade  at  De  Ruyter,  N.  Y., 
beginning  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 
He  worked  at  his  trade  in  New  York  State 
and  came  to  Illinois  in  1852,  making  a  short 
visit  at  Woodstock,  and  then  went  to  Rockford, 
where  he  found  employment  at  his  trade, 
later  following  the  same  occupation  in  Belvi- 
dere,  Pecatonica  and  Rock  Island.  In  1857  he 
married  in  Woodstock,  Dec.  24,  1857,  Sarah 
B.  Burbank,  horn  in  Haverhill,  N.  H.,  April 
28,  1835,  daughter  of  Elijah  and  Sarah  (Hutch- 
ins)  Burbank. 

Elijah  Burbank  was  born  at  Bath,  N.  H., 
in  1805,  about  1843  came  with  his  family  to 
Illinois  and  settled  on  land  near  Du  Quoin,  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  State,  but  about  1847 
moved  to  McHenry  County,  and  bought  land  in 
Dorr  Township.  He  finally  located  at  Wood- 
stock about  1853,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
as  a  stone-mason.  He  lived  in  Woodstock  un- 
til his  death,  in  February,  1885,  aged  nearly 
eighty-five  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church;  in  politics  an  old  line 
Whig,  but  became  a  Republican  on  the  organ- 
ization of  that  party.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  Abbie,  Sarah,  Albert,  Gardner, 
Emma,  Ella,  and  several  children  who  died  In 
childhood. 

Daniel  Tripp  moved  to  Southern  Illinois  and 
settled  at  Tamaroa  for  a  short  time.  In  1865 
he  moved  to  where  Ludlow  is  now  located  in 
Perry  County,  remaining  there  one  year,  when 
he  returned  to  Woodstock,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  business,  except  one  year 
(1887)  spent  in  Texas.  Fraternally  Mr.  Tripp 
is  an  Unaffiliated  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Knights  Templar  of  Woodstock.  Politically 
he  is  one  of  the  original  Republicans  of 
McHenry  County  and  voted  for  Abraham 
Lincoln.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Tripp  are  the 
parents  of  Edwin,  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Melvin  G. 

Melvin  G.  Tripp  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Woodstock,  and  at  sixteen  years 
of  age,  began  learning  the  photographer's  busi- 
ness with  his  uncle,  G.  A.  Burbank,  who  then 


owned  the  gallery  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Tripp. 
Having  spent  four  years  with  his  uncle,  he  then 
went  to  Oconomowoc,  Wis.,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  for  one  year,  when  he  went  to 
Texas,  and  was  employed  in  the  same  manner 
at  Kaufman,  Decatur  and  Sherman.  Having 
returned  North  in  April,  1890,  he  worked  in 
Wisconsin  and  Iowa  for  some  time.  His  uncle, 
Mr.  G.  A.  Burbank,  died  in  1891,  and  Mr.  Tripp 
then  bought  his  present  gallery.  His  travels 
and  wide  experience,  together  with  his  natural 
skill  as  an  artist,  have  made  him  an  expert 
in  his  line  of  work,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the 
leading  photographers  in  McHenry  County. 
Mr.  Tripp  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Woodstock,  and  a  man  of  excellent 
character.  He  has  devoted  his  life  to  his  pro- 
fession, in  which  he  has  gained  a  high  stand- 
ing by  his  untiring  industry  and  artistic  ability. 


CHARLES  F.  THORNE. 

Charles  F.  Thorne,  prominent  merchant  and, 
for  many  years,  only  exclusive  dealer  in  cloth 
ing  and  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  in  Wood- 
stock, 111.,  was  born  in  Tunbridge,  Vt.,  April 
19,  1852,  the  son  of  Frank  and  Hannah  (Mnd- 
gett)  Thorne.  Mr.  Thorne  is  descended  from 
colonial  English  Puritan  ancestry,  the  earlier 
members  of  the  family  having  located  in  Con- 
necticut at  an  early  day. 

Samuel  Thorne,  the  grandfather  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812  and  an  officer  of  his  company.  For  his 
services  as  a  soldier  he  received  from  the 
Government  a  bounty-land  warrant,  which  he 
located  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Illinois.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  lived  in  Tunbridge,  Orange 
County,  Vt.,  where  he  had  a  good  home  and 
owned  a  farm  on  White  River.  He  was  a  man 
of  independent  views,  and  in  religious  belief 
a  Universalist.  As  a  citizen  he  was  prominent 
in  the  community  and  served  as  Selectman  of 
his  town.  His  death  occurred  on  his  farm 
in  Vermont  at  the  age  of  about  seventy-three 
years,  leaving  three  children  named  Frank, 
Mariah  and  Abbie. 

Frank  Thorne,  the  oldest  of  his  family  and 
father  of  Charles  F.  Thorne,  in  his  boyhood  re- 
ceived the  usual  New  England  common-school 
education,  after  which  he  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  He  remained  on  the  home  farm 
until  after  the  death  of  his  father,  when  he 


1018 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


removed  to  Worcester,  Mass.,  where  he  fol- 
lowed his  occupation  as  a  carpenter.  He  mar- 
ried Hannah  Mudgett,  a  native  of  Tunbridge, 
who  bore  him  one  son,  Charles  F.,  but  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty  years.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  Ira  Mudgett,  who  was  of  Scottish  descent 
and  of  an  old  Vermont  family.  Her  father  was 
a  substantial  farmer  and  reliable  citizen,  and 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  he  was  a  class-leader.  His  children 
were:  Charles,  John,  Ira,  Mary,  Maria  and 
Abbie.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife — which  oc- 
curred three  weeks  after  the  birth  of  her  son, 
Charles  F. — Mr.  Frank  Thorne  married  as  his 
second  wife,  Lentha  Smith,  and  they  had  three 
children  named:  Carrie,  Frederick,  and  Pearl. 
Mr.  Frank  Thorne  finally  died  at  Worcester, 
Mass.,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

Charles  F.  Thorne  spent  his  childhood  at  the 
home  of  his  grandfather  Mudgett,  until  he  was 
about  six  years  old,  when  his  father,  having 
married  a  second  time,  he  went  to  live  with  the 
latter  on  the  old  Thorne  farm.  Here  he  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  and  early 
began  work  on  the  farm,  learning  to  drive  a 
team  of  oxen  while  still  a  mere  boy.  He  soon 
began  work  for  himself  as  an  employe  of  Judge 
Steel,  of  Sharon,  Vt,  where  he  remained  until 
the  death  of  his  employer.  He  then  became  the 
proprietor  of  a  carriage-shop,  which  he  con- 
ducted successfully  for  six  years,  although 
without  previous  experience  in  the  business. 

On  September  22,  1872,  Mr.  Thorne  was  mar- 
ried, at  Sharon,  "Vt.,  to  Flora  A.  Hunt,  who  was 
born  at  Sharon,  Sept.  11,  1854,  the  daughter 
of  Phelps  and  Caroline  B.  (Hitchcock)  Hunt. 
In  1883  Mr.  Thorne  removed  with  his  family 
to  Woodstock,  McHenry  County,  111.,  where  he 
soon  after  engaged  in  the  gentlemen's  clothing 
and  furnishing  business,  in  addition  to  other 
branches,  carrying  a  stock  of  boots  and  shoes. 
Here  he  soon  built  up  a  large  trade  and,  for 
some  years,  was  the  only  merchant  in  Wood- 
stock engaged  exclusively  in  this  line  of  busi- 
ness. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thorne  have  been  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  named  children:  Carrie 
M.,  born  April  13,  1875,  died  April  30,  1891; 
William  S.,  born  Nov.  10,  1879,  and  is  a  young 
man  now  employed  in  his  father's  store,  and 
Gladys  V.,  born  June  22,  1892,  at  present  a 
pupil  in  the  Woodstock  schools.     Mr.   Thorne 


is  a  reliable  citizen,  of  genial  temperament 
and  straightforward  integrity,  and,  as  a  busi- 
ness man,  stands  high  in  the  estimation  of 
the  mercantile  world. 

Phelps  Hunt,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Charles  F. 
Thorne,  was  born  at  Coventry,  Conn.,  the  son 
of  Ebenezer  Hunt  and  a  grandson  of  Dr.  Pome- 
roy  Hunt.  Dr.  Pomeroy  Hunt,  when  a  young 
man,  accompanied  an  exploring  party  into  the 
wilds  of  Vermont,  and,  in  some  manner  becom- 
ing separated  from  his  companios,  was  obliged 
to  spend  the  winter  alone  in  the  forest,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  being  the  first  white  man  to 
pass  a  winter  in  this  region.  The  following 
spring  he  was  rescued  by  a  searching  party, 
and,  when  found,  was  pounding  corn  for  samp. 
He  returned  to  Connecticut  and  practiced  his 
profession. 

Ebenezer  Hunt,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Thorne, 
was  an  early  settler  of  Hartford,  Vt.,  where 
he  cleared  up  a  farm.    He  died  at  Hartford. 

Phelps  Hunt  was  a  boy  when  his  father  set- 
tled at  Hartford,  Vt.  He  married  at  Hartford, 
Sarah  Dexter,  and  they  settled  in  the  same 
neighborhood.  His  wife  died  shortly  after 
marriage,  and  he  removed  to  Sharon,  Vt.,  where 
he  married  for  his  second  wife  a  widow  lady, 
Caroline  (Hitchcock)  Perkins,  the  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Polly  Hitchcock.  They  settled  on 
the  old  Hitchcock  farm  at  Sharon,  Vt.,  upon 
which  the  Hitchcocks  were  the  first  settlers. 
Here  his  second  wife  died,  and  Mr.  Hunt  after- 
wards purchased  property  at  Hartland,  Vt.,  and 
lived  retired,  deriving  his  income  from  rented 
property.  Mr.  Hunt  was  a  prosperous  man  and 
died  at  Hartland,  Vt,  age-d  about  seventy-one 
years.  He  was  a  Congregationalist  in  re- 
ligious belief;  was  Overseer  of  the  Poor,  and  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen,  besides 
holding  several  other  offices.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hunt  were  the  parents  of  one  child,  Flora  A. 
(now  Mrs.  Thorne).  Mrs.  Thorne  was  an  only 
child,  as  were  her  mother,  her  grandmother  and 
great- grand  mother — a  coincidence  holding  good 
for  four  consecutive  generations. 


BARNEY  TERWILLIGER. 

Barney  Terwilliger,  reliable  citizen  of  Dorr 
Township,  McHenry  County,  and  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War,  is  descended  from  Holland-Dutch 
anchestry,  his  paternal  grandfather,  also 
named  Barney  Terwilliger,  being  the  father  of 
Samuel  Terwilliger,  who  became  a  pioneer  set- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1019 


tier  of  Nunda  Township,  coming  to  this  locality 
about  the  same  time  as  the  Walkups  and  the 
Dufields.  The  grandfather,  Barney  Terwilliger, 
was  a  farmer  of  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  married  his  wife,  Dorothy,  who  was 
of  Scotch  descent,  and  they  had  children 
named  Harmon  B.,  Samuel,  Solomon,  John  and 
Barney.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, a  Presbyterian  in  religious  belief,  and 
died  on  his  farm  in  Chenango  County  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  about  ninety  years. 

Harmon  B.,  of  this  family  and  father  of  Bar- 
ney (2),  received  a  common-school  education, 
became  a  farmer  and  married,  in  Chenango 
County,  Margaret  (Terwilliger)  Terwilliger, 
who  was  of  the  same  general  stock  as  her  hus- 
band, but  not  a  ear  relative.  He  firsts  settled 
on  the  paternal  homestead,  but  later  removed 
to  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  at  the 
age  of  eighty-eight  years.  His  children  were: 
Helen,  Gertrude  Ann,  Abraham,  Cymrenus,  Wil- 
liam, Cyrena,  Caroline,  Barney  and  Elizabeth. 
His  first  wife  having  died,  Mr.  Terwilliger  mar- 
ried as  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Caroline  Boughton 
(nee  Piersall),  and  their  children  were:  Floyd, 
Emory  and  Idell.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Terwilliger 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
Mr.  Terwilliger  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812. 

Barney  Terwilliger,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  born  in  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  27, 
1833,  received  an  ordinary  common-school 
education  and  has  pursued  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 
When  about  twelve  to  fourteen  years  of  age  he 
began  work  in  a  saw^mill  in  Broome  County, 
N.  Y.,  remaining  most  of  the  time  until  Oct.  16, 
1861,  when  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Eighty-ninth  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry,  in 
which  he  served  three  years,  being  honorably 
discharged  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  Va.,  Oct.  15, 
1864.  Among  the  engagements  in  which  he 
participated  were  the  battle  of  Roanoke  Island, 
Camden,  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Cold  Har- 
bor and  Petersburg,  besides  many  skirmishes. 
He  was  present  at  the  blowing  up  of  the  Fort 
at  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  also  the  affair  at  Fort 
Harrison.  He  was  not  wounded  or  a  prisoner 
during  his  term  of  service,  but  was  struck  by 
the  fragment  of  a  shrapnel  shell  which  pene- 
trated his  canteen  and  his  tin-cup,  but  stopped 
after  striking  him  sharply  on  the  hip. 

After  the  war,  Mr.  Terwilliger  returned  to 
Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there  resumed 
work  in  a  saw-mill,  but  in  1868  removed  to  Mc- 


Henry  County,  111.,  where  he  entered  upon  life 
as  a  farmer.  On  Dec.  21,  1875,  he  was  mar- 
ried at  the  residence  of  George  Eckert,  in 
Woodstock,  to  Sarah  Eugenia  Green,  who  was 
born  in  Dorr  Township,  April  11,  1850,  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Amy  Green.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Terwilliger  have  had  one  son,  Floyd 
Green,  who  was  born  June  25,  1881,  received 
his  education  in  the  Nunda  and  Crystal  Lake 
High  School,  and  is  at  present  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  connection  with  his  father.  After 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Terwilliger  settled  in 
the  Green  neighborhood,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming,  later  bought  a  farm  in  Nunda  Town- 
ship, but  having  sold  this,  during  later  years 
has  carried  on  farming  operations  on  the  old 
Dufleld  farm.  He  is  a  practical  farmer,  a  man 
of  stanch  character  and,  in  politics,  a  Republi- 
can; is  also  a  member  of  Woodstock  Post, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  He  has  served 
three  years  as  Road  Commissioner  for  his 
township. 

Robert  Green,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Terwilliger, 
was  born  in  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  22,  1811, 
the  son  of  Robert  and  Sarah  (Manning)  Green. 
On  the  paternal  side,  the  Greens  were  of 
English  descent,  and  among  the  original  set- 
tlers of  Rhode  Island,  and  of  the  same  stock  as 
General  Green  of  the  Revolutionary  War 
period.  Robert  Green,  Sr.,  was  born  May  17, 
1762,  and  his  wife,  Sarah  Manning,  May  25, 
1770.  Mr.  Green  was  a  farmer  and  died  Dec. 
29,  1812.  His  son,  Robert  Green,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Terwilliger,  received  an  ordinary  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  his  day,  and,  on 
Nov.  25,  1840,  in  Schenectady  County,  N.  Y., 
married  Amy  Curtis,  who  was  born  Feb.  28, 
1821.  After  marriage  they  lived  on  the  Green 
homestead,  where  they  remained  until  1845, 
when  Mr.  Green  came  to  Dorr  Township,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  where  he  bought  140  acres  of 
unimproved  land.  Then  returning  to  New 
York,  the  following  year  he  brought  out  his 
family,  arriving  in  Dorr  Township,  July  3,  1846, 
making  the  trip  from  Chicago  to  his  destina- 
tion in  a  lumber-wagon.  Among  other  im- 
provements made  on  this  farm  was  the  erec- 
tion of  a  frame  'house  which  is  still  standing. 
Mr.  George  K.  Bunker,  now  a  venerable  citizen 
of  McHenry,  assisted  Mr.  Green  in  cutting  and 
hauling  the  logs  for  the  frame-work  of  this 
house,  and  for  his  efficiency  is  gratefully  re- 
membered by  Mrs.  Green.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Green  were:  Willis  H.,  born 
Sept.  16,  1841;  Amy,  born  Jan.  6,  1844;  Rhoda, 


1020 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


born  Jan.  14,  1847;  Sarah  E.,  born  April  11, 
1850;  Elizabeth,  born  Dec.  29,  1851;  Silas  C, 
born  Feb.  12,  1855;  Mary  R.,  born  May  14, 
1857;  Chauncy  James,  born  March  14,  1860, 
died  in  infancy;  Augusta,  born  Feb.  24,  1862. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Green  were  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  at  Ridgefield,  and  assisted  to 
build  the  church  edifice  there. 

Mr.  Green  was  originally  an  old-line  Whig, 
but  in  later  life  became  a  Democrat.  He  was 
a  Major  of  the  State  militia  in  his  native 
State  of  New  York,  and  his  sword,  sash  and 
epaulettes  are  still  preserved  by  his  descend- 
ants. He  was  also  a  member  of  Woodstock 
Lodge  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Three  of  his  daughters 
— Amy,  Rhoda  and  Sarah — were  teachers  in 
the  public  schools,  the  last  named  receiving 
her  certificate  from  the  late  A  J.  Kingman, 
and  being  a  teacher  in  Dorr  Township  for  eight 
years.  Mr.  Green  died  May  21,  1894,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-two  years.  Mrs.  Robert  Green, 
who  still  survives  on  the  old  homestead  at  a 
venerable  age,  was  the  daughter  of  Silas  P.  and 
Rhoda  (Morey)  Curtis — her  father,  born  March 
10,  1796,  and  her  mother,  Nov.  2,  1800'.  Mr. 
Curtis  was  a  farmer  of  Duanesburg,  Schenec- 
tady County,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of  Joseph  Curtis. 
His  children  were:  William  Hicks,  born  Sept. 
24,  1817;  Joseph  A.,  born  May  8,  1819;  Amy, 
born  Feb.  28,  1821;  Silas,  born  Sept.  23,  1824; 
Chauncy  P.,  born  Dec.  1,  1826;  James  Thorne, 
born  Aug.  31,  1830;  Jonathan  J.,  born  Nov.  16, 
1832.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtis  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  In  his  old  age  Mr. 
Curtis  went  to  Michigan,  where  he  died  at  the 
home  of  his  son  Jonathan. 


WILLIAM    USBORNE. 

William  Usborne,  born  in  County  Kent,  Eng- 
land, Feb.  18,  1819,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Adams)  Usborne,  is  one  of  the  old  settlers  of 
Grafton  Township,  McHenry  County. 

John  Usborne  was  a  farmer  of  Kent  County, 
and  he  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren: Mary,  John,  Elizabeth,  William,  Fran- 
ces and  Ann,  all  born  in  Kent.  Mrs.  Usborne 
died  in  England  when  William  was  about  four 
years  of  age,  and  Mr.  Usborne  married  as  his 
second  wife  Jane  Gilbert  of  Kent,  England. 
Their  children  were  Sarah  and  two  children 
who  died  in  New  York  City.  Mr.  Usborne  and 
family  sailed  to  New  York  from  London,  Eng- 
land, in  a  sailing-vessel  and  were  eight  weeks 
on  the  ocean,  arriving  in  New  York  in  Decem- 
ber, 1830.    In  the  spring  he  moved  to  Albany, 


soon  afterwards  to  Schenectady  and  later 
bought  a  farm  in  Eaton,  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred when  he  was  about  eighty  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
an  industrious  and  respected  man  and  well  de- 
served his  reputation  as  an  honored  citizen. 

Mr.  William  Usborne  attended  school  in 
England  a  short  time  and,  when  about  eleven 
years  of  age,  came  with  his  father's  family  to 
America,  still  remembering  distinctly  the 
events  of  the  voyage.  He  continued  school 
work  at  Eaton,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  and  re- 
ceived a  good  common  school  education.  Mr. 
Usborne  was  raised  on  a  farm  and  under  the 
kind  supervision  of  his  step-mother.  He  began 
to  work  out  for  others  when  about  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  attended  school  but  little 
after  this.  He  lived  six  years  with  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Ebenezer  King  in  Sangersfield,  and 
afterwards  went  to  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y., 
still  continuing  at  farm  labor,  being  last  in  the 
employ  of  Jacob  Ten  Eyck,  a  banker,  caring  for 
his  horses.  He  stayed  with  Ten  Eyck  until 
about  twenty-seven  years  old,  when  he  was 
married  at  Eaton,  N.  Y.,  March  5,  1845,  to  Jane 
Gilbert,  a  niece  of  his  step-mother,  born  at 
Headcorn,  County  of  Kent,  England,  Dec.  24, 
1827,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Jane  Gilbert, 
natives  of  Kent. 

James  Gilbert  was  a  farmer,  moved  to 
America  with  his  family  about  1843  and  settled 
near  Eaton,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Charles,  Jane,  Robert,  Mark,  Ed- 
mund, Edwin  and  two  who  lived  in  England 
while  young.  Mr.  Gilbert  died  in  New  York 
State  aged  about  fifty-five  years. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Usborne  came 
to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Grafton  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  in  October,  1845,  making  the 
journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago.  After 
his  arrival  in  Illinois  Mr.  Usborne  bought  land 
from  James  Williams,  a  resident  of  New  York 
State,  consisting  of  120  acres  of  partly  im- 
proved "oak  openings,"  which  Mr.  Williams 
had  purchased  from  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. Mr.  Usborne  depended  wholly  upon 
Mr.  Williams'  reliability  concerning  his  pur- 
chase, and  paid  him  $200  for  the  land,  which 
was  $50  more  than  first  cost.  Mr.  Usborne  set- 
tled on  his  land,  built  a  log  house  (stopping 
with  a  neighbor  until  his  own  house  was  com- 
pleted), gradually  improved  his  farm,  and 
finally  made  a  good  home.  He  added  to  his 
first  purchase  until  he  owned  156  acres,  it  be- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1021 


ing  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Grafton  Town- 
ship. Mr.  Usborne  brought  up  his  family  in 
the  log  house  in  true  pioneer  style,  and  his 
children  were:  Mary  Jane,  born  March  20, 
1846;  Charles  Frederick,  born  Dec.  5,  1847; 
Albert  Harris,  born  March  6,  1849;  John  Wes- 
ley, born  Feb.  17,  1852;  Louise  Eliza,  born  Aug. 
4,  1854;  Almina  Jenette,  born  Sept.  18,  1856. 
Mr.  Usborne  was  an  industrious  and  respected 
citizen,  and  in  politics  was  an  old-line  Whig, 
and  later  one  of  the  original  Republicans,  vot- 
ing for  John  C.  Fremont  and  later  for  Abraham 
Lincoln.  In  1881  he  moved  to  Huntley  where 
he  purchased  a  number  of  lots,  built  a  pleas- 
ant residence  and  has  since  made  this  his 
home.  Mrs.  Usborne  died  at  Huntley,  March  5, 
1896.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  of  Harmony,  and  a  pioneer  woman  of 
excellent  character.  She  and  her  husband 
lived  together  fifty-one  years.  Mr.  Usborne  is 
a  man  of  upright  character,  throughout  his  life 
has  been  a  hard-working  man,  raised  a  re- 
spected family  and  is  one  of  the  few  remaining 
pioneers  of  McHenry  County. 


GEORGE   VINTON. 

The  "Vinton  family  traces  its  descent  from 
French-Huguenot  ancestry,  John  Vinton  being 
the  founder  of  the  American  branch  of  the 
family.  He  was  born  either  in  France  or  Eng- 
land, about  1620,  and  came  to  America  prior  to 
1643,  as  the  old  records  show  him  to  have  been 
at  Lynn,  Mass.,  in  1641,  when  his  first  child 
was  born.  He  was  the  father  of  eight  chil- 
dren, and  from  them  descended  all  of  the  Vin- 
tons  who  are  of  American  ancestry. 

Of  the  second  generation,  John  Vinton,  son 
of  John  (1),  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  was  born  March 
2,  1650,  and  married  April  26,  1677,  Hannah 
Green,  born  Feb.  24,  1659,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Rebecca  Green  of  Maiden,  Mass.  He  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Woburn,  Mass.,  in 
1695,  where  he  died  in  1727. 

Of  the  third  generation,  Captain  Samuel  Vin- 
ton, third  son  of  John  and  Hannah  (Green) 
Vinton,  of  Woburn,  Mass.,  was  born  May  3, 1695, 
and  was  married  March  22,  1720,  to  Elizabeth 
French  of  Braintree,  Mass.  Captain  Samuel 
Vinton  was  a  "bloomer,"  or  blacksmith,  by 
trade,  though  his  principal  occupation  was 
farming.  He  removed  to  Braintree,  Mass.,  in 
1729,  where  he  was  a  Surveyor,  Constable  and 
Captain  of  the  militia.  He  died  July  17,  1756. 
He  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  were  the  parents 
"of  ten  children. 


David  Vinton,  of  the  fourth  generation,  son 
of  Captain  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (French) 
Vinton,  was  born  in  Woburn,  Mass.,  March  17, 
1725,  and  married  Nov.  19,  1747,  Ruth  Dorman, 
daughter  of  Seth  and  Sarah  (Thayer)  Dorman. 
David  lived  in  Braintree  until  1752,  when  he 
removed  to  Stoughton,  a  neighboring  town  six- 
teen miles  from  Boston.  About  1780  he  re- 
moved from  Stoughton  to  Willington,  Conn., 
where  he  died  in  1791.  He  and  wife  were  the 
parents  of  twelve  children. 

Of  the  fifth  generation,  David,  son  of  David 
and  Ruth  (Dorman)  Vinton,  was  born  in 
Stoughton,  Mass.,  March  18,  1759,  and  married 
Persis  Newton,  March  10,  1778.  He  and  his 
father  were  among  the  "Minute  Men"  of  1775. 
He  settled  at  Stafford,  Conn.,  about  1781,  after- 
wards returned  to  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  died  about  1820.  His  children  were: 
Betsy,  Persis,  Howard,  David,  Porter,  John  and 
Ruth.  This  family  became  widely  scattered, 
many  of  them  settling  in  the  West. 

Of  the  sixth  generation,  Howard  Vinton,  son 
of  David  and  Persis  Vinton,  was  born  in  Wil- 
lington, Conn.,  March  5,  1785,  and  married, 
Dec.  24,  1808,  Betsy  Bryant  of  East  Hartford, 
Conn.  About  1814  they  settled  at  Vernon, 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and  cleared  up  a  farm 
from  the  wilderness;  in  May,  1832,  he  removed 
to  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  a  few 
months  later.  His  widow,  a  woman  of  great 
force  of  character,  immediately  went  to  work 
to  improve  the  farm  and  was  greatly  aided  by 
her  son  George,  who  was  but  eleven  years  old 
at  the  time  of  his  father's  death.  Mrs.  Vinton 
died  at  Naples,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-four  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vinton 
were  the  parents  of  David,  born  Aug.  30,  1809; 
Julia  Ann,  born  July  30,  1811;  Edwin,  born 
March  2,  1813;  Julia  Ann,  born  May  18,  1815; 
Persis,  born  March  24,  1817;  Elizabeth,  born 
June  4,  1819;  George,  born  May  12,  1821;  Lucy, 
born  June  1,  1824;  Jane,  born  March  10,  1827, 
died  Sept.  27,  1828;  Jane,  born  June  6,  1829, 
and  John,  born  Sept.  7,  1831.  Mr.  Vinton  was 
a  member  of  the  State  militia  and  served  in 
the  War  of  1812. 

George  Vinton  was  born  May  1,  1821,  at  Ver- 
non, N.  Y.,  where  his  father  had  settled  in  1814, 
and  cleared  up  a  farm  in  that  heavily  timbered 
region.  The  removal  was  a  great  change  for  the 
Vinton  family,  as  they  came  from  Connecticut 
where  they  had  a  comfortable  home.  At  this  time 
the  Erie  Canal  had  been  constructed,  but  they 
were  116  miles  from  Albany,  the  nearest  mar- 


1022 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ket.  In  those  days  the  mother  spun  the  wool, 
wove  all  the  cloth  the  family  used  and  made 
it  into  clothing.  Mr.  Vinton  received  the  usual 
common-school  education  afforded  at  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Oneida  and  Monroe  Counties, 
N.  Y.,  attending  school  during  the  winter 
months  and  working  on  the  farm  in  the  inter- 
vening summer  season.  George  Vinton  re- 
mained at  home  with  his  mother  until  twenty- 
two  years  old,  and  assisted  her  in  keeping  the 
home  and  family  together.  In  1843  he  came 
to  Michigan,  making  the  journey  by  way  of  the 
Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes.  At  Utica,  Mich.,  he 
drove  a  team  for  about  two  years,  and  then 
went  to  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  where  he  set- 
tled on  a  tract  of  240  acres  of  land.  He  was 
married  at  Utica,  Mich.,  Sept.  12,  1845,  to  Har- 
riet Covell,  born  in  Palmer,  Monroe  County,  N. 
Y.,  March  12,  1826  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Nancy  (Cary)  Covell. 

James  Covell,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Vinton,  was 
a  merchant  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  removed 
to  Michigan  in  early  times,  where  he  settled 
on  unimproved  land  and  became  a  substantial 
citizen.  He  engaged  in  the  merchantile  busi- 
ness at  Utica,  Mich.,  where  he  owned  a  mill 
and  distillery;  also  speculated  on  land  and 
in  his  day  was  a  wealthy  man. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vinton  settled 
in  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  where  he  purchased 
and  improved  280  acres  of  land,  to  which  he 
subsequently  made  additions  until  he  owned  a 
farm  of  560  acres.  November  1,  1877,  Mr.  Vin- 
ton moved  to  Richmond  and  bought  nine  acres 
of  land  within  the  corporation  limits  upon 
which  he  built  an  attractive  residence  where 
he  now  lives,  and  for  several  years  has  been 
engaged  in  loaning  money.  Politically  Mr. 
Vinton  is  at  the  present  time  a  Republican,  but 
in  earlier  days  voted  the  Democratic  ticket. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Town  Council  of 
Richmond  and,  in  his  old  home  township,  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors.  His 
children  were:  J.  Howard  and  Helen,  the  latter 
dying  aged  three  and  one-half  years.  Mrs. 
Vinton  died  April  28,  1887.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  church  in  which  she 
was  an  active  worker,  and  was  greatly  beloved 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

J.  Howard  Vinton,  son  of  George  and  Harriet 
(Covel)  Vinton,  was  born  in  Kenosha  County, 
Wis.,  Sept.  12,  1850.  He  received  a  common- 
school  education  and  later  attended  the  pre- 
paratory department  of  Beloit  College.  He  is 
a  farmer  and  conducts  his  father's  farm.  He 
has  been  twice  married,  first  to  Lulu  Kirtland, 


and  they  had  one  child,  a  daughter,  Maud,  who 
married  D.  I.  Jarrett.  His  second  marriage 
was  with  Minnie  Potter,  and  they  have  one 
son,  George  H. 


JOHN   VAN   HOOZEN. 

John  Van  Hoozen,  a  substantial  pioneer  set- 
tler of  McHenry  County,  is  descended  from  a 
Holland-Dutch  family,  who  were,  in  the 
colonial  period,  among  the  most  prominent 
people  of  New  York  State,  and  assisted  in 
founding  New  Amsterdam,  now  the  City  of 
New  York.  The  grandfather,  John  Van 
Hoozen,  was  the  son  of  George  Van  Hoozen,  a 
farmer  of  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  but  later 
moved  to  St.  Lawrence  County,  where  he  died 
at  a  venerable  old  age.  His  wife  was  named 
Margaret,  and  their  children  were:  Jacob, 
John,  Daniel,  George,  Kate,  Nathaniel  and 
Johanna. 

The  father,  George  Van  Hoozen,  was  born  at 
Nassau,  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  18, 
1803.  He  married  Sarah  Garrison,  born  in  the 
same  county,  Aug.  22,  1804,  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Hulda  (Brockway)  Garrison.  The 
Garrisons  were  of  English  descent  and  an  old 
American  family.  John  Garrison  was  a  Captain 
in  the  War  of  1812,  and  served  as  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gar- 
rison were  the  parents  of  four  children: 
David,  Sarah,  Laura  and  Elizabeth. 

After  marriage,  George  Van  Hoozen  settled 
in  Rensselaer  County,  and  worked  at  his  trade 
as  a  blacksmith.  He  moved  with  his  family  to 
Illinois  in  April,  1855,  settling  in  Greenwood 
Township,  McHenry  County,  Where  he  pur- 
chased 212  acres  of  improved  land,  and  lived 
there  until  his  death  Jan.  8,  1893,  aged  ninety 
years.  His  wife  died  Jan.  10,  1880.  They  were 
both  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  church. 

John  Van  Hoozen,  Sr.,  possessed  the  native 
thrift  of  his  ancestors  and  accumulated  a  great 
deal  of  property.  In  politics  he  was  inde- 
pendent. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Hoozen  were  the 
parents  of  one  child,  John,  the  subject  of  this 
biography,  who  was  born  in  Rensselaer  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  Oct.  23,  1825,  and  brought  up  on  a 
farm,  receiving  a  common-school  education. 
He  married  Catherine  Payne,  daughter  of  John 
and  Jane  (Van  Buren)  Payne,  of  Rensselaer 
County,  N.  Y.  The  Van  Burens  were  also  of 
an  old  colonial  Holland-Dutch  family,  President 
Martin  Van  Buren  being  a  cousin  of  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Payne,  and  born  in  the  same  part  of 
the  State. 


40te 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1023 


John  Payne  was  a  farmer  of  Rensselaer  Coun- 
ty, and  lived  there  until  his  death,  Aug.  28, 
1838,  aged  about  thirty-six  years.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Payne  were  the  parents  of  children 
named  Harmon,  Nathaniel,  James,  John, 
Catherine  and  Chauncey. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Hoozen  settled  on  the  Van 
Hoozen  homestead,  where  they  lived  until 
1854,  when  they  moved  to  Illinois  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  of  128  acres  in  Greenwood 
Township.  Only  a  few  acres  of  this  farm  had 
previously  been  cultivated,  but  Mr.  Van 
Hoozen  made  extensive  improvements,  erect- 
ing substantial  farm  buildings  and  making  of 
it  a  pleasant  home.  In  1880  he  moved  to  his 
father's  farm  and  lived  there  until  1894,  when 
he  purchased  his  present  residence  in  Wood- 
stock. Mrs.  Van  Hoozen  died  Oct.  26,  1897. 
She  was  an  estimable  lady  and  greatly  beloved 
by  all  her  friends.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Hoozen 
were  the  parents  of  six  children,  in  the  order 
of  their  birth,  named  as  follows:  Alice  J.,  who 
died  when  three  years  of  age;  George  I.;  Sarah 
J.;  Leverett;  Emma  E.,  deceased;  Euretta,  Ida 
and  Alida  (twins),  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Nettie. 

Mr.  Van  Hoozen  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  a 
large  circle  of  acquaintances.  There  has  been 
nothing  phenomenal  in  his  successful  career, 
which  has  been  the  result  of  constant  applica- 
tion and  indefatigable  industry.  There  has 
been  no  lucky  stroke  of  fortune  in  his  life.  He 
made  good  his  opportunity  to  work,  and  by  his 
frugality,  his  honesty,  and  truthfulness  has 
given  to  his  children  the  rich  inheritance  of  a 
good  name. 


WALTER   C.   WELLS. 

As  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War  and  a  high- 
minded  and  successful  business  man,  the  name 
of  Walter  C.  Wells,  of  Marengo,  deservedly 
stands  among  the  highly  respected  citizens  of 
McHenry  County.  The  Wells  family  is  of  Puri- 
tan New  England  ancestry,  Appleton  Wells, 
the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
having  been  born  in  Connecticut.  From  his  na- 
tive State  of  Connecticut  he  went,  at  an  early 
day,  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  N.  Y.,  later  removed 
with  his  family  to  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  but 
returning  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  died  there  of 
diphtheria,  at  the  age  of  about  thirty-three 
years,  leaving  a  family  consisting  of  a  wife 
and  three  children.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name   was   Rhoda   Baldwin,   was   a   native   of 


New  York,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  grand- 
son, Walter  C.  Wells,  in  Jo  Daviess  County, 
111.,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  Apple- 
ton  Wells  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's  Har- 
bor. He  was  a  merchant  and  his  residence 
and  property  was  destroyed  by  fire  during  the 
battle.  Their  children  were:  Marietta,  Gus- 
tavus  V.,  Ophelia  and  Leonidas  K. 

Gustavus  V.  Wells,  the  oldest  son  of  this 
family,  was  born  in  Lorraine,  Jefferson  County, 
N.  Y.,  June  28,  1808,  and  was  but  five  years  old 
when  his  father  moved  to  Cayuga  County. 
Here  he  remained  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  became  an  apprentice  to  the 
cooper's  trade  at  Sinclairville,  Chautauqua 
County.  In  1832  he  removed  to  Geauga  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  opened  up  a  farm  of  ninety 
acres,  and  was  engaged  in  this  business  for 
over  twenty-five  years.  In  1858  he  came  to 
Marengo,  McHenry  County,  111.,  whither  his 
son  Walter  C,  had  preceded  him  some  three 
years,  and  here  became  prominently  identified 
with  the  business  and  social  interests  of  Mc- 
Henry County.  In  1862  Mr.  Wells  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  town  of  Marengo, 
an  office  which  he  continued  to  fill  by  succes- 
sive re-elections  for  a  period  of  twenty-six 
years.  Then,  although  urgently  requested  to 
accept  a  re-election,  he  declined  to  do  so, 
feeling  that  his  declining  years  forbade  his 
continuance  in  office.  His  discharge  of  the  du- 
ties of  this  office — though  often  called  upon 
to  settle  questions  of  a  perplexing  character — 
was  marked  by  sound  judgment  and  a  spirit 
of  candor,  fairness  and  justice  tempered  with 
mercy,  which  rendered  his  administration  one 
of  the  most  noteworthy  in  McHenry  County. 
He  ever  manifested  a  determination  to  uphold 
the  law  and  accord  equal  and  exact  justice  to 
all  alike — the  innocent  and  the  guilty — and 
evil-doers  learned  to  fear  and  respect  his  de- 
cisions. His  opinions  and  advice  were  much 
sought  after,  and  not  unfrequently  resulted  in 
the  amicable  settlement  of  questions  which, 
otherwise,  might  have  resulted  in  needless  lit- 
igation and  ill-feeling.  There  never  was  an 
appeal  taken  from  him  to  a  higher  court  in 
which  his  decision  was  reversed.  His  judg- 
ments were  considered  wise,  conservative  and 
impartial  to  such  a  degree  that,  at  each  succes- 
sive election  at  which  he  was  a  candidate,  the 
vote  for  him  was  practically  unanimous.     He 


1024 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


has  repeatedly  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Village  Trustees,  as  well  as  President 
of  the  Board  and  as  Village  or  Town  Clerk, 
always  discharging  his  official  duties  with 
marked  ability  and  fidelity.  "  'Squire  Wells," 
as  he  was  familiarly  called  by  his  neighbors, 
was  an  earnest  lover  of  good  morals  and  a 
zealous  champion  of  temperance,  and  it  was 
largely  due  to  his  personal  and  official  influ- 
ence that  Marengo  was  kept  free  from  saloons 
for  so  many  years.  He  never  hesitated  to  en- 
force the  anti-liquor  law  against  its  violators, 
no  matter  what  influence  was  brought  to  bear 
on  the  other  side. 

On  the  organization  of  the  First  National 
Bank  or  Marengo  in  1870,  Mr.  Wells  was  chos- 
en its  first  President — a  tribute  due  to  his 
well-known  probity  of  character  and  his  wide 
knowledge  of  law  connected  with  business 
matters.  He  continued  in  this  position  thir- 
teen years,  when  he  voluntarily  resigned  in 
favor  of  his  successor,  R.  M.  Patrick,  accept- 
ing instead  the  position  of  Vice-President,  on 
the  ground  that  the  more  responsible  position 
should  be  filled  by  a  younger  man. 

Mr.  Wells  was  initiated  into  the  mysteries 
of  Masonry  in  Corning,  N.  Y.,  some  time  dur- 
ing the  '40s,  and  on  coming  to  Marengo  became 
affiliated  with  Marengo  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
He  was  always  a  great  lover  of  the  mystic 
order  and  faithful  in  his  attendance  on  Its 
meetings,  and  repeatedly  served  as  Master  of 
the  Lodge,  besides  filling  the  office  of  Treasurer 
for  many  years.  He  was  also  a  member  of 
Lansing  Chapter,  No.  73,  Royal  Arch  Masons, 
in  which  he  served  as  High  Priest  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  always  discharging  the  duties  of 
this  high  office  with  dignity  and  honor,  and 
manifesting  that  true  fraternal  courtesy  and  re- 
gard for  his  brethren  which  won  for  him  the 
love  and  respect  of  the  craft.  He  was  an  ex- 
emplary citizen;  public-spirited,  enterprising 
and  progressive,  he  cheerfully  contributed  his 
counsel  and  his  money  in  promoting  the  pros- 
perity of  his  city.  Every  good  cause  found  in 
him  an  earnest,  warm-hearted  friend.  Quiet 
and  unobtrusive  in  manner,  yet  eminently  so- 
cial and  kindly  disposed  towards  all — and  to 
none  more  than  to  the  unfortunate — he  enjoyed 
In  the  highest  degree  the  respect  of  those  who 
knew  him  best.  *He  enjoyed  life  in  the  society 
of  his  friends,  though  living  not  alone  for  self 
and    the    present,    but    with   reference   to    the 


life  to  come.  Beginning  life  at  the  foot  of 
the  ladder,  by  industry  and  economy  as  a 
farmer  he  accumulated  a  moderate  capital 
which,  by  prudent  and  careful  investment,  he 
was  able  largely  to  increase,  so  that  at  his 
death  he  was  able  to  leave  to  his  family  a 
handsome  competence. 

Mr.  Wells  was  married  in  December,  1829, 
to'  Miss  Matilda  Warner,  the  daughter  of 
David  Warner,  and  they  had  three  children 
as  follows:  Walter  C,  born  at  Sinclairville, 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  16,  1831;  Ma- 
rion B.,  born  in  Lake  County,  Ohio,  March  23, 
1836,  and  married  Robert  A.  White,  who  is  now 
deceased;  and  Josephine,  born  Oct.  9,  1844, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years. 

Originally  a  Universalist  in  religious  belief, 
he  was  a  generous  contributor  to  other 
churches  without  regard  to  sectarian  views  or 
opinions,  and,  in  his  later  life,  was  an  attend- 
ant upon  the  services  of  the  Methodist  church. 
During  the  Civil  War  he  was  a  zealous  sup- 
porter of  the  Union  cause,  and  heartily  ap- 
proved of  the  enlistment  of  his  only  son,  re-' 
marking  that  otherwise  he  would  have  gone 
into  the  service  himself.  A.  B.  Coon,  who 
served  as  Provost  Marshal  in  McHenry  County 
during  this  period,  had  his  office  with  'Squire 
Wells.  By  virtue  of  his  position  as  an  officer 
of  the  State  militia  while  a  resident  of  New 
York,  he  was  widely  known  before  coming  to 
Illinois  as  Captain  Wells.  Mr.  Wells'  death 
occurred  at  Marengo,  Sept.  25,  1894,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-seven  years.  His  wife  died  April 
3,  1889. 

Walter  C.  Wells  was  but  two  years  old  when 
his  parents  moved  from  New  York  to  Geauga 
County,  Ohio,  and,  in  the  latter  State,  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  which, 
until  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  was  accustomed 
to  attend  during  the  winter  while  working  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer.  During  his  res- 
idence in  Ohio  he  attended  the  public  school 
at  Painesville,  Lake  County,  which  was  near 
the  home  of  the  late  President  Garfield.  Hav- 
ing remained  at  home  until  he  had  reached  his 
majority,  he  then  learned  the  art  of  the  da- 
guerreotypist  at  Painesville,  and  at  twenty-two 
years  of  age  established  a  studio,  where  he 
caught  "the  counterfeit  presentment"  of  many 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  those  days,  which 
continue  to  be  preserved  by  their  descendants 
as    valued    heir-looms.      In    1855    he    came    to 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1025 


Marengo,  McHenry  County,  and  opened  the 
first  permanent  picture  gallery  in  McHenry 
county  in  a  small  wooden  building  erected  by 
Henry  Parkhurst.  This  was  the  second  build- 
ing erected  on  State  Street,  the  lot  now  being 
occupied  by  the  First  National  Bank  of  Ma- 
rengo. Here  he  remained  until  1860,  meantime 
taking  the  pictures  of  many  of  the  pioneers 
of  McHenry  County  and  their  families,  when 
he  returned  to  Painesville,  Ohio,  where,  on 
August  6,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Company  D,  One  Hundred  and  Fifth  Regiment 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry.  His  first  service  was 
performed  in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  where 
he  took  part  in  a  forced  march  of  150  miles 
from  Lexington  to  Louisville,  for  the  purpose 
of  heading  off  the  advance  of  the  Confederate 
General  Bragg  in  his  contemplated  invasion  of 
the  North.  Besides  being  compelled  to  march 
much  of  the  time,  both  day  and  night,  the  com- 
mand was  greatly  harassed  by  the  Confeder- 
ate cavalry  under  Gen.  Kirby  Smith,  who  had 
got  in  their  rear,  and  many  Union  soldiers, 
who  had  fallen  out  of  the  ranks  through  ex- 
haustion, were  captured  and  taken  to  rebel 
prisons.  The  weather  was  intensely  hot,  and 
the  soldiers  were  often  compelled  to  march 
without  rations,  as  the  army  wagons  were  far 
in  the  lead,  being  pushed  forward  to  escape 
capture.  The  regiment  at  last  reached  Louis- 
ville with  many  of  its  members  in  a  state  of 
utter  exhaustion.  One  of  these  was  Mr.  Wells, 
who  fell  senseless  in  the  street  from  sun-stroke 
and  exhaustion,  and  was  only  restored  to  con- 
sciousness after  much  blood  had  been>  extracted 
from  his  temple  by  an  army  surgeon.  He  was 
then  transferred  to  the  hospital  at  Louisville, 
where  he  remained  under  treatment  above  a 
month.  Not  yet  having  sufficiently  recovered 
for  active  service  in  the  field,  he  was  detailed 
to  duty  as  a  clerk.  Here  his  efficiency  as  a 
book-keeper  and  accountant,  together  with  his 
facility  in  penmanship,  soon  made  it  evident 
that  his  services  were  of  most  value  in  the 
Provost  Marshal  General's  Office,  Department 
Headquarters,  a  position  of  responsibility  re- 
quiring unusual  skill  and  ability.  He  was 
then  transferred  to  Company  F,  Fifteenth  Reg- 
iment, Veteran  Relief  Corps,  Department  of 
Kentucky,  Gen.  John  M.  Palmer,  commanding. 
The  Emancipation  Proclamation  opened  the 
year  of  1863  with  arduous  and  rapidly  increas- 
ing duties,  in  enlisting  the  eager  contrabands 


and  properly  assigning  and  providing  for  the 
wants  of  these  new  recruits.  All  the  days  were 
crowded,  and  many  of  the  nights,  with  work 
for  the  large  body  of  clerks  employed  in  the 
different  offices.  The  prisoners  sent  up  from 
the  front,  destined  for  Camp  Douglas  and  John- 
son's Island,  passing  through,  had  to  have  accu- 
rate lists  made;  all  had  to  be  fed  and  nearly 
all  provided  with  some  article  of  clothing, 
blankets,  shoes  and  caps. 

His  term  of  service  amounted  to  three 
years  and  one  month,  when  he  was  honorably 
discharged.  Although  an  accomplished  pen- 
man, Mr.  Wells'  compensation,  while  detailed 
for  service  as  a  clerk,  amounted  to  only  $13 
per  month — the  pay  of  a  private  soldier — while 
clerks  employed  from  private  life  for  the  same 
duties  received  $100  per  month.  After  promo- 
tion to  be  Hospital  Steward  he  received  $25 
per  month  for  a  few  months.  Some  specimens 
of  Mr.  Wells'  penmanship,  preserved  in  the 
army  records,  present  the  appearance  of  hav- 
ing been  engraved,  instead  of  being  executed 
with  the  pen.  He  received  many  testimonials 
from  his  superiors  to  his  faithful  and  efficient 
service,  of  which  the  following  deserves  to  be 
placed  on  record  as  a  specimen: 

"Headquarters    Department   of   Kentucky, 
"Medical   Director's    Office, 
"Louisville,  Ky.,  Sept.  1,  1865. 
"To  Whom  It  May  Concren: 

"This  is  to  certify  that  Private  W.  C.  Wells, 
Co.  F,  15th  Regt.  2nd  Bat.  V.  R.  C,  has  been  a 
clerk  in  my  office  for  some  time  past,  and  has 
performed  some  of  its  most  responsible  duties 
as  such,  and  I  recommend  him  as  a  person  of 
regular  habits,  industrious  and  trustworthy. 

"He  bears  with  him,  as  he  leaves  the  service 
by  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment,  my 
best  wishes. 

"A  J.  Phelps,  Surg.  U.  S.  A. 
Brevt.  Col.  &  Med.  Director,  Dpt.  of  Kentucky. 

After  his  discharge  Mr.  Wells  returned  to 
Painesville,  Ohio,  but  soon  after  removed  to 
Jo  Daviess  County,  111.,  where  he  bought  a 
farm  of  120  acres.  He  soon  after  opened  stu- 
dios at  Warren  and  Apple  River,  adjoining 
towns,  where  he  prosecuted  his  profession  as 
an  artist  for  some  time,  but  a  few  years  later 
returned  to  Marengo.  Here  he  built  a  photo- 
graph gallery  and  did  a  large  business  in  his 
line — this  being  for  many  years  the  leading 
gallery  in  McHenry  County.  Here,  with  a  rec- 
ord in  Ohio  and  in  Illinois  of  nearly  fifty  years 
In  the  business,  he  has  taken  many  thousands 
of  pictures  of  citizens  of  McHenry  and  adjoin- 


1026 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ing  counties.  Mr.  Wells  has  not  restricted  his 
work  to  the  camera  alone,  however,  for  he  is 
also  an  artist  with  the  brush,  and  has  painted 
many  portraits  and  other  pictures  in  oil,  and 
now  has  some  fine  specimens  of  his  work  in 
this  line. 

June  3,  1852,  Mr.  Wells  was  married,  at  Ash- 
tabula, Ohio,  to  Miss  Orlinda  Sinclair  Barrows, 
born  at  Hudson,  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Sallie  (Sinclair)  Burrows,  and  they  have 
had  one  daughter,  Estella  J.,  born  at  Madison, 
Ohio,  April  23,  1853,  and  now  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Albert  Green,  of  Rockford,  111.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Green  have  four  children:  John  A.,  Walter  C, 
Harry  L.  and  Frances  W.  Mrs.  Green,  before 
her  marriage,  received  a  collegiate  education. 

Originally  an  old  line  Whig,  Mr.  Wells  be- 
came a  Republican  on  the  organization  of  that 
party,  was  a  zealous  supporter  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  for  the  Presidency,  and  has  been  a 
stanch  supporter  of  Republican  principles  ever 
since.  He  is  a  respected  and  influential  citizen 
of  Marengo,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of 
the  City  Council  four  terms.  Since  1894 — the 
year  of  the  death  of  his  father — he  has  been 
Vice-President  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Marengo,  and  is  one  of  the  five  directors  of 
the  Collins  &  Burgie  Company,  stove  manufac- 
turers of  Marengo.  Fraternally  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Harley  Wayne 
Post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Although  stricken  by  a  dangerous  illness 
early  in  his  term  of  enlistment,  and  thus  pre- 
vented from  discharging  his  duty  as  a  soldier 
in  the  manner  he  had  contemplated  at  the  time 
of  his  enlistment,  his  record  shows  that  he  not 
only  did  not  hesitate  to  risk  his  life  in  his 
country's  cause,  but  that  he  performed  his  duty 
as  faithfully  and  patriotically  in  every  posi- 
tion assigned  him,  as  if  he  had  borne  arms  in 
the  field  through  his  whole  period  of  service. 
In  conclusion,  it  is  but  just  to  say  that  his 
career  in  civil  life,  as  a  man  and  a  citizen, 
has  been  of  the  same  high  order  as  that  which 
characterized  his  service  as  a  soldier. 

Mr.  Wells  is  a  studious  reader  of  standard 
literature  and  has  accumulated  the  largest 
private  library  in  Marengo,  including  many  val- 
uable works  of  reference.  Both  he  and  his 
accomplished  wife  are  great  lovers  of  flowers, 
and,  for  years,  they  have  cultivated  a  beauti- 
ful flower  garden  containing  many  rare  speci 


mens,  and  his  photographic  gallery  was  always 
ornamented  with  a  profusion  of  nature's  richest 
and  most  beautiful  productions,  which  proved 
a  rare  attraction. 

It  should  be  said  in  closing  that,  when  Mr. 
Wells  enlisted  to  serve  his  country  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Civil  War,  he  left  at  home  a  de- 
voted wife  and  a  little  daughter;  that  courage 
and  patriotism  are  not  attributes  of  man  alone, 
but  that  the  brave-hearted  wife  and  mother 
who  faced  the  fearful  anxiety  and  loneliness  of 
patient  waiting,  who  read  the  lists  of  killed 
and  wounded  with  bated  breath  and  throbbing 
heart,  fearing  that  every  name  would  be  that 
of  the  husband  and  father,  was  as  true  a 
patriot  and  gave  as  much  to  her  country,  as 
the  soldier  who  faced  death  on  the  Southern 
battlefield. 

Mrs.  Wells  has  always  been  a  true  helpmate 
and  faithful  assistant  to  her  husband  in  his 
business.  She  is  one  of  the  few  women  of  the 
Civil  War  whose  hair  is  yet  unsilvered,  and 
who  retains  the  vivacity  of  younger  days,  al- 
though she  has  passed  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury of  wedded  life. 


SKETCH   OF  THE  105th  O.  V.  I. 
From  its  Muster  to  its  Retreat  to  Louisville, 
Ky. — From  the  Pen  of  Judge  Albion  W.  Tour- 
gee,  a  Private  of  the   Regiment. 

On  the  16th  day  of  August,  1862,  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  telegraphed  the  Governors  of  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois  and  Michigan,  begging  them 
to  send  toops  at  once  to  Cincinnati  and  Louis- 
ville, in  order  to  hold  Kentucky  for  the  Union; 
on  the  next  day  Governor  Tod  of  Ohio  prom- 
ised four  regiments  in  five  days. 

The  105th  O.  V.  I.  was  the  first  installment  of 
this  pledge.  On  the  19th  the  Department  of 
Ohio  was  formed,  and  Gen.  Horatio  G.  Wright 
was  assigned  with  orders  first  to  relieve  Gen. 
Morgan  and  then  to  see  that  Gen.  Buell's  com- 
munications were  secure.  The  regiment  was 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  on 
August  21,  1862,  at  Camp  Taylor,  now  Univer- 
sity Heights,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  When  the  or- 
ganization was  completed,  an  order  was  re- 
ceived that  sent  a  thrill  of  wondering  surprise 
through  every  one  who  heard  it.  It  was  a  tel- 
egram from  the  Governor  of  the  State  as  fol- 
lows: 
"Col.  Albert  S.  Hall,  105th  O.  V.  I.: 

"The  enemy  have  invaded  Kentucky.  You 
will  report  with  your  regiment  to  Maj.  Gen.  H 
G.  Wright,  commanding  Department  at  Cincin- 
nati, without  an  instant's  delay.  Camp  and 
garrison  equippage  will  be  forwarded  to  meet 
you  there. 

"DAVID  TOD,  Governor." 


AA 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1027 


It  was  high  noon  when  the  ranks  were  brok- 
en. Sixty  minutes  afterwards  the  regiment  was 
on  the  march  to  the  depot,  and  two  hours  lat- 
er were  being  whirled  away  to  the  theater  of 
war.  The  men  who  took  the  oath  of  service  on 
that  August  day  of  1862  were  fresh  from  their 
shops  and  harvest  fields.  Only  a  few  of  them 
enjoyed  the  proud  distinction  of  having  seen 
service.  For  the  rest,  field,  staff  and  line,  the 
whole  rank  and  file  were  products  of  the  life 
of  the  Western  Reserve. 

Two-thirds  of  them  were  farmers'  sons,  who, 
up  to  that  time,  had  been  at  school,  at  work 
upon  their  fathers'  farms,  or  employed  by  the 
month  by  some  neighbor,  preparatory  to  set- 
ting up  for  themselves.  There  was  one  lawyer 
and  five  law  students  among  them,  one  minis- 
ter, some  dozens  of  clerks,  two  medical  stu- 
dents, and  a  hundred  or  more  teachers.  Eigh- 
ty-five per  cent,  of  them  were  of  native  par- 
entage. 

One-fifth  of  those  of  foreign  birth,  who  had 
missed  the  advantage  of  free  schools,  signed  the 
muster  roll  with  a  cross.  Only  one  who  was 
native  born  made  his  mark.  There  were  no 
rich  men  in  the  regiment,  probably  but  one 
worth  more  than  ten  thousand  dollars,  and, 
perhaps  not  half  a  dozen  who  could  claim  more 
than  half  that  valuation.  At  the  same  time 
there  were  no  poor  men  among  them.  Every 
one  was  self-supporting  or  belonged  to  a  fam- 
ily of  substantial  means,  or  engaged  in  profit- 
able industry. 

Of  those  who  worked  for  wages,  the  average 
monthly  stipend  was  at  least  double  the  pay 
the  soldier  received.  Of  farm-laborers  the  low- 
est rate  reported  by  nearly  two  hundred  sur- 
vivors was  fourteen  dollars  a  month  and  board 

the   recipient    being   a   boy   of   seventeen. 

From  that  amount  the  wages  of  a  farm-laborer 
ranged  up  to  twenty-five  and  thirty  dollars  per 
month. 

Clerks  received  from  thirty  to  forty  dollars 
and  board;  teachers  from  twenty-five  to 
one  hundred  dollars  a  month.  There  were 
half  a  dozen  college  students,  and  more  than 
a  hundred  students  of  the  various  academies, 
in  the  region  from  which  the  regiment  was 
drawn,  enrolled  in  the  different  companies. 

This  region  comprised  the  five  easterly 
counties  of  the  Western  Reserve,  the  north- 
easterly counties  of  Ohio — Ashtabula,  Trum- 
bull, Lake,  Geauga  and  Mahoning.  This  is 
the  famous  Nineteenth  Ohio  Congressional  Dis- 
trict. One  of  these  counties  was  the  home  of 
Benjamin  F.  Wade  and  Joshua  R.  Giddings, 
pre-eminent  among  the  champions  of  liberty 
and  justice  in  that  day — "Benighted  Ashta- 
bula," as  it  is  termed  in  mockery  and  as  it 
proclaimed  itself  in  pride,  having,  as  was  claim- 
ed, the  lowest  rate  of  illiteracy  of  any  county 
in  the  Union.  The  Western  Reserve  also  gave 
us  Gen.  James  A.  Garfield  and  (Ossawattomie) 


John  Brown  and  his  right-hand  man,  who  was 
killed  in  the  ill-advised  Harper's  Ferry  under- 
taking. 

The  battle  of  liberty  had  already  been  fought 
out  in  its  homes  and  schools.  A  few  slavery 
men  still  lived,  and  scowled  and  snarled 
among  them;  but  "free-speech,  free-soil,  free- 
men," had  been  the  watch  word  of  the  great 
mass  of  its  people  long  before  it  became  the 
slogan  of  the  party. 

When  the  regiment  left  for  the  front,  it  was 
but  eight  days  since  the  first  of  them  had  left 
their  homes;  but  forty-six  of  them  had  ever 
seen  an  hour's  service;  hardly  half  the  com- 
panies had  had  more  than  three  or  four  hours' 
drill,  and  one  of  them,  at  least,  only  one  hour; 
but  nothing  was  strange  in  those  days  of  self- 
forgetfulness.  The  men  had  been  neighbors, 
schoolmates,  friends.  No  wall  of  exclusion 
separated  them  from  their  officers;  rank  made 
little  difference  in  their  relations.  Obedience, 
indeed,  became  habitual,  but  it  was  the  will- 
ing obedience  of  the  intelligent  man,  not  the 
slavish  submission  of  an  inferior  based  on  fear 
of  punishment.  Because  of  this,  the  105th  be- 
came noted  for  the  parental  character  of  its 
discipline.  It  had  an  enviable  reputation  for 
good  order  and  prompt  obedience,  but  it  was 
especially  distinguished  for  the  mildness  and 
infrequency  of  its  punishments. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  regular  officer, 
all  this  was  horribly  bad  form;  but  the  theory 
of  discipline  which  prevails  in  our  regular  army 
is  purely  monarchical  and  aristocratic.  De- 
spite the  many  gallant  and  noble  officers  it 
contains,  it  is  in  theory  and  in  practice  a  dis- 
grace to  the  republic.  When  the  ranks  shall 
be  made  the  only  door  to  West  Point 
and  every  soldier  shall  have  an  open 
field  for  preferment,  it  will  become  the 
most  efficient  army  in  the  world;  then  de- 
sertions will  cease  and  the  expense  of  recruit- 
ing be  avoided,  since  the  best  young  men  of 
the  nation  will  seek  the  army  as  a  desirable 
career.  It  is  a  change  that  is  sure  to  come, 
since  it  is  dictated  by  every  patriotic  consid- 
eration. The  country  cannot  afford  either  to 
rear  aristocrats  or  to  deprive  men  in  the  ranks 
of  the  soldier's  just  reward,  the  right  to  wear 
a  sword  when  he  has  fitted  himself  for  the 
duties  of  command. 

On  the  day  after  the  105th  was  mustered  in, 
Kirby  Smith,  the  Confederate  General,  having 
turned  the  Federal  position  at  Cumberland 
Gap,  arrived  with  fifteen  thousand  men  at  Bar- 
boursville,  Ky.,  and  seven  days  later  General 
Buell  began  his  retreat.  It  was  at  this  junc- 
utre  of  national  affairs  that  the  105th,  the  day 
after  it  had  been  mustered  in,  reported  to  Maj. 
Gen.  H.  G.  Wright,  commanding  the  Depart- 
ment of  Ohio  at  Cincinnati,  and  was  ordered 
to  cross  the  river  and  wait  for  arms  and  equip- 
ment.   This  occupied  three  days,  during  which 


1028 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


time  the  regiment  was  drilled  as  well  as  pos- 
sible for  raw  recruits,  by  inexperienced  drill 
masters. 

Hardly  was  the  last  belt-plate  issued,  and  the 
voucher  for  it  signed  when  the  105th  was  or- 
dered to  the  front.  It  was  a  hot,  dusty  ride  to 
southward.  Then  there  were  four  days  of 
Lexington,  in  freight  cars,  eighty  miles  to  the 
quiet  camp  life — the  very  poetry  of  war.  The 
tents  were  pitched  in  a  magnificent  grove;  a 
hundred  acres  of  brown  pasture,  baked  with 
drouth  until  it  echoed  like  a  tiled  floor  beneath 
the  tread,  served  as  the  drill-ground. 

On  the  30th  day  of  August,  the  ninth  day 
after  muster-in,  the  regiment  was  engaged, 
between  drills,  in  drawing  the  last  of  their 
equipments,  blankets,  overcoats  and  shoes. 
The  heavy,  double  blankets  and  winter  cloth- 
ing were  too  burdensome  for  the  sultry  August 
weather. 

Then  the  order  came — "The  regiment  will 
move  in  an  hour  in  light  marching  order,  with 
two  days'  rations  and  forty  rounds  of  ammu- 
nition;" the  rations  were  unobtainable,  but  the 
ammunition  was  distributed  and  the  Quarter- 
master ordered  to  follow  with  the  rations. 
There  were  rumors  of  a  fight  in  progress. 

Just  as  the  sun  went  down  the  105th 
marched  out  of  its  first  camp  on  its  way  to  a 
field  of  battle  when  the  fight  had  already  been 
lost.  The  road  was  the  rough  stone  pike  so 
common  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  It  was 
past  midnight  when  we  halted,  a  dozen  miles 
from  Lexington,  and  throwing  out  pickets  in 
front  and  on  the  flanks,  lay  down  in  a  cornfield 
in  line  of  battle  and  slept  until  dawn.  Then 
we  moved  forward  nearly  to  the  Kentucky 
River,  where  we  halted  to  allow  the  shattered 
fragments  of  a  defeated  army  to  pass  us  to  the 
rear.  This  was  Gen.  Manson's  brigade,  which 
had  been  defeated  at  Richmond  by  the  con- 
federates under  Gen.  Kirby  Smith.  With  this 
tide  of  defeat  the  105th  returned  to  Lexington, 
where  they  arrived  at  nine  o'clock  at  night  in 
the  midst  of  a  drenching  shower,  only  to  meet 
an  order  to  go  on  picket.  They  had  marched 
with  hardly  half  a  clay's  rations,  instead  of  the 
amount  ordered,  that  being  all  the  Quarter- 
master could  supply,  and  few  had  eaten  since 
morning.  These  facts  being  reported,  the 
order  to  go  on  picket  was  revoked  and  they 
were  directed  to  bivouac  in  the  market-house, 
where  coffee  and  an  abundant  supply  of  bread 
and  meat  were  served  to  them.  It  was  mid- 
night when  they  sank  to  rest  after  our  first 
march — a  march  of  twenty-eight  miles — on  the 
rough  pavement  of  a  market  place,  a  foot-sore 
and  weary  multitude. 

On  the  morrow  the  evacuation  of  Lexington 
began.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  we 
were  ordered  out  on  the  Nicholasville  pike,  but 
the  sun  was  setting  when  the  105th  marched 
through  the  streets  of  Lexington — the  last 
regiment  of  the  Army  of  Kentucky  on  its  re- 
treat to  Louisville,  ninety-five  miles  away,  as 
the  crow  flies.     That  night  the  mounted  rear- 


guard missed  its  way  and  followed  the  first 
division  of  the  wagon  train,  which  had  taken 
another  road,  leaving  us  on  the  eleventh  day 
of  our  service  in  the  most  trying  of  all  military 
positions,  that  of  rear-guard  of  an  army  fleeing 
from  a  victorious  foe. 

"THE    HELL   MARCH." 

It  had  not  rained  here  for  many  weeks — 
since  the  shower  of  the  night  before  had  hard- 
ly reached  a  mile  from  Lexington.  The  dust 
lay  ankle  deep  upon  the  hard,  hot,  limestone 
pike.  The  forces  that  preceded  us  with  their 
numerous  wagons,  had  raised  a  cloud  which 
hung  over  the  road,  shutting  out  even  the  walls 
and  fences  on  either  side.  The  setting  sun 
shone  red  and  dim  through  the  yellow  mass. 
Each  man  was  weighted  down  with  knapsack 
and  accoutrements.  We  knew  nothing  of  our 
destination,  or  the  length  of  our  march  before 
us.  Had  the  knapsacks  been  burned  at  the 
outset,  many  more  would  have  reached  the 
goal.  Men  were  invisible  a  few  steps  away; 
near  at  hand,  they  could  only  be  distinguished 
by  their  voices.  There  were  frequent  halts 
but  no  rests.  When  the  column  ahead  got 
jammed  upon  itself  we  waited  until  it  straight- 
ened out.  Sometimes  it  was  a  minute,  some- 
times ten  or  twenty  minutes.  The  yellow  acrid 
dust  settled  on  beard  and  hair,  got  into  the 
eyes  and  mouth  and  burned  the  parched 
throats,  while  the  perspiration  made  many 
channels  down  every  face. 

The  night  fell  hot  and  murky.  The  dust- 
cloud  shut  out  the  stars.  By  and  by  the  moon 
rose;  the  night  grew  chill,  but  still  the  dust 
rose  in  choking  clouds.  The  orders  forbade  de- 
tails to  leave  the  road  in  search  of  water. 
Men  were  sent  on  in  advance,  in  hope  that 
they  might  fill  the  canteens  before  the  wells 
were  drained.  Long  before  midnight  not  a 
drop  remained.  In  spite  of  orders,  a  few  men 
were  sent  out  to  search  for  water.  It  was  a 
strange  country.  The  pools  and  streams  were 
dry.  The  wells  had  been  exhausted  by  those 
in  front.  Many  of  the  people  were  compelled 
to  haul  water  from  a  distance  for  domestic 
use.  These  details  returned  empty-handed  as 
the  others  had  done.  About  this  time  colored 
men  came  one  by  one,  and  offered  to  bring 
water,  to  carry  guns  or  knapsacks, — anything, 
if  they  could  only  follow  us.  They  were  loaded 
down  with  canteens  and  accompanied  by  a  few 
men  started  for  water.  An  hour  after  they  re- 
turned, staggering  under  their  loads  of  drip- 
ping canteens.  Was  ever  water  half  so  sweet? 
Yet  we  had  scarcely  begun  to  know  what 
thirst  was.  The  march  would  have  been  a 
severe  one  to  seasoned,  unincumbered  veter- 
ans; to  these  men,  yet  foot-sore,  galled  and 
weary  from  their  first  long  march,  and 
weighted  down  with  knapsacks,  overcoats  and 
blankets,  in  addition  to  ammunition  and  ac- 
coutrements, it  was  terrible.  After  a  time, 
men  ceased  to  scatter  to  the  roadside  when 
they  came  to  a  halt.  They  had  no  strength 
to  spare,  and  the  roadside  was  almost  as  dusty 
as  the   pike.     So  they  merely  knelt  down  in 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1029 


their  places,  bowed  themselves  forward  to  re- 
lieve the  strain  on  the  straps  that  galled  and 
cut  into  the  shoulders,  and  slept.  In  the  moon- 
light they  looked  like  heaps  of  dust,  or  pil- 
grims fallen  asleep  at  prayer.  At  the  word, 
they  stumbled  to  their  feet,  sometimes  awake, 
sometimes  asleep,  and  staggered  on.  The  am- 
bulances were  soon  full.  It  was  said  there 
were  wagons  somewhere  in  front  in  which 
those  who  were  unable  to  go  farther,  might  be 
transported.  When  a  man  can  go  no  farther, 
such  provision  is  of  little  good.  We  were  the 
rear  of  the  column;  back  of  us  was  only  our 
rear-guard  and  the  enemy.  There  were  several 
alarms  during  the  night;  firing  off  at  the  left, 
then  at  the  right,  then  in  our  rear.  It  was 
probably  marauding  bands  of  guerillas,  who 
set  upon  our  men  in  search  of  water.  The 
morning  was  already  hot  and  lurid  as  the 
dusty  column  crept  through  Versailles,  and 
after  an  hour's  halt  for  breakfast,  pressed  on 
towards  Frankfort.  The  enemy  had  followed 
the  cavalry  by  way  of  Big  Spring,  so  that  our 
rear  was  undisturbed  until  we  were  in  sight  of 
Frankfort.  The  sun  was  going  down  when  we 
reached  the  capital  of  Kentucky.  It  is  but 
twenty-nine  miles  from  Lexington  by  the  most 
direct  route.  The  one  by  which  we  had  come 
was  half  a  dozen  more.  It  could  hardly  be 
termed  a  march;  it  was  a  flight. 

It  was  ten  o'clock  when  the  weary  detail 
brought  with  dragging  feet  the  rations  they 
had  been  out  seeking.  Coffee  was  quickly 
made;  a  half-cooked  meal  was  eaten  and  we 
sunk  again  to  slumber.  At  two  o'clock  we  were 
aroused  by  whispered  orders.  The  city  was 
quiet,  save  for  the  careful  tread  of  moving 
columns  and  the  steady  rumble  of  wagons 
crossing  the  bridge  and  on  the  pike  beyond. 
Our  destination  was  now  clear.  Frankfort,  ly- 
ing on  both  sides  of  the  Kentucky  River,  of- 
fered a  fairly  good  defensive  position  against 
an  enemy  upon  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  to 
which  the  Confederates  had  evidently  crossed. 
A  very  small  force,  by  destroying  the  bridges, 
could  here  delay  a  pursuing  army  for  several 
days.  If  the  retreat  was  necessary,  as  it  no 
doubt  was,  to  leave  the  bridges  standing  after 
we  had  crossed,  would  be  the  gravest  of  mili- 
tary crimes.  But  the  authorities  of  Kentucky 
protested  against  the  bridges  being  burned. 
So  they  were  left  standing,  until  the  enemy  in 
turn  found  it  necessary  to  retreat.  Then  they 
were  burned. 

The  foot-sore  and  exhausted  soldiers  were 
with  difficulty  roused  from  sleep.  It  is  little 
wonder.  Within  four  days  they  had  marched 
seventy  miles;  laid  in  line  of  battle  one  night 
and  marched  all  of  another.  Every  foot  was 
blistered;  every  muscle  was  sore.  Heavy  with 
sleep  they  staggered  to  their  places  in  the  line, 
the  stronger  aiding  the  weaker  ones.  There 
were  moans  and  curses.  Some  of  the  stoutest 
of  yesterday  were  now  the  faintest.  Slowly 
we  dragged  our  way  to  our  position  in  the  re- 
treating column  and  stumbled  painfully  along 
in  the  darkness.  With  the  dawn  came  the 
sound  of  firing  In  our  rear.  The  enemy's 
cavalry  had  crossed  the  bridge  we  kindly  left 


standing  for  their  accommodation.  A  line  of 
battle  was  formed  upon  a  range  of  hills  that, 
lay  across  the  pike.  The  men  cheered  as  they 
filed  out  of  the  clouds  of  dust  at  the  prospect 
of  being  allowed  to  fight.  As  we  flung  our- 
selves upon  the  ground  in  line  of  battle,  it  was 
with  the  feeling  that  we  would  rather  die  than 
retreat  farther. 

But  the  enemy  did  not  attack.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  his  force  was  insignificant;  but  having 
once  underestimated  his  strength  our  officers 
had  gone  to  the  other  extreme  and  overrated 
it.  Several  times  during  the  day,  this  maneuver 
was  repeated.  The  march  grew  more  and 
more  difficult  with  each  hot  and  dusty  mile. 
Men  dropped  unconscious  from  heat  and  thirst. 
Water  was  still  scarce.  Every  well  and  spring 
was  drained.  Men  crowded  about  them,  push- 
ing, scrambling,  often  fighting  for  a  few  muddy 
drops.  Tormented  by  heat  and  thirst  and  al- 
most smothered  by  dust,  we  dragged  ourselves 
through  the  long  hours  of  that  day,  bivouacking 
at  night  by  the  roadside  with  no  water  save 
what  was  found  after  a  long  search,  in  some 
stagnant  pools  two  miles  away.  At  one  o'clock 
the  order  came  to  move,  and  we  again  plodded 
on,  halting  every  few  minutes,  the  men  drop- 
ping on  their  faces  in  the  dust,  would  be  asleep 
almost  before  the  command  was  given. 

When  the  word  came  to  march,  many  of 
them  would  rise  and  stagger  on,  still  asleep. 
That  day  we  marched  until  eight  o'clock  at 
night  and  then  bivouacked,  for  the  first  time 
since  leaving  Lexington,  in  a  green  field  with 
plenty  of  good  water.  The  next  day,  Septem- 
ber 5th,  a  little  after  noon,  we  reached  the 
suburbs  of  Louisville  where  we  remained  and 
camped  for  a  month.  The  105th  had  been  un- 
der arms  continuously,  on  the  march  on  picket 
or  line  of  battle,  ever  since  the  sunset  of 
August  30th,  six  days  less  three  hours.  In  that 
time,  they  had  marched  about  140  miles — an 
average  of  twenty-three  miles  for  each  twenty- 
four  hours.  During  this  time  they  had  slept 
in  line  of  battle  on  the  night  of  the  thirteenth 
three  hours;  five  hours  in  Lexington,  the  night 
of  the  thirty-first;  marched  all  night  of  Sep- 
tember first;  halted  six  hours  in  Frankfort,  the 
night  of  the  second;  halted  five  hours  on  the 
night  of  the  third;  slept  eight  Hours  on  the 
night  of  the  fourth — making  in  the  whole  six 
days  only  twenty-seven  hours  of  sleep.  After 
three  years'  of  service,  more  than  two  hundred 
of  the  survivors  have  testified  that  this  march 
was  the  severest  work  required  of  them.  At 
its  close,  hardly  one-third  of  the  regiment  was 
fit  for  duty;  scores  were  permanently  disabled. 
The  ultimate  loss  was  greater  than  that  sus- 
tained in  any  action  in  which  the  regiment 
afterwards  participated.  It  is  fitly  designated 
the  "Hell-March."  It  was  a  terrible  experience 
for  men  who  had  hardly  marched  a  mile  before, 
and  whose  service  only  numbered  fifteen  days 
when  it  was  ended. 


JOHN  T.  WELLS. 

John  T.   Wells    (deceased),   early  settler  of 
McHenry  County,  was  born  in  the  State  of  New 


1030 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


York,  Nov.  2,  1810,  the  son  of  Tunis  and  Ruth 
(Rogers)  Wells.  The  paternal  branch  of  this 
family  was  what  was  known  in  Eastern  New 
York  as  "Mohawk-Dutch  stock."  His  father, 
Tunis  Wells,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
in  1837,  moved  with  his  family  to  Wayne 
County,  Ohio,  and  settled  in  Lodi,  retired  from 
active  business  life,  dying  there  Sept.  6,  1846. 
He  was  in  comfortable  circumstances  pecuniar- 
ily, and  a  devout  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  he  was  a  class-leader.  His 
children  were:  John  F.,  Harriet,  Lydia,  Han- 
nah, Jacob,  Joseph  and  Daniel.  John  T.  Wells, 
the  oldest  son  and  subject  of  this  sketch,  re- 
ceived a  good  common-school  education  and  was 
trained  to  the  life  of  a  farmer.  When  about 
twenty  years  of  age  he  went  to  Wayne  County, 
Ohid,  where  he  found  employment  with  a 
concern  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  potash, 
serving  as  clerk  in  the  store,  and  remaining 
in  the  business  eight  years.  He  married  in 
Lodi,  Ohio,  May  4,  1846,  Sophia  Fitts,  and  im- 
mediately thereafter  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  settling  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Coral 
Township.  Here  he  bought  200  acres  of  land 
at  the  Government  price  of  $1.25  per  acre,  upon 
which  he  built  a  log-house  and  began  improv- 
ing his  land  into  a  farm.  On  February  5,  1847, 
his  wife,  to  whom  he  had  been  married  less 
than  a  year  previous,  died,  leaving  no  children. 
On  December  25,  1848,  he  was  married  in  Coral 
Township  to  Miss  Nancy  Elizabeth  Bridges, 
the  daughter  of  Abiel  and  Lucretia  (Houghton) 
Bridges.  After  his  second  marriage  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  on  his  farm,  which  he  improved 
still  further,  making  of  it  a  comfortable  home- 
stead. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wells  were  born  six 
children — one  son  and  five  daughters.  Of 
these  one  son,  Abiel,  and  two  daughters, 
Alice  Elizabeth  and  Ernestine  Lucretia,  are 
now  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wells  were  both 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  was 
an  advocate  of  local  improvements,  held  the 
office  of  School  Director,  serving  as  Clerk  of 
the  Board,  assisted  in  building  the  first  log 
school-house  in  his  district,  and  was  one  of 
the  chief  supporters  of  the  erection  of  the  new 
school-house  which  took  its  place.  Originally 
an,  old  line  Whig  in  politics,  he  became  one 
of  the  original  members  of  the  Republican 
party  in  McHenry  County,  and,  during  the  Civil 
War,  was  a  zealous  supporter  of  the  Union 
cause.    While  prevented  by  infirm  health  from 


serving  as  a  soldier,  he  did  his  full  share,  as 
a  public-spirited  and  patriotic  citizen,  in  rais- 
ing men  and  money  in  support  of  the  integrity 
of  the  Union  and  the  cause  of  popular  free- 
dom and  good  government.  In  1871  he  removed 
to  Marengo,  where  he  bought  residence  prop- 
erty with  a  farm  near  the  town.  He  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  Marengo  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  Oct.  4,  1894,  at  the  age  of 
nearly  68  years.  Mr.  Wells  was  an  industrious 
citizen,  temperate  in  habits  and  of  high  moral 
character,  enjoying  the  general  respect  of  the 
community.  Fraternally  he  was  associated 
with  the  Masonic  Order,  being  an  early  member 
of  the  Lodge  at  Huntley  and  still  later  of 
that  at  Marengo. 

Mrs.  John  T.  Wells  (nee  Nancy  Elizabeth 
Bridges)  was  of  New  England  ancestry,  her 
father,  Abiel  Bridges,  having  been  born  in 
New  Hampshire,  Dec.  31,  1793.  He  had  a 
good  common-school  education  for  his  day 
pursued  the  life  of  a  farmer  and,  early  in  life, 
went  to  Norwich,  N.  Y.,  where,  on  July  13. 
1820,  he  married  Lucretia  Houghton,  who  was 
born  there  of  New  England  and  Puritan  stock, 
Jan.  4,  1805.  After  marriage,  Mr.  Bridges  set- 
tled in  Green,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  cleared  up  a  farm  in  the  forest.  In  1835 
he  removed  to  Medina  County,  Ohio,  but  five 
years  later  (1840)  came  to  McHenry  County, 
111.,  transporting  his  family  and  effects  over- 
land in  two  wagons — one  drawn  by  a  team  of 
three  horses  and  the  other  by  two  yoke  of 
oxen.  His  wagons  were  covered  with  home- 
made linen  canvas  manufactured  by  the  family. 
Abiel  Bridges'  children — all  except  the  two 
last  named  born  in  New  York — were:  Elvin, 
born  June  29,  1821;  Prudence,  Sept.  10,  1823; 
Izanna,  Nov.  5,  1825;  Nancy  E.,  July  31,  1828; 
Philip,  April  2,  1830;  Mila  E.,  May  28,  1841, 
died  Nov.  9,  1841;  Philo>  E.,  Oct.  1,  1842.  Ar- 
riving in  McHenry  County,  Mr.  Bridges  settled 
on  120  acres  of  Government  land  in  Coral 
Township,  upon  which  he  built  a  log-house  and 
which  he  improved  from  a  state  of  nature  into 
a  goodly  homestead.  Soon  after  locating  in 
McHenry  County  his  health  became  impaired 
and  he  was  disabled  by  rheumatism  for  many 
years.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  which  he  held  the  office  of 
deacon,  and  he  assisted  in  building  the  first 
church  edifice  of  that  denomination  in  Ma- 
rengo.    Originally   an    old   line    Whig,    in    his- 


oJr(h>4UvU   l^OL^-^C^i^iu^ 


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McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1031 


later  years  he  became  a  stanch  Republican. 
He  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812, 
when  only  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  died  on  his 
home  farm  May  26,  1867. 

Mr.  John  T.  Wells  left  a  good  property  to 
his  family  at  his  death.  Mrs.  Wells,  in  com- 
pany with  her  son  Elbert  A.  bought  a  farm  in 
Coral  Township  consisting  of  90  acres,  which 
they  still  retain.  Elbert  A.  received  a  good 
education  in  the  Marengo  High  School,  and  is 
now  a  practical  farmer. 


LOREN    WOODARD. 

Loren  Woodard,  Marengo,  111.,  is  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Marengo,  McKenry  County, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  nursery  business,  and 
in  that  and  other  branches  of  business,  has 
had  a  most  successful  career  and  accumulated 
a  handsome  competence.  Of  English  stock, 
Mr.  Woodard's  ancestors  were  among  the 
founders  of  New  England,  who  settled  in  Mas- 
sachusetts in  the  days  of  Puritan  emigration. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  who  was  a  native  of 
New  England,  became  a  farmer  and  settled  at 
an  early  day  in  Albany  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  died.  He  had  two  sons:  Enoch,  who  married 
Polly  David,  a  daughter  of  Rensselaer  David 
and,  later  in  life,  settled  in  La  Pere  County, 
Mich.,  and  Jonathan  W.  The  latter  was  born 
July  4,  1793,  received  a  common-school  educa- 
tion, adopted  the  life  of  a  farmer,  and  served 
in  the  War  of  1812  as  a  member  of  a  New  York 
company,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's 
Harbor.  He  was  married  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  to 
Deborah  David,  who  was  born  in  Albany 
County,  the  daughter  of  Rensselaer  David. 
The  Davids  were  also  of  English  descent,  and 
related  to  the  family  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton. 
Besides  the  two  daughters  already  mentioned 
Rensselaer  David  had  two  other  children: 
Rensselaer  and  Hannah. 

Jonathan  Woodard  moved  to  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of 
timber-land  on  which  he  opened  a  farm.  About 
1843,  he  removed  to  Lapeer  County,  Mich, 
where  he  established  a  home  on  a  tract  of  160 
acres.  His  children  were:  Nancy,  born  in  Al- 
bany County,  N.  Y.,  and  died  in  consequence 
of  an  accident  at  three  years  of  age;  William, 
also  born  in  Albany  County,  became  a  soldier 
in  the  Civil  War  and  died  while  in  active 
service  on  the  Western  Plains;  Deborah  Ann, 
born  in  Oswego  County,  March  1,  1822,  married 


Lewis  Whitehead,  and  died  at  Kingston,  Mich., 
April  30,  1894;  Hosea  L.,  born  Feb.  11,  1825; 
Loren,  born  Feb.  6,  1827;  Sophronia,  born  in 
1829;  Rena,  born  in  1831;  Warren,  born  in 
1833;  John,  born  May  31,  1835 — the  last  seven 
all  being  born  in  Oswego  County.  Mrs.  Jon- 
athan Woodard  was  a  woman  of  strong  re- 
ligious convictions  and  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  She  died  in  Lapeer  County, 
Mich.,  about  1847,  and  five  years  later  Mr. 
Woodard  came  to  reside  with  his  son  Loren, 
at  Marengo,  111.,  where  he  died  Dec.  3,  1881. 
He  was  a  man  of  high  moral  character  and 
sturdy  business  habits. 

Loren  Woodard,  as  already  stated,  was  born 
in  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  6,  1827,  and, 
until  sixteen  years  of  age,  enjoyed  only  the 
limited  advantages  of  acquiring  an  education 
afforded  by  attendance  on  the  district  schools 
in  winter  while  engaged  in  farm  work  during 
the  summer.  Then  going  to  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 
he  learned  the  nursery  business  with  Messrs. 
Thorp,  Smith  &  Hanchett,  leading  nurserymen 
of  that  time,  remaining  nine  years.  He  was 
married  in  that  city  Nov.  14,  1849,  to  Harriet 
Levey,  daughter  of  Michael  and  Mary  (Wel- 
ler)  Levey,  who  was  born  at  Truxton,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  23,  1825.  Her  father,  who  was  of  Hol- 
land-Dutch ancestry,  located  near  Syracuse  in 
1852,  and  later  removed  to  Illinois  where  he 
settled  on  Government  land  in  CoTal  Township, 
McHenry  County,  dying  at  the  age  of  about 
fifty-six  years. 

In  November,  1852.  Mr.  Woodard  came  to 
Marengo,  McHenry  County,  where  he  at  once 
engaged  in  the  nursery  business,  obtaining  His 
stock  from  the  firm  with  which  he  had  been 
connected  in  New  York  and  others,  purchased 
the  ground  on  which  he  now  lives,  with  an 
additional  tract  of  thirty-eight  acres  opposite, 
and  soon  had  twenty-four  acres  of  grafted 
stock  growing  and  ready  for  the  market — this 
being  the  first  nursery  of  any  importance  in 
McHenry  County.  For  twenty-six  years  he  con- 
tinued in  this  line,  traveling  extensively  and 
employing  others  to  sell  his  stock,  thus  build- 
ing up  a  large  trade  and  introducing  much 
fine  fruit  throughout  the  West.  About  1867 
he  engaged  in  the  pickle  business,  built  a  fac- 
tory, and  has  conducted  a  large  and  success- 
ful  trade. 

Although  past  his  seventy-fifth  year,  Mr. 
Woodard   is  still  in  active  business,  was  one 


1032 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


of  the  original  stockholders  of  the  Dairymen's 
Bank  of  Marengo,  of  which  he  is  at  present 
the  Vice-President;  is  a  Director  of  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Marengo,  and  one  of  the  orig- 
inal organizers  of  the  State  Bank  of  Wood- 
stock, of  which  he  is  still  a  stockholder.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  casting  his 
vote  for  John  C.  Fremont  for  President  in  1856 
and  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860  and  1864; 
held  the  office  of  Township  Supervisor  four 
years;  for  four  years  was  President  of  the 
Board  of  Village  Trustees,  and  for  five  years 
a  member  of  the  City  Council.  In  1867  he 
was  chosen  the  first  Treasurer  of  the  Northern 
Illinois  Horticultural  Society,  a  position  which 
he  retained  thirty-three  years,  but,  in  1901,  hav- 
ing declined  a  re-election,  was  accorded  the 
honor  of  a  life-membership  in  recognition  of 
his  long  and  valued  service.  Mr.  Woodard  Is 
a  member  of  Marengo  Lodge,  No.  138,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  of  Lansing  Chapter  73,  R.  A.  M.,  of 
the  latter  of  which  he  is  a  charter  member,  and 
of  Calvary  Commandery,  No.  25,  K.  T.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Marquette  Club,  Chicago, 
in  which  he  has  held  offices.  In  religious  faith 
and  affiliation  Mr.  Woodard  is  a  Methodist,  was 
a  member  of  the  building  committee  and  most 
liberally  contributed  to  the  erection  of  the 
new  church  and  parsonage  of  that  denomina- 
tion at  Marengo,  besides  being  a  generous  con- 
tributor to  other  church  organizations  and  be- 
nevolent enterprises. 

Mrs.  Harriet  Woodard,  to  whom  Mr.  Wood- 
ard was  married  in  1849,  died  Jan.  14,  1899, 
having  borne  him  one  son,  Allen  M.,  who  was 
born  July  28,  1856,  but  died  Jan.  26,  1875. 
They  brought  up  several  other  children,  includ- 
ing two  adopted  daughters — Lizzie  and  Minnie 
Woodard — who  were  reared  from  childhood  and 
given  a  liberal  education. 

On  July  16,  1901,  Mr.  Woodard  was  married 
to  Dr.  Belle  Seward,  of  Marengo,  whose  sketch 
will  be  given  more  fully  hereafter. 

The  history  of  Mr.  Woodard's  business  career 
affords  abundant  evidence  of  his  strong  char- 
acter as  a  citizen  and  business  man.  A  liberal 
supporter  of  religious  and  charitable  enter- 
prises, he  has  done  much  to  lighten  the 
burdens  of  others,  not  only  by  his  acts  of  un- 
ostentatious benevolence,  but  has  lightened  Ms 
own  household  and  assured  to  himself  happi- 
ness, in  his  declining  years,  by  providing  homes 
for  the   homeless   children   of  other   families. 


At  a  time  when  others  have  laid  aside  the 
burdens  and  responsibilities  of  business  lite, 
he  is  still  actively  engaged  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties  as  a  citizen  of  the  community  in 
which  he  has  resided  for  fifty  years. 

BELLE  SEWARD  WOODARD,  M.  D.— This 
well-trained  physician  and  cultured  lady  has 
practiced  her  chosen  profession  at  Marengo 
and  in  the  surrounding  country,  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years.  She  took  her  course  in  medi- 
cine and  began  practice  at  a  time  when  the 
obstacles  which  barred  the  entrance  of  women 
into  the  professions  in  general,  and  to  this  one 
in  particular,  were  in  full  force  and  effect, 
and  when  popular  prejudice  excluded  women, 
to  a  large  extent,  from  employment  as  physi- 
cians in  private  families.  It  is  no  doubt  true 
that  the  first  nurse  was  a  woman,  and  that, 
in  ancient  times,  with  medicines  concocted 
from  roots,  barks  and  herbs,  she  healed  the 
sick  and  ministered  to  the  wounded;  while 
many  records  show  that,  even  in  our  own  coun- 
try, at  an  early  period,  there  were  women  who 
devoted  all  their  time  to  the  treatment  of  dis- 
eases and  enjoyed  a  considerable  practice. 
Undoubtedly  woman  was  the  first  to  minister 
to  her  sister  when  the  aid  of  the  midwife  was 
needed;  but  for  a  woman  to  engage  in  actual 
study  for  the  profession  in  an  established  col- 
lege of  medicine,  receive  the  coveted  degree 
of  M.  D.,  and  settle  down  to  practice,  was 
regarded  as  an  innovation  marking  an  era 
in  the  time.  And  thus  it  was,  that  Dr.  Belle 
Seward  was  entitled  to  be  regarded  as  one 
of  the  pioneers  in  this  new  era  of  progress. 

Dr.  Woodard  was  born  in  Marengo,  the 
daughter  of  Ephraim  Hewitt  and  Maria  Louise 
(Rogers)  Seward,  in  their  delightful  old  home 
which  is  still  standing,  and  was  probably.  In 
its  day,  the  best  residence  in  this  part  of  Mc- 
Henry  County.  The  view  from  its  old-fashioned 
and  spacious  porch,  with  its  Grecian  columns, 
presents  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  at- 
tractive landscapes  in  Northern  Illinois. 
When  covered,  with  the  ripening  crops,  It  pre- 
sented a  scene  unsurpassed  in  rural  beauty. 

Miss  Seward  attended  the  public  schools  of 
her  native  town,  finishing  her  literary  course 
in  Rockford  Female  Seminary,  now  Rockford 
College.  She  then  entered  the  Hahnemann 
Medical  College  in  Chicago,  whence  she  grad- 
uated in  1882  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  and 
immediately  thereafter  began  practice  at  the 


TO^^r^OyL^C. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1033 


City  of  Rockford,  in  which  she  soon  won  suc- 
cess, besides  drawing  about  herself  many 
warm  friends.  Then,  believing  she  was  needed 
in  her  native  town  of  Marengo,  she  removed 
thither,  devoting  ber  whole  strength  and  abil- 
ity to  her  profession  with  marked  success  from 
the  outset.  Her  practice  was  not  confined  to 
the  town  alone,  but  has  extended  to  the  sur- 
rounding country,  compelling  her,  at  times,  to 
take  night  rides  in  all  sorts  of  weather  and  en- 
gage in  the  treatment  of  all  kinds  of  diseases. 
She  has  thus  become  well-known  and  highly 
appreciated  throughout  a  wide  region,  and  has 
been  especially  successful  in  the  treatment  of 
diseases  peculiar  to  women  and  children.  She 
has  been  a  liberal  patron  of  the  leading  medical 
perodicals,  and  has  accumulated  a  valuable  li- 
brary of  the  most  recent  scientific  and  medical 
works,  of  which  she  has  been  a  close  student, 
and  has  thus  kept  up  with  the  ever-varying 
changes  and  discoveries  of  modern  medical  re- 
search. Her  practice  has  made  her  a  frequent 
and  welcome  visitor  in  the  best  families  in  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  she  has  had  as  large  a 
number  of  patients  and  as  much  success  in 
their  treatment,  as  any  other  physician  in  this 
section  of  the  county. 


THE    SEWARD    FAMILY. 

Ephraim  Hewitt  Seward  (deceased),  the  fa- 
ther of  Dr.  Belle  (Seward)  Woodard,  and  a 
pioneer  of  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County, 
was  descended  from  an  old  Colonial  family  of 
that  name,  of  which  the  Seward  family  of  New 
York  (of  which  Secretary  William  H.  Seward 
was  a  member)  was  a  lateral  branch.  Jedediah 
Seward,  the  father  of  Ephraim  H.,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  War  of  1812  from  New  York  State. 
He  was  twice  married,  having  a  son  by  the 
first  marriage,  also  named  Jedediah.  His  sec- 
ond wife  was  Susan  Hewitt,  one  of  whose 
brothers,  is  reputed  to  have  been  one  of  the 
early  settlers  and  the  proprietor  of  a  consid- 
erable tract  of  land,  on  or  near  the  site  of  Mar- 
ietta, the  first  settlement  in  Ohio,  and  possibly 
a  member  of  Gen.  Rufus  Putman's  company. 
In  Indian  times,  this  Mr.  Hewitt  at  one  time 
swam  the  Miami  River  to  escape  the  Indians, 
who  were  pursuing  him.  Jedediah  Seward  mar- 
ried his  second  wife  (Susan  Hewitt)  at  Mid- 
dletown,  Vt.,  where  they  reared  a  family  of 
children  named  Lura  Ann,  Matilda,  Margaret, 
Ephraim  and  Betsy.  He  died  on  his  farm  near 
Middletown. 


Ephraim  Seward  was  born  at  Middletown, 
Vt.,  Sept.  15,  1823,  and  was  reared  on  a  farm, 
receiving  a  common-school  education,  alter 
which  he  attended  the  Troy  Conference  Acad- 
emy, at  Poultney,  Vt.,  one  year.  He  subse- 
quently taught  school  for  a  time  in  his  native 
State,  after  which,  at  nineteen  years  of  age, 
he  engaged  in  selling  the  Gray  Horse-power 
threshing  machine  invented  by  Albert  W.  Gray 
of  Middletown,  believed  to  have  been  the  first 
grain-threshing  machine  ever  manufactured. 
The  manufacturing  firm  is  still  in  existence 
under  the  name  of  A.  W.  Gray  &  Son.  Mr. 
Seward  also  sold  other  agricultural  implements 
of  that  early  period,  including  the  Haynes 
horse-rake,  reputed  to  be  the  first  of  its  kind 
ever  made.  In  the  prosecution  of  his  busi- 
ness he  travelled  through  Varmont  and  New 
York  and  later  in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and 
Virginia.  In  1846  he  came  to  Marengo,  111., 
and  on  November  5th  of  that  year,  was  married 
to  Maria  Louise  Rogers,  whom  he  had  previ- 
ously met  at  his  old  home  in  Vermont.  She 
was  a  native  of  Middletown,  born  Jan.  6,  1828, 
the  daughter  of  Anson  and  Rebecca  (Hart) 
Rogers. 

Anson  Rogers  was  born  at  Middletown,  Jan. 
6,  1802,  the  son  of  Jedediah  Rogers  (see  sketch 
of  O.  P.  Rogers),  was  brought  up  on  a  farm, 
received  a  common-school  education,  becoming 
a  superior  mathematician.  He  learned  tne 
hatter's  trade  from  his  father.  His  wife  (Re- 
becca Hart)  was  born  at  Plainfield,  Conn.. 
Sept.  22,  1786,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and 
Abigail  (Prentice)  Hart.  She  had  previously 
been  married  to  Elisha  Jones,  and  there  were 
three  children  of  this  marriage,  viz.:  Maria 
Louise,  born  Jan.  6,  1828;  Henry  O.,  born  March 
12,  1831,  and  Lucinda  H.,  born  in  December, 
1833— all  born  in  Middletown,  Vt.  Mrs.  Rogers' 
grandfather  Hart  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier 
and  was  killed  in  the  defense  of  New  London, 
Conn.,  at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  that  place 
by  Benedict  Arnold.  The  family  was  of  Welsh 
descent  and  Jonathan  (Mrs.  Rogers'  father) 
lived  to  the  age  of  eighty  years  and  died  in 
Burlington,  Vt.,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  son. 
His  children  were:  Benjamin,  Moses  Lester. 
Joseph,  George,  Rebecca,  Abigail,  Mary,  Aseneth 
and  a  daughter  who  married  an  Emerson. 
George  is  still  living  at  Melrose,  Mass.  Abigail 
(Prentice)  Hart  was  an  aunt  of  the  famous 
George  D.   Prentice,  editor  of  the  Louisville, 


1034 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


(Kentucky)   Journal,  who  was  the  son  of  her 
brother  Joseph. 

After  marriage  Anson  Rogers  settled  on  a 
farm  at  Middletown,  Vt,  and  carried  on  the 
hat  manufacturing  business,  besides  conduct 
ing  his  farm  with  the  aid  of  other  employes.  In 
1846  he  moved  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey 
by  way  of  the  canal,  lake  steamer  and  stage- 
coach to  Coral  Township,  McHenry  County. 
Here  he  bought  the  present  homestead  of  his 
brother  Jedediah,  who  had  entered  the  land 
but  made  little  improvement.  This  embraced 
about  fifty  acres,  besides  a  claim  of  about  160 
acres.  In  addition  to  this  Mr.  Rogers  owned 
fifty  acres  in  Coral  Township,  eighty  on  tbe 
west  side  of  Marengo  and  eighty  acres  more  in 
Riley  Township.  He  built  the  family  residence 
in  1846-47,  hauling  the  lumber,  at  that  early 
day,  by  team  from  Chicago,  including  the  hand- 
some Grecian  pillars  of  the  roomy  old-fashioned 
porch,  which  were  fluted  and  finished  in  tne 
cellar.  The  sash,  doors,  blinds  and  other  wood- 
work were  manufactured  by  hand.  The  resi- 
dence was  regarded  as  the  best  in  McHenry 
County. 

Originally  a  Jacksonian  Democrat,  Mr.  Rog- 
ers became  an  earnest  Republican,  voting 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President  and  assist- 
ing to  secure  the  enlistment  of  troops  to  fill  the 
quota  of  Illinois  during  the  Civil  War.  Fratern- 
ally he  was  a  member  of  the  old  Masonic 
Lodge  at  Middletown,  Vt.,  and  one  of  tne 
early  members  of  the  Order  at  Marengo.  He 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  his  native 
town  in  Vermont,  and  was  the  first  Supervisor 
of  Coral  Township,  serving  seven  years.  In 
religious  belief  he  was  a  Methodist,  and  was 
the  most  liberal  contributor  to  the  erection  of 
the  first  Methodist  church  in  Marengo.  Mrs. 
Rogers  was  a  Congregationalist  in  her  native 
State,  of  Vermont,  but  after  coming  to  Illinois 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr. 
Rogers  was  a  man  of  sterling  character  and 
universally  respected.  His  death  occurred  on 
the  homestead  at  Marengo,  in  September. 
1867. 

Resuming  the  sketch  of  Ephriam  H.  Seward: 
He  and  his  wife  Maria  Louise  (Rogers),  after 
their  marriage  in  1846,  settled  on  the  farm 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying 
there  July  20,  1896.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
dairy-men  of  McHenry  County,  and  was  one 
of  the  first  to  introduce  the  Durham  short-horn 


cattle  in  that  part  of  the  State.  He  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Kishwaukee  Farmer's 
Club,  and  for  many  years  a  prominent  member 
of  the  McHenry  County  Agricultural  Society, 
making  the  first  exhibit  from  McHenry  County 
at  the  State  Fair  in  Springfield.  Politically  he 
was  a  stanch  Republican  and  in  religious  faith 
a  Presbyterian.  He  left  his  family,  and  the 
community  in  which  he  resided  for  half  a 
century,  the  reputation  of  the  public-spirited, 
high-minded  and  useful  citizen. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seward  had  eleven  children, 
born  as  follows:  Emma,  April  20,  1848;  Ara- 
bella, Dec.  25,  1849;  Frank  B.,  March  25,  1852; 
Henry  Rogers,  March  24,  1854;  Charles  X., 
Jan.  11,  1856;  George  W.,  July  3,  1858;  Ephraim 
Ellsworth,  April  27,  1861;  Grace,  April  25, 
1863;  Margaret  Lizzie,  Oct.  23,  1866;  Susie 
Walker,  Nov.  8,  1867;  Richard  Richardson, 
July  6,  1870.  Of  these  the  following  are  de- 
ceased; Emma,  Nov.  19,  1851;  Susie  W., 
Jan.  3,  1871,  and  Henry  Rogers,  Sep.  10,  1891. 

Mrs.  Seward  is  still  living  in  the  enjoyment 
of  all  her  faculties  and  the  esteem  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  she  has  so  long  resided,  of 
which  she  is  one  of  the  few  surviving  pioneers. 


BURTON   WRIGHT. 

The  history  of  many  of  the  American  pioneer 
families  constitutes  a  large  part  of  the  history 
and  growth  of  the  United  States.  Families  of 
early  New  England  and  Puritan  stock  trace 
their  origin  to  Plymouth  Rock  and  the  great 
settlement  of  the  English  Puritans  on  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  between  1630-40.  Each  genera- 
tion extended  a  little  farther  back  from  the 
sea-coast,  but  it  was  not  until  after  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  that  the  hardy  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  New  England,  of  the  third  and  fourth 
generations  from  their  Puritan  forefathers,  set- 
tled as  pioneers  in  the  wilderness  of  Western 
New  York. 

Their  sons  and  grandsons  found  these  lands 
too  crowded,  and  so  they  overflowed  into  Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio  and  Illinois,  and  their  descend-, 
ants  peopled  the  great  West.  The  story  of 
these  migrations  is  of  marvelous  interest  and 
its  value  to  mankind  cannot  be  estimated.  Tra- 
dition of  these  events  has  been  handed  down 
from  father  to  son  in  many  families,  and  stories 
of  these  pioneer  journeys  and  many  striking 
incidents  and  fragments  of  history  have  been 
preserved  to  the  present  generation.  In  olden 
times  a  custom  prevailed  among  the  pioneers 


B^u^^  sTjrt^jfrif- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1035 


similar  to  that  among  the  American  Indians, 
and  the  gray-haired  sire  was  accustomed  to  re- 
late the  incidents  of  his  youth  and  the  story 
of  his  forefathers  to  the  children  clustered 
about  the  fire  on  the  big  hearthstone  of  a  cold 
winter  night.  This  was  a  wise  custom,  and  to 
it  is  due  the  preservation  of  much  of  the  fam- 
ily history  which  is  now  gleaned  from  the  aged 
man  of  today.  Persons  who  are  now  growing 
old,  look  back  with  delight  to  the  early  pioneer 
scenes.  They  remember  the  natural,  healthful 
life  of  their  father's  home,  and  the  simple 
pleasures  that  were  a  source  of  so  much  enjoy- 
ment, and  to  them  we  turn,  as  to  a  well-filled 
book,  for  the  knowledge  that  we  gain  of  our 
ancestors  and  their  modes  of  life. 

The  Wright  family  is  of  old  New  Eng- 
land Puritan  stock,  the  founders  of  the  family 
settling  there  in  the  early  foundation  of  the 
colony.  Ransom  Wright,  the  father  of  Burton 
Wright,  of  Woodstock,  111.,  was  the  son  of  a 
pioneer  of  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  and  was 
born  in  that  county  March  11,  1802.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  married  there  on  Feb.  11,  1825, 
Elizabeth  Thompson,  born  April  10,  1805, 
daughter  of  Peter  and  "Eunice  Thompson.  Mr. 
Thompson  was  of  the  old  New  England  family 
of  that  name,  of  English  descent.  He  was  a 
pioneer  of  Schoharie  County  and  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  War.  Later  he  became  an 
early  settler  in  Geauga  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
and  his  wife  died — he  having  reached  the  ven- 
erable age  of  ninety  years. 

Two  years  after  marriage,  Mr.  Wright  and 
wife  moved  to  Ohio  and  settled  in  Geauga 
County,  where  he  cleared  up  a  farm  of  ninety 
acres  from  the  heavy  timber.  They  were  true 
pioneers,  living  in  the  wilderness  and  provid- 
ing everything  for  themselves.  Mrs.  Wright 
spun  and  wove  both  flax  and  wool.  She  made 
linen  and  woolen  cloth  and  cut  and  made  all 
the  clothing  for  the  family.  She  was  an  ex- 
pert spinner  and  weaver,  and  wove  intricate 
patterns.  A  towel  that  she  wove  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  Mrs.  Burton  Wright,  the  flax  of 
which  it  was  made,  having  been  raised  on  the 
farm  in  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.  After  being 
pulled  by  hand  and  exposed  to  the  elements  to 
free  the  fiber  from  the  stem,  it  was  then 
thrashed  by  hand  in  small  bundles,  broken  in 
a  fiax-brake  and  hatcheled  in  preparation  for 
the  small  flax  spinning-wheel  and  the  linen 
thread  woven  on  an  old-fashioned  hand-loom. 
The  figures  in  this  towel  are  small  and  of  del- 
icate pattern,  but  very  distinct.     The  linen  is 


fine,  firm  and  white,  and  one  would  suppose 
that  it  had  been  woven  in  a  modern  loom  a  few 
years  ago,  instead  of  by  the  hand  of  a  young 
girl  of  sixteen,  seventy-five  years  ago  in  her 
old  home  in  New  York  State.  This  towel  was 
in  use  for  many  years.  In  those  days,  besides 
making  all  the  household  linen,  the  housewives 
even  manufactured  their  sewing  thread,  both 
white  and  colored.  Besides  making  the  cloth- 
ing for  the  men  and  for  the  entire  household, 
the  women  made  the  cloth  for  their  own  cloth- 
ing, cut  and  made  their  own  garments  and  ev- 
erything they  had  to  wear.  When  Ransom 
Wright  settled  on  the  Western  Reserve  in  Ohio, 
he  built  a  log  house  in  which  the  family  lived 
until  he  was  able  to  build  a  frame  house.  The 
log  house  was  built  without  nails,  wooden  pins 
and  wooden  hinges  being  used,  while  the  roof 
was  covered  with  oak  "shakes"  held  in  place 
by  roof-poles.  In  such  humble  homes  as  these 
many  of  the  founders  of  the  best  families  of 
McHenry  County  were  born  and  reared,  and 
around  these  hearth-stones  large  families  of 
sturdy  children  were  brought  up  to  an  inno- 
cent and  healthful  life,  which  fitted  them  for 
the  hard  labor  of  the  Western  pioneer.  Ran- 
som Wright  and  family  were  all  members  of 
the  Baptist  church.  In  political  opinions  he 
was  an  old-line  Whig.  Mr.  Wright  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  old  Ohio  State  militia. 

The  children  of  this  family  were:  Cyrus  J., 
born  Nov.  27,  1825;  Louisa,  born  Sept.  20,  1827; 
Burton,  born  March  15,  1829;  Leroy,  born  Dec. 
20,1^30;  Susan,  born  March  10, 1832 ;  Elizabeth, 
born  March  7,  1834;  Columbus  P.,  born  Feb.  10, 
1836;  Charlotte  R.  and  Ransom,  born  Aug.  20, 
1838.  Mr.  Wright  lived  to  be  only  thirty-seven 
years  of  age.  Like  many  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers he  succumbed  to  the  hardships  incidental 
to  the  clearing  up  of  the  farm  from  the  heavy 
timber  and  making  a  home  in  the  wilderness. 
The  immediate  cause  of  his  death  was  an  ac- 
cident which  occurred  while  he  was  building 
his  new  frame  house.  He  had  quarried  a  large 
block  of  sand  stone  for  his  hearthstone,  eight 
feet  long,  three  feet  wide  and  six  inches  thick 
— big  enough  for  the  old-fashioned  fire-place 
of  the  pioneers,  capable  of  receiving  its  huge 
back-log  and  fore-stick,  with  space  at  one  end 
for  a  commodious  brick  oven.  This  hearth- 
stone would  barely  go  through  the  door  of  the 
house,  and  in  trying  to  adjust  it,  Mr.  Wright 
injured  himself  internally,  from  the  effects  of 
which  he  died  April  19,  1839.  His  wife  died 
Dec.  14,  1867. 


1036 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


Burton  Wright  was  born  March  15,  1829, 
gained  a  common  school  education  in  Geauga 
County  and  was  brought  up  on  the  home  farm. 
He  can  well  remember  the  olden  days  on  the 
Western  Reserve  in  Ohio.  The  orchard  set  out 
many  years  ago  by  his  father  is  still  standing, 
and  on  a  recent  visit  to  the  old  homestead  he 
found  it  not  much  changed.  Mr.  Wright  mar- 
ried first  time  April,  1850,  in  Munson,  Geauga 
County,  Ohio,  Sophia  Byrum,  daughter  of  Jeph- 
tha  and  Hannah  (Beardsley)  Byrum.  She  was 
a  native  of  Geauga  County,  born  in  July,  1827. 
About  1853  he  moved  to  Jo  Daviess  County, 
111.,  making  the  journey  with  a  team  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  where  he  shipped  his  team  and 
goods  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  thence  traveling  by 
way  of  Chicago  to  Rockford,  111.,  which  was  as 
far  as  the  railroad  had  been  finished,  from 
Rockford  by  team  to  Jo  Daviess  County.  .Leav- 
ing home  on  the  first  day  of  April,  1853,  he 
reached  his  destination  on  April  7th.  Here  he 
bought  eighty  acres  of  partly  improved  land, 
on  which  he  lived  sixteen  years,  making  ad- 
ditional purchases  until  he  owned  320  acres. 
He  was  largely  engaged  in  stock-raising  and 
dealing  in  cattle.  His  first  wife  died  Feb.  19, 
1861,  leaving  children  named:  Rosalia  M., 
born  in  Munson,  Geauga  County,  Ohio,  March 
15,  1850;  Myron  J.  and  Byron  J.  (twins),  born 
in  Stockton,  Jo  Daviess  County,  111.,  Jan.  22, 
.1854.  On  March  8,  1863,  Mr.  Wright  married 
as  his  second  wife  Huldah  Coon,  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  Mary  Warren  Coon.  In  186G  he 
moved  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County, 
where  he  bought  200  acres  of  land  in  Green- 
wood Township,  and  engaged  successfully  in 
raising  and  dealing  in  stock.  He  added  to  his 
land  and  now  owns  300  acres  in  Greenwood 
Township.  In  1899  he  moved  to  Woodstock 
and  bought  a  pleasant  residence,  where  he 
still  resides,  surrounded  with  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  life,  in  strong  contrast  with  the 
simple  life  of  the  log  cabin  home  where  he 
passed  many  happy  days  in  childhood.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  delight  to  relate  incidents 
of  pioneer  days.  Mr.  Wright  is  one  of  the  or- 
iginal members  of  the  Republican  party,  hav- 
ing voted  for  its  first  Presidential  candidate, 
John  C.  Fremont,  and  has  steadily  voted  for 
every  Republican  Presidential  candidate  since. 
In  Greenwood  he  was  Trustee  of  the  township 
many  years.  During  the  Civil  War  he  was  a 
stanch  Union  man  and  in  Jo  Daviess  County 
was  President  of  the  Union  Leagi  ,e  when  the 
"Knights    of    the    Golden    Circle'     threatened 


trouble.  He  was  also  Captain  in  the  Home 
Guards.  The  children  of  Burton  and  Huldah 
(Coon)  Wright,  born  in  Stockton,  Jo  Daviess 
County,  111.,  were:  Herbert  Perry,  born  June 
24,  1866,  and  Charlie  Burton,  born  Nov.  21. 
1868. 

Daniel  Coon,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wright,  was 
born  in  Orleans  County,  N.  Y.,  April  5,  1806, 
the  son  of  Alexander  and  Amy  (Saunders) 
Coon.  The  father,  Alexander,  was  the  son  ol 
of  William  Coon.  The  Coons  were  of  Scotch 
descent.  The  name,  originally  spelled  M'cCoon, 
is  of  Celtic  origin.  The  "Mc"  was  dropped  sev- 
eral generations  ago.  The  Gazetteer  of  New 
York  State  says  that  William  Coon,  who  waa 
the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Burton  Wright, 
was  the  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church  at 
Berlin,  Rensselaer  County.  This  church  was 
the  denomination  of  Seventh  Day  Baptist  (not 
Adventists),  organized  in  December,  1781.  Wil- 
liam Coon  died  in  1800.  He  left  a  family  of  two 
sons— Alexander  and  Prentice — and  six  daugh- 
ters, whose  names  are  not  known. 

Alexander  Coon  married  in  1793,  Amy  Saun- 
ders, of  Berlin,  who  was  of  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry. This  wife  having  died  he  afterwards 
married  Huldah  Hall,  also  of  Berlin.  Their 
oldest  son,  Asa,  born  Feb.  4,  1811,  was  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Shelby,  N.  Y.,  and  when  a 
babe  was  rocked  in  a  sap-trough. 

In  1809  the  family  moved  to  Western  New 
York  and  settled  in  Genesee  County.  In  June, 
1810,  they  removed  to  Shelby,  Orleans  County, 
N.  Y.  Their  first  removal  to  Genesee  County 
was  made  with  an  ox-team.  When  they  remov- 
ed to  Orleans  County  they  made  the  journey 
with  horses,  leaving  the  main  road  at  what 
was  then  called  the  Lewiston  Road,  running 
from  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  to  Lewiston,  which  is  at 
the  foot  of  the  rapids  in  the  Niagara  River,  and 
went  north  into  an  unbroken  wilderness,  five 
and  one-half  miles  from  any  neighbor.  Mr. 
Coon  built  a  log  house  in  five  days  and  moved 
into  it.  It  had  neither  nails,  boards  nor  glass 
in  its  construction.  The  floor  was  made  of 
split  logs,  hewn  smoothly,  and  the  roof  was 
of  bark.  The  family  slept  in  the  wagons  until 
the  house  was  built.  Mr.  Coon  brought  with 
him  a  pillow  case  full  of  apple  seeds,  and  from 
these  sprung  the  first  apple  trees  in  that  part 
of  Western  New  York.  In  the  time  of  the  War 
of  1812  the  settlers  became  much  alarmed  for 
their  safety,  but  there  was  no  real  danger. 
The  pioneers  of  that  early  date  saw  many  hard- 
ships, the  year  of  1816  being  noted  as  the  cold 


P^^^^C^    ^JZ^z 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1037 


season  when  provisions  were  very  scarce  and 
high. 

In  February,  1817,  Alexander  Coon  was  killed 
by  a  tree  falling  on  him,  at  the  age  of  forty- 
three  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  church.  Several  of  his  brothers 
were  ministers  in  this  church  and  the  family 
was  noted  for  high  standard  of  morality.  Dan- 
iel Coon,  father,  of  Mrs.  Wright,  lived  with  his 
brother,  Alexander,  after  his  father's  death, 
until  1824.  In  1830  he  married  in  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y.,  Mary  Warren,  born  in  Pitcher, 
Chenango  County,  daughter  of  Eli  and  Marian 
(Bolster)  Warren.  Eli  Warren  was  born  in 
Vermont  and  was  of  Scotch  descent  from  an 
old  New  England  Puritan  family,  probably  of 
the  same  original  stock  as  Dr.  Joseph  Warren, 
the  patriot  who  fell  at  Bunker  Hill.  Eli  War- 
ren was  a  farmer  and  served  as  a  teamster  in 
the  War  of  1812.  He  was  killed  by  a  runaway 
team  in  1823  at  Pompey  Hill,  N.  Y.  He  was 
the  son  of  Major  Warren,  who  served  under 
Washington  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  died 
at  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  Dec.  10,  1823.  His  Chris- 
tian name  and  his  title  were  the  same' — Major. 

Daniel  Coon  and  wife  settled  after  marriage 
for  a  short  time  at  Erie,  Penn.,  and  then  he 
removed  to  Michigan,  where  he  lived  but  a 
short  time;  then  he  moved  to  Ohio  and  settled 
in  Lykens,  Crawford  County,  about  1833  or  '34. 
He  cleared  up  a  farm  from  the  heavy  timber 
in  this  region,  his  nearest  neighbor  being  five 
miles  distant.  He  died  Oct.  15,  1847,  at  the 
age  of  forty-one  years  from  the  effects  of  hard 
work  and  exposure  in  clearing  his  land.  He 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Free  Will 
Baptist  church,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon.  The 
children  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Warren)  Coon 
were:  Cordelia  D.,  Warren  D.,  Huldah  (Mrs. 
Wright),  William,  Alexander,  Malinda  M.  and 
Helen  Eliza.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Coon.  Mrs. 
Coon  married  as  her  second  husband,  at 
Lykens,  Ohio,  Perry  R.  Black,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  Anna  E.,  Amanda  J.  and  Eugene  C. 
Mr.  Black  removed  to  Jo  Daviess  County,  111., 
and  there  died,  May  15,  1891,  aged  ninety-one 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  high  character  and 
proved  himself  a  kind  father  to  the  Coon  chil- 
dren. Mrs.  Black  (the  mother  of  Mrs.  Burton 
Wright)  died  in  Jo  Daviess  County,  Dec.  2, 
1894.  Like  Mrs.  Wright,  Mrs.  Coon  was  a  fa- 
mous spinner  and  weaver  of  both  linen  and 
wool,  making  beautiful  coverlets  and  fine  cloth 
for  her  family.  A  fine  lace  collar  of  her  deli- 
cate handicraft   is   carefully  preserved  by  he 


daughter,  Mrs.  Burton  Wright.  She  could  make 
her  own  patterns,  which  were  called  "drafts," 
and  weave  by  them.  She  had  a  natural  tasts 
for  the  beautiful,  was  ,a  lover  of  flowers  and 
fine  fancy  work,  and  in  her  woodland  home 
cultivated  flowers  and  shrubs.  When  she  first 
settled  in  the  forest,  she  went  to  a  neighbor's 
five  miles  distant,  carrying  her  young  child, 
and  obtained  a  peony  root,  then  a  rare  flower, 
and  planted  it  in  her  garden.  From  this  peony 
root  many  others  have  been  taken,  and  her  de- 
scendants still  preserve  them  with  pride.  Mrs. 
Burton  Wright  has  a  flne  plant  of  this  species 
from  the  original  root.  When  Mr.  Coon  first 
settled  in  the  timber,  he  was  obliged  to  cut 
away  the  surrounding  trees  to  keep  them  from 
falling  on  his  log  cabin.  This  cabin  was  a 
primitive  structure,  having  no  floor  for  some 
time. 


AMOS   D.  WHITING. 

An  early  settler  and  one  of  those  who  crossed 
the  great  plains  to  California,  in  1850,  in  the 
search  for  gold,  is  Amos  D.  Whiting,  still  living 
at  Nunda,  McHenry  County.  Mr.  Whiting  was 
born  in  Johnson,  Lamoille  County,  Vt.,  July  27, 
1824,  the  son  of  Zachariah  and  Lucinda 
(Dodge)  Whiting.  The  latter  was  of  Scotch 
and  Puritan  stock  from  Connecticut — his  fa- 
ther's name  being  Nathaniel.  Zachariah  Whit- 
ing, born  Sept.  25,  1789,  went  to  Vermont  in 
early  manhood  and,  when  about  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  was  married  to  Lucinda  Dodge, 
born  Feb.  13,  1800,  the  daughter  of  Amos 
Dodge.  Mr.  Whiting  was  a  soldier  of  the  Rev- 
olution and  took  part  in  the  expedition  against 
the  British  on  Lake  Champlain.  A,t  an  early 
day  he  opened  up  a  farm  in  the  woods  of  La- 
moille County,  Vt.,  became  one  of  the  most 
substantial  citizens,  and  spent  his  remaining 
days  there,  dying  at  Johnson,  Vt,  Oct.  31,  1861, 
aged  seventy-two  years.  His  children  were: 
Hannah,  Freeman,  Amos  D.,  Zachariah,  Almon 
Sarah  and  Arthur.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whiting  were 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mrs.  Whiting 
died  Dec.  22,  1872,  aged  seventy-two  years. 

Amos  D.  Whiting  received  an  ordinary  com- 
mon school  education,  took  a  brief  course  in 
an  academy  and,  after  being  trained  as  a  far- 
mer, at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  went  to 
Massachusetts,  where  he  worked  for  a  year  in 
a  stone  quarry.  In .  April,  1847,  in  company 
with  his  older  brother,  Freeman,  he  came  to 
Illinois,  the  latter  having  visited  the  State  once 
before.    They  made  the  journey  from  Burling- 


1038 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


ton,  Vt.,  to  Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  by  way  of  Lake 
Champlain,  then  by  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo, 
and  by  steamer  around  the  lakes  to  Waukegan, 
111. — the  journey  occupying  about  three  weeks. 
During  the  following  season  Mr.  Whiting  work- 
ed on  a  farm  for  John  W.  Smith,  the  pioneer 
and  early  merchant  of  McHenry  County.  In 
the  fall  of  1847  the  brothers  returned  to  "Ver- 
mont and,  during  the  next  spring,  made  maple- 
sugar  in  a  camp  near  their  home.  Returning 
to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1848,  Mr.  Whiting 
resumed  work  with  Mr.  Smith,  but  later  bought 
two  horses  and  a  peddler's  wagon,  with  which 
he  made  extensive  trips  through  Northern  Ill- 
inois and  Wisconsin,  selling  goods  to  the  far- 
mers. In  1850,  in  company  with  a  party  con- 
sisting, besides  himself,  of  John  W.  Smith, 
Joshua  Chase  and  Thomas  Heath — the  latter 
a  young  man  of  nineteen — he  made  the  trip 
overland  to  California.  The  party  left  Ring- 
wood  Aipril  18  with  a  wagon  and  four-horse 
team  for  Council  Bluffs,  -then  the  starting  point 
for  many  of  the  overland  trains.  After  a  few 
days'  stop  at  Council  Bluffs  to  complete  their 
outfit,  they  started  with  a  train  of  some  sixty 
wagons,  with  a  view  to  mutual  protection. 
This  was  soon  found  to  be  too  large,  and  was 
broken  up  into  smaller  bands.  As  they  trav- 
eled along  the  great  trail,  other  trains  of  can- 
vas-covered wagons  were  almost  always  in 
sight.  The  Indians  often  came  into  camp  to 
beg  and  were  continually  committing  thefts 
and  other  depredations.  In  the  Black  Hills 
they  were  hostile,  and  many  of  the  adventur- 
ers were  killed.  The  party  started  out  with  an 
abundance  of  provisions,  and  at  first  fared 
well,  but  before  reaching  their  destination 
these  were  well  nigh  exhausted.  In  the  mean- 
time many  other  "trailers"  came  to  them  in 
a  destitute  condition  and  were  always  supplied 
with  food.  By  the  time  they  had  reached  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  their  teams  were 
worn  out,  and,  owing  to  the  rough  character  of 
the  country,  it  was  found  necessary  to  aban- 
don their  wagon.  This  was  left  standing  by 
the  roadside,  such  supplies  as  could  be  carried 
being  packed  on  the  horses,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  journey  made  on  foot.  Hundreds  of 
wagons  were  passed  on  the  way  which  had 
been  abandoned  by  their  owners  in  a  similar 
manner,  while  dead  horses  and  mules  were  so 
numerous  that  the  wolves  and  cayotes  could 
not  devour  them  all.  The  air  was  so  pure  in 
the  mountains  that  dead  animals  dried  up  in- 
stead of  decaying.    Mr.  Whiting  passed  a  team 


of  grey  horses  which,  having  been  set  up  on 
their  feet,  looked  as  if  still  alive.  Their  train 
reached  Weaversville  in  the  California  mining 
region,  Aug.  2,  1850.  They  already  began  to 
meet  teams  which  came  out  with  food  supplies, 
and  they  bought  a  small  amount  of  flour  at  $1 
per  pound.  At  Weaversville  they  took  up  a 
placer  claim  and  commenced  mining,  doing 
fairly  well.  Later  they  removed  to  the  Amer- 
ican River,  where  they  worked  a  placer  claim 
about  three  months.  Mr.  Whiting  next  went 
to  Calaveras  County,  where  he  mined  for  a 
time  at  Mokelumne  Hill  with  satisfactory  re- 
sults. He  subsequently  joined  with  others  in 
the  erection  of  a  large  hotel  at  Camp  Seco. 
This  having  been  destroyed  by  fire  just  before 
completion,  was  immediately  rebuilt  and  then 
sold  out.  He  was  afterwards  engaged  for  a 
time  in  the  grocery  trade,  and  still  later  in 
mining  on  the  Mokelumne  River.  In  1860  Mr. 
Whiting  returned  to  the  States  by  way  of  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama  and  New  York,  en  route 
visiting  his  native  State  of  Vermont,  where  he 
was  married,  March  21,  1860,  to  Lois  Bassett, 
who  was  born  at  Eden,  Vt.,  Nov.  10,  1842,  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Achsa  (Adams)  Bas- 
sett. 

Both  the  Bassetts  and  Adamses  were  of 
Puritan  and  Colonial  stock  from  Massachusetts 
and  of  English  descent,  Massa  Bassett,  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Whiting,  being  a  patriot 
soldier  of  the  Revolution  who  fought  at  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
pioneer  settler  at  Eden,  Vt.,  where  he  opened 
a  farm  in  the  woods  and  became  a  prominent 
citizen  and  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  and  his 
wife  were,  at  first,  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  but  afterwards  became  Quakers. 
He  died  between  1860  and  1864,  aged  about 
eighty  years,  leaving  the  following  named  chil- 
dren: Samuel,  Lucinda,  Hiram,  G-eorge,  Cath- 
erine, Cynthia  and  Julia.  George  Bassett,  the 
son,  was  born  Feb.  14,  1810,  received  a  com- 
mon school  education,  became  a  farmer,  and 
was  married  Sept.  26,  1833,  at  Eden,  Vt.,  to 
Achsa  Adams,  born  Oct.  25,  1814,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Rhoda  Adams.  Joshua  Adams,  the 
father  of  Joseph,  belonged  to  the  Massachu- 
setts family  of  that  name  which  has  produced 
so  many  distinguished  men.  He  was  also  a 
pioneer  farmer  of  Vermont.  The  children  of 
this  family  remembered  were  Joseph,  Adolph- 
us,  Diana  and  Rhoda.  The  Adamses  were 
Methodists.  George  Bassett,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Whiting,  was  a  farmer,  held  the  office  of  Jus- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1039 


tice  of  the  Peace  and  was  an  influential  citi- 
zen. His  wife  was  a  Congregationalist.  Their 
children  were:  Joseph  M.,  born  Aug.  31,  1834; 
Cynthia,  born  Nov.  21,  1836;  William,  born 
Aug.  24,  1838;  Lois,  born  Nov.  10,  1842;  Lucius 
Hiram,  born  July  10,  1853.  Mr.  Bassett  died 
Jan.  4,  1878,  aged  nearly  sixty-eight  years,  and 
his  wife  Aug.  11,  1871. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whiting 
came  direct  to  Ringwood,  McHenry  County, 
and  soon  located  in  the  town  of  McHenry, 
where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  stock  and 
grain  dealer,  also  kept  a  meat  market.  After 
living  here  about  eight  years,  in  company  with 
his  brother  Freeman  he  bought  a  farm  of  about 
400  acres,  one  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Mc- 
Henry, and  there  he  conducted  a  prosperous 
business  as  a  farmer  until  1895,  when  he  re- 
tired, settling  in  Nunda,  where  he  had  erected 
a  pleasant  residence.  In  politics  he  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat; has  held  the  offices  of  Road  Commis- 
sioner, School  Trustee  and  Township  Super- 
visor. The  zeal  he  has  manifested  in  behalf  of 
good  schools  and  good  roads  afford  evidence 
of  his  public  spirit.  The  children  of  the  family 
are:  Cynthia,  born  Jan.  18,  1861;  William  E., 
born  April  17,  1868;  Bell,  born  Sep.,  5,  1872; 
Lois  D.,  born  April  27,  1879,  and  Elizabeth  born 
Sept.  15,  1883.  Mr.  Whiting  still  owns  a  fiDe 
farm  of  280  acres.  His  enterprise  and  busi- 
ness energy  are  indicated  in  the  record  of  a 
busy  life. 


ADELBERT   S.  WRIGHT. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  is  pre-emi- 
nently a  self-made  man,  whose  life-history 
illustrates,  in  a  marked  degree,  what  may  be 
accomplished  by  native  force  of  character.  Be- 
ginning life  without  capital  or  influential 
friends,  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  to  the 
front,  overcoming  every  obstacle  until  success 
smiled  upon  his  efforts.  By  strict  honesty  and 
adherence  to  correct  business  principles,  and 
the  exercise  of  sound  discretion  and  good  judg- 
ment, he  has  won  universal  confidence,  and 
now  stands  a  fair  type  of  American  energy  and 
thrift. 

Adelbert  S.  Wright  was  born  in  Pompey, 
New  York,  Feb.  14,  1847,  the  son  of  Lysander 
and  Caroline  (Seely)  Wright.  The  Wrights  are 
of  New  England  and  Puritan  ancestry,  and 
were  early  settlers  of  New  York  State,  where 
the  father,  Lysander  Wright,  was  born.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  died  in  middle  age,  the 
mother  when  Adelbert  was  but  nine,  and  the 


father  when  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  Be- 
ing so  early  left  an  orphan,  he  has  but  a 
slight  knowledge  of  his  parents,  and  his  school 
days  were  limited  to  about  two  years  in  the 
district  school.  When  about  eight  years  old 
he  began  to  work  on  a  farm  near  Pompey,  N. 
Y.,  and  from  that  time  on  supported  himself, 
beginning  at  that  early  age  to  provide  himself 
with  clothing.  In  1861  he  engaged  as  a  clerk 
in  a  drug-store  at  Manlius,  N.  Y.,  and  remained 
there  two  years,  when  in  December,  1863,  he 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  Twenty- 
second  New  York  Cavalry,  to  serve  three 
years  in  the  Civil  War.  Early  in  the  service 
he  was  taken  sick  with  a  severe  case  of 
typhoid  fever,  and  was  in  the  hospital  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  three  months,  and  narrowly 
escaped  death.  When  partially  recovered,  he 
was  sent  to  Fort  Schuyler,  N.  Y.,  and  placed  in 
charge  of  the  medical  department  of  the  Mc- 
Dougal  General  Hospital,  where  he  had  charge 
of  a  large  and  valuable  stock  of  medical  sup- 
plies. This  was  a  very  important  and  respon- 
sible position  for  so  young  a  man,  as  Mr. 
Wright  was  then  but  about  seventeen  years 
of  age.  He  was  offered  the  appointment  of 
Hospital  Steward,  but  declined  as  he  did  not 
wish  to  remain  in  the  regular  service  as  re- 
quired. Mr.  Wright  rejoined  his  regiment  and 
was  in  active  service  in  the  Shenandoah  Val- 
ley until  August,  1865,  the  time  of  his  dis- 
charge. In  January,  1866,  he  came  to  Wood- 
stock and  entered  the  drug  store  of  W.  P. 
Adams,  his  former  employer  at  Manlius.  In 
1869  Mr.  Wright  formed  a  partnership  with 
John  S.  Wheat,  and  in  1880  commenced  busi- 
ness for  himself,  in  which  he  has  been  very 
successful  and  enjoys  the  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  most  skillful  and  reliable  druggists 
in  McHenry  County. 

For  twelve  years  Mr.  Wright  was  Secretary 
of  the  McHenry  County  Agricultural  Associa- 
tion, and  proved  himself  not  only  an  efficient 
official,  but  a  man  of  great  executive  ability. 
When  he  became  connected  with  the  County 
Fair,  he  found  that  the  interests  of  the  people 
had  been  greatly  lessened,  that  matters  were 
in  a  generally  disrupted  condition,  and  the 
buildings  were  becoming  dilapidated.  Always 
determined  and  energetic,  Mr.  Wright's  first 
endeavor  was  to  interest  the  people  of  the 
county  in  the  fair.  To  do  this  he  not  only 
adopted  all  the  best  measures  of  expert  fair 
managers,  but  devised  a  great  many  unique  at- 
tractions.    He  appealed  to  every  farmer  with 


1040 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


whom  he  came  in  contact  to  provide  something 
for  exhibition  at  the  fair,  and  to  attend  it  per- 
sonally with  their  friends  and  families.  Mr. 
Wright,  having  for  several  years  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics,  had  a  great  many  in- 
fluential friends  and  acquaintances  among  the 
foremost  politicians  and  public  men  of  the  day, 
and  was  thus  able  to  induce  many  of  the  most 
prominent  men  to  visit  the  fair  and  address 
the  people  on  the  leading  questions  of  the  day. 
He  made  it  non-partisan  in  order  to  give  all 
parties  an  opportunity,  and  selected  a  day  for 
each  party,  and,  in  this  manner,  large  numbers 
of  people  were  attracted  to  hear  these  eminent 
men,  of  whom  the  following  are  a  few:  Gen. 
John  A.  Logan,  James  Longstreet  (the  famous 
Confederate  General)-  Governors  Cullom  and 
Oglesby,  and  Fifield  (of  Wisconsin),  Carter 
Harrison,  Gen.  John  C.  Black  and  Hon.  E.  B. 
Washburn.  These  names  were  among  the  dis- 
tinguished guests  of  the  society  from  1880  to 
1887.  Since  1887  the  people  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  hearing  such  men  as  Hon.  Samuel 
J.  Randall,  of  Pennsylvania;  Postmaster  Gen- 
eral A.  E.  Stevenson;  Hon.  William  M.  Sprin- 
ger; Hon.  Joseph  Fifer;  Gen.  John  M.  Palmer; 
Ex-Governor  St.  John,  of  Kansas,  and  many 
other  famous  men.  It  was  a  grand  opportunity 
for  both  old  and  young  to  be  able  to  see  and 
hear  these  great  leaders,  and  the  occasions 
were  fully  appreciated  by  the  patrons.  That 
such  eminent  men  could  be  induced  to  visit 
a  "County  Fair,"  well  illustrates  Mr.  Wright's 
high  standing  and  wide  influence  with  the 
leading  men  of  the  day.  During  his  term  of 
office  as  Secretary,  the  County  Fair  was  raised 
from  a  society  of  little  importance  to  one  of 
the  ideal  County  Fairs  of  the  State,  and  be- 
came not  only  a  source  of  pleasure  and  re- 
creation to  the  people,  but  an  educational 
factor  of  intrinsic  worth.  Politically  Mr. 
Wright  has  been  a  Republican  from  his 
earliest  years,  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  the 
great  soldier  and  statesman,  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant. 
His  vote  has  also  helped  Presidents  Garfield, 
Harrison  and  McKinley  to  the  Presidential 
chair,  a  record  of  which  he  is  justly  proud. 
Mr.  Wright  has  worked  with  great  zeal  and 
efficiency  for  the  success  of  his  party,  and  his 
efforts  have  been  widely  recognized  by  the 
leaders  and  founders  of  republican  thought. 
In  1889  Mr.  Wright  was  appointed  Penitentiary 
Commissioner  by  Gov.  Fifer,  and  served  four 
years.  During  Gov.  Tanner's  administration, 
he  was  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 


the  Northern  Illinois  Hospital  for  the  Insane 
at  Elgin.  In  the  early  days  of  Gov.  Richard 
Yates'  administration,  Mr.  Wright  received  an 
appointment  on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Soldiers'  Home  at  Normal,  111.,  but  later,  at  the 
request  of  Gov.  Yates,  accepted  an  appoint- 
ment as  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Pub- 
lic Charities,  which  he  still  holds.  In  all  of 
these  positions  he  has  proved  himself  a 
capable  official  and  of  great  executive  ability. 
He  isi  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  his  home  Post 
being  No.  108,  Woodstock,  in  which  he  has 
held  all  the  important  offices,  and  has  also 
served  four  times  as  a  member  of  the  Council 
of  Administration  of  the  Department  of  Illi- 
nois. Fraternally  Mr.  Wright  is  a  Mason.  His 
lodges  are  Blue  Lodge  and  Calvary  Command- 
ery,  Woodstock.  He  has  been  twice  married, 
first  in  1869  to  Cora  E.  Tew,  of  Woodstock, 
who  died  in  1875,  leaving  two  sons:  Verne  A., 
now  a  successful  lawyer  and  a  graduate  of  the 
law  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
and  Channing  N.,  a  business  man  representing 
large  interests  in  Arizona.  Mr.  Wright's  sec- 
ond marriage  was  in  McHenry,  Sept.  12,  1877, 
with  Olive  W.  Owen,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  Claribel  and  A.  S.  Wright,  Jr.  Mrs.  Wright 
is  a  prominent  church  worker,  a  lady  devoted 
to  all  good  causes,  and  highly  esteemed  in 
Woodstock.  The  daughter  Claribel,  is  a  skill- 
ful violiniste.  She  was  married  in  1902  to 
William  P.  Hoy,  of  Woodstock. 

Mr.  Wright  has  achieved  a  wide  reputation 
by  his  acquaintance  with  public  men,  and  his 
ability  to  enlist  their  interest  and  co-oper.aton 
in  any  cause  he  may  happen  to  be  advocating. 
Personally,  he  numbers  many  friends  through- 
out the  State.  He  is  a  fine  example  of  a  self- 
made  man,  beginning  to  care  for  himself  at  so 
early  an  age,  he  hardly  remembers  being  cared 
for  by  others.  He  has  never  forgotten  that  he 
was  once  a  poor  boy  working  on  a  farm,  and 
that  the  first  overcoat  he  ever  wore  was  the 
"army  blue"  given  to  him  by  Uncle  Sam. 

Like  most  self-made  men,  Mr.  Wright  has 
worked  himself  up  by  his  determined  character 
and  straight-forward  conduct,  and  a  feeling 
that  if  he  was  good  enough  to  defend  the 
Union,  that  he  was  good  enough  to  be  the  peer 
of  any  man  in  the  State. 


JAMES    WATSON. 

The  family  of  Watson,  of  which  James  Wat- 
son, a  pioneer  of  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  a 
venerable  and  respected     resident     of     Wood- 


(P^UXJ,     i 


f7o 


^  S,  4*;  /dteJ&Ti. 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1041 


stock,  111.,  is  a  representative,  is  descended 
from  early  English  stock.  Lotos  Watson, 
father  of  James  Watson,  was  born  in  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.,  sometime  during  the  period  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  a  son  of  Captain  Wat- 
son, who  saw  active  service  in  the  British 
army  during  that  struggle.  Lotos  Watson, 
who  was  a  farmer,  married  Olive  Arnold,  a  na- 
tive of  Rhode  Island,  and  located  at  Junius, 
Seneca  County,  N*.  Y.,  whence  he  removed  ta 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  cleared  and 
improved  a  farm  and  died  aged  about  fifty- 
three  years.  For  some  time  he  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  His  widow 
subsequently  married  a  man  named  Griffith, 
moved  to  Wisconsin  some  time  after  1840,  and 
died  in  Greenwood,  111.,  in  her  seventy-fifth 
year.  The  children  of  Lotos  and  Olive 
(Arnold)  Watson  were  named  Stephen,  Alan- 
son,  Samuel,  Mary  Ann,  Jane,  Susan  and  Han- 
nah. 

James     Watson     was     born     at     Lysander, 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  April  20,  1818,  and  in 
his  boyhood  attended  the  common  schools  and 
was  given  a  practical  education     in     farming, 
which  involved  a  good  deal  of  hard  work.     In 
1836,  when  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  came  to 
Cook  County,  111.,  by  way  of  Buffalo,  thence  to 
Detroit  by     steamer,  on  foot     to     Kalamazoo, 
Mich.,  by  stage  to  St.  Joseph,  and  across  Lake 
Michigan  to  Chicago  in  a  small  sailing-vessel. 
His  brother,  Alanson,  had  settled  the  year  be- 
fore at  Meacham's  Grove  (now  Bloomingdale), 
near  the   Cook   County  and   Du   Page    County 
line,  and  James  remained  under  his  roof  until 
the  last  of  November,  1837,  when,  in  company 
with  Alfred  Stone  and  others,  he  came  to  Mc- 
Henry   County.     Stone   settled   on   Queen   Ann 
Prairie,     afterward     included     in     Greenwood 
Township.     Others   of   the   party   were   Almon 
Stone   and   family,    including  his    father.  John 
Stone,   and   wife   and   Luther   Finich   and    wife 
who  was  Mr.  Watson's  sister  Mary  Ann.     Mr. 
Watson  and  Luther  Finch   bought  a  claim  of 
320  acres,   partly  timbered  and  partly   prairie 
land,  within  the  present  limits  of  Greenwood 
Township,   and  built  upon  it  a  one-story-and- 
garret  log  house,'  which  did  not  contain  a  nail, 
and  the  loft  of  which  was  reached  by  a  ladder 
made  by  driving  pegs  into  logs.     Its  chimney 
was   constructed    of   sticks   and   mud,   and    its 
"gl  ake"  roof  was  held     on     with     poles.     The 
next  year  Mr.  Watson  and  Mr.  Finch  divided 
their  land,  of  which  Mr.  Watson  received  139 y2 


acres,  and  for  the  next  seven  years  he  devoted 
himself  to  its  improvement  with  such  success 
that  he  decided  to  get  married  and  settle 
upon  it  permanently.  He  finally  acquired  "18 
acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  built  an  attractive 
residence  which  was  burned  in  1890,  but  im- 
mediately replaced  by  another.  Mr.  Watson 
has  never  been  an  office-seeker,  but  has  been  a 
public-spirited  man  who  has  favored  good 
schools  and  good  roads,  and  was  one  of  the 
early  members  of  the  Township  School  Board. 
He  cast  his  first  vote  for  William  Henry  Har- 
rison in  the  celebrated  log-cabin  and  hard-cider 
campaign  of  1840.  He  became  a  strong  anti- 
slavery  man  and  voted  for  Birney,  later  for 
Fremont  and  Lincoln,  and  has  since  been  a 
consistent  Republican.  He  is  so  liberal  in  his 
religious  views  that  he  has  never  identified 
himself  with  any  church. 

December  20,  1846,  Mr.  Watson  was  married 
in  the  Virginia  Settlement,  by  Rev.  R.  R.  Whit- 
tier,  to  Louisa  Button,  born  at  Hunt's  Hollow, 
N.  Y.,  daughter  of  David  and  Permelia   (Lom- 
bard)   Button.     Louisa    Button    was    well    edu- 
cated, receiving  her*  educational  training  in  the 
Mt.  Morris   Seminary,  N.  Y.,  and  taught  sev- 
eral terms  of  school  in  that  State.     Coming  to 
Illinois  when  a  young  woman,  she  taught  two 
terms  in  Dorr     Township,     McHenry     County, 
where  she  was  regarded  as  a  woman  of  super- 
ior  attainments    and   sound    judgment.     David 
Button,  son  of  Gideon  and  Polly   (Stone)   But- 
ton, became  a  farmer  in  New  York  State  and 
died  there.    His  children  were  named  Joseph 
C  ,  Luceba,  Lucretia,  Louisa,  Permelia,  Delva 
M.   and  Fanny.    The  last  mentioned   died   be- 
fore the  family  left  New  York  State.     Some- 
time after  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  But- 
ton married  a    Mr.    Doty,     and    they    became 
pioneers  of     Ridgefield     Township,     McHenry 
County,  where  Mr.  Doty  died.     Mrs.  Doty  died 
in  Elgin,   111.,   in  her  ninety-fifth  year.       They 
had  two  daughters  named     Helen     and     Cath- 
erine.    James  and    Louisa     (Button)     Watson 
have  had  children  named  as  follows:        Olive 
Permelia,  born  in  Greenwood  Township,  Oct.  3, 
1847;    an  infant  son  un-named,  who  was   born 
and  died  in  Greenwood  Township,  1850;  Orville 
Clark,  born  March  24,  1853,  and  Nelda  Adelia, 
born  in  Greenwood  Township,  Sept.     14,     1856. 
Mr.  Watson  gave  all  his  children  a  good  educa. 
tion  and  his  daughters  Olive  and  Nelda  were 
successful     teachers    in    the  public  schools  of 
McHenry     County.     Mrs.     Watson     was     born 


1042 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


April  19,  1823,  and  died  in  Greenwood  Town- 
ship, Jan.  5,  1857.  Her  daughter,  Nelda  A., 
died  November,  1898. 

Mr.  Watson  assisted  to  organize  Greenwood 
Township  and  was  personally  acquainted  with 
its  pioneers.     Among  them  was  Louis  Boone, 
of  the  Boone  family    of    Kentucky,    of    which 
DaDiel  Boone  was  a  member,  who  had  settled 
there  in  the  spring  of  1837,  shortly  after  David, 
John  and  William  McCollum  had  located  near 
by  on  the  edge  of  McHenry  Township.     Boone 
and  the  head  of  the  McCollum  family  disagreed 
over     a    land-claim     and     several  times  came 
to     blows.       Boone,     who     was     a     powerful 
man,     tore    down     the     log     cabin     McCollum 
had     built     on     the     land     in     question,     cut 
every     log     in     two     and     whipped     a     man 
who   assisted  in  building  it.     Then   McCollum 
organized  a  party  of  friends  and  they  waylaid 
Boone  and  gave  him  a  good  drubbing,  but  he 
finally  maintained  his  claim  of  the  land  in  the 
courts.    Mr.  Watson  was  summoned  by  Sheriff 
Walkup  to  attend  the  first  session  of  the  Cir- 
cuit Court  in  McHenry  County,  held  in  the  loft 
of  Brown's  log  tavern.     Doctor  Cornish  of  Al- 
gonquin was  the  clerk  and  Mr.  Watson  states 
that,  not  being  an  experienced  crier,  he  opened 
the  court  by  yelling    from    the    door    of    the 
cabin:      "O,  yes!   O,   yes!     O,  yes!     Know   all 
men  that  the  honorable  Circuit  Court  is  now 
open  for  business!"     Litigation  between  Boone 
and  the  McCollums  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  court,  and  Mr.  Spring,  an  old  lawyer  of  Chi- 
cago, represented  Boone,   and   Colonel   Strode, 
also   of   Chicago,   represented   the   McCollums. 
After  that,  Boone     and    the     McCollums     had 
further  fights.     One  of  the  McCollums  secured 
a  judgment  of  eighty  dollars  and  costs  against 
Boone    for    assault,    and    Boone    secured    judg- 
ments in  the  same  amount  against  each  of  the 
three  McCollums  on  the  same  charge.  Troubles 
like  those  between  Boone  and  McCollum  were 
common     among    the     pioneers,     and     before 
courts  were  generally  established,  questions  at 
issue  were  frequently  argued    with    the    bare 
knuckles. 

December  12,  1883,  Mr.  Watson  was  married, 
in  Watonwan  County,  Minn.,  to  Emeline 
Whitely  McCune,  who  was  born  in  Jefferson 
County,  Ohio,  June  25,  1839,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Hannah  M.  (Kirkwood)  McCune. 
James  McCune  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1792,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Brady)  Mc- 
Cune. Thomas  McCune  was  born  in  Maryland, 
a  son  of  James  McCune,  a  prominent  member 


of  a  colonial  family  of  note.    James  McCune, 
the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Watson,  was  a 
wealthy  farmer  and  allied  himself  with  other 
patriots  of  Maryland  on  the  side  of  the  Colonies 
before  and  during  the  Revolutionary  War.     At 
one  time  he  entertained  Washington  and   his 
staff,  and  he  supplied  horses  and  much  beef  and 
other  provender  to  the  patriot  army  and,  in  a 
general  way,  aided  the  cause  to  such  an  extent 
that  when,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  the  conti- 
nental money  he  had  received  from  the  Gov- 
ernment was  not  redeemed,  he  was  practically 
ruined.    His  son  Thomas  was  a  patriot  soldier 
and    fought     at    Brandywine.     In  another  en- 
gagement he  and  three  others  were  surrounded 
by  British  and  cut  their  way  out  most  gallantly. 
This    exploit    led    to    his  promotion  to  a  cap- 
taincy, and  he  served  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war  under  Washington's   immediate   com- 
mand. 'After  the  Revolution,  James  and  Thom- 
as McCune  settled  in  Alleghany  County,  Penn. 
In  1795  the  latter  became  a  pioneer  in  Jeffer- 
son County,  Ohio,  where  he  acquired  a  quarter 
section  of  land  which  he  redeemed  from  the 
forest    and     improved.    He    had     assisted     to 
capture   ships   from   the   British   and   was   en- 
titled to  prize  money,  but  they  assigned  their 
claims  in    favor     of    Washington's     army     by 
unanimous  vote.     A  pension  of  five  dollars  a 
month  was  granted  him  for  his  services  during 
the  Revolutionary  War,  but  he  died  in  Jeffer- 
son County,  Ohio,  after  the  first  payment  had 
been    made.     He     married,     in     Pennsylvania, 
Mary  Brady,  a  cousin  of  Brady,  the  famous  In- 
dian fighter,  and    they    had    children    named: 
Mary,  Sarah,  Martha,  James,  Elizabeth,  Joseph 
and  William.     James  McCune,    Mrs.   Watson's 
father,  was  born  in  Alleghany  County,   Penn., 
May  30,  1792.    When  he  was  five  years  old  he 
went  to  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  with  his  fath- 
er's family,  walking  most  of  the  way  and  help- 
ing drive  cattle.    He  lived  on  a  portion  of  his 
father's  land  in  Ohio  fifty-two  years.     In  April 
1823,    he    married    Hannah    Maria  Kirkwood, 
daughter  of   Joseph  and    Margaret    (Gillispie) 
Kirkwood,  who  was  born  in  Belmont  County, 
Ohio,  in  February,  1808.     The  Kirkwoods  and 
Gillispies  were  of  Scotch-English   stock.     The 
representatives  of  both  families  settled  early 
in   Maryland,   where   they  were   slave-holders. 
It  is  said  that  they  liberated  their  slaves  and 
gave  each  one  $100  in  money.     Joseph  Kirk- 
wood was  a  prominent  pioneer  farmer  of  Jef- 
ferson County,  Ohio,  where  he  died  leaving  a 
valuable  estate.       The  children  of  James  and 


s^Ui.j&LU/jdL  7%cUftn\  /%lZd^n, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1043 


Hannah  Maria  (Kirkwood)  McCune  were 
named:  Robert  K.,  Thomas,  Joseph  K.,  Mary 
Brady,  Elizabeth  K.,  William  W.,  Sarah  J., 
Emeline  Whitely,  George  G.,  Catherine  Ann, 
Josephine  K.  and  Adeline  G.  Joseph  K.,  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  unmarried.  James  Mc- 
Cune enlisted  three  times  for  service  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  was  rejected  because  more 
soldiers  were  not  needed.  In  his  young  man- 
hood he  made  three  trips  down  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  Rivers  to  New  Orleans,  to  dispose 
of  produce  and  walked  back,  consuming  sev- 
eral weeks  in  the  journey.  In  April,  1849,  he 
moved  from  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  to  Fond 
du  Lac  County,  Wis.,  where  he  settled  on  a  200- 
acre  farm,  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of 
Ceresco  (now  Ripon),  which  he  improved,  and 
on -which  he  died,  April  30,  1875.  He  was  an 
original  pioneer,  his  land  being  entirely  wild 
except  forty  acres  which  had  been  broken.  He 
built  the  first  school  house  on  Green  Lake 
Prairie.  This  was  a  frame  building,  and  the 
teacher  was  hired  at  Mr.  McCune's  expense. 
Mrs.  Emeline  W.  Watson  was  educated  at 
Ripon  College,  Wis.,  and  was  a  teacher  for 
sometime  in  Dodge  County,  Wis. 


COLUMBUS    WALLACE. 

The  venerable  citizen  of  Crystal  Lake  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  111.,  whose  name  ap- 
pears above,  is  one  of  the  few  men  in  this  part 
of  the  county  who  are  in  possession  of  their 
original  homesteads  on  which  they  located 
when  they  came  to  Northeastern  Illinois  as 
pioneers.  His  ancestors  were  of  that  famous 
Highland  Clan  of  Scotland  which  produced 
William  Wallace,  the  patriot.  According  to 
tradition  three  Wallace  brothers  of  that  his- 
toric family,  all  Puritans,  settled  in  New  Eng- 
land in  the  colonial  period.  William  Wallace, 
a  descendant  of  one  of  the  three  emigrants, 
was  a  farmer  and  carpenter  and  lived  in  North- 
ern Vermont.  His  son  William,  who  also  be- 
came a  farmer  and  carpenter,  was  born  in 
Northern  Vermont  and  was  married,  at  Pawlet, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Penfield,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Columbus  Wallace,  of  Crystal  Lake 
Township,  and  of  other  children  named:  Wil- 
liam Albert,  Franklin,  Elizabeth  and  Sarah. 
William  Wallace  died  at  Pawlet  aged  about 
seventy-seven  years.  Elizabeth  (Penfield) 
Wallace  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church,  and  died  at  the  old  home  of  the  family 
at  Pawlet. 

Columbus  Wallace  was  born  at  Pawlet,  Rut- 


land County,  Vt.,  Oct.  23,  1812,  educated  in  the 
common   schools,   reared   a  farmer  and   event- 
ually learned  the  harness  maker's  trade.     He 
went    to    New    York    State  in  1827,  living  at 
Whitehall  and  at  Fort  Ann  until  1837,  when  he 
came   to   Illinois.     His   brother  Franklin,   who 
was  born  at  Pawlet,  Vt.,  in  1804,  came  to  Crys- 
tal Lake  in  the  spring  of  1837,  and  located  a 
land-claim  there,  after    which    he    went    back 
East  to  his  old  home.     When  he  returned  later 
in  the  same  year,  Columbus  accompanied  him. 
The   journey   was   made   by   way   of   the   Erie 
Canal  to  Buffalo  and  thence  by  steamer  to  Chi- 
cago.    From   Chicago  to  Crystal   Lake,   a  two 
days'  journey,  Mr.  Wallace  walked,  arriving  at 
his  destination  Nov.   1,  1837.    The  settlement 
contained  a  one-story  log  cabin  and  three  log 
shanties.     In  the  cabin,  Beman  Crandall,  who 
had  been  the  first  settler  there  in  1835,  kept  a 
backwoods  tavern,  Isaac  King    and  his  brother 
lived  in  one  of  the  shanties,  and  Abner  Beards- 
ley  in  the  third.     Mr.  Wallace  lived  for  a  time 
with  Beman  Crandall.     He  at  once  located   a 
claim  of  340  acres  on  three  different  pieces  of 
land   and  began  to  make  rails  with  which  to 
fence  in  his  new  possessions.    He  bought  the 
right    to    his     claim    from  Crandall,  who  had 
bought  his  right  to  this     and     other    property 
from  Christopher  Walkup,  who  had  laid  claim 
to  it  more  than  two  years  before,  as  a  part  of 
a  tract  of  land  four  miles  long  and  two  miles 
wide,     extending    from    his     settlement    near 
Ridgefield  to  Crystal  Lake.     There  was  an  un- 
written law  among  the  pioneers  that  late  set- 
tlers should    purchase    "rights"    of    the    first 
comer,  although  this  gave  them  no  legal  right 
to  the  land,  and  in  some  instances  those  who 
had  not  made   such  provision  against  trouble 
were  driven  out  of  the  settlements.     Mr.  Wal- 
lace's investment  in  this  way  was  two  hundred 
dollars.     In  the  spring  of  1838  he  built  a  log 
cabin  on  his  claim.     The  walls  were  of  round 
logs,  it  was  roofed  with  shaved  oak  shingles, 
had  small  glass  windows,  and  the  loft  was  ac- 
cessible by  means  of  rude  stairs.     As  the  years 
went  by  he  gradually  developed  a  productive 
farm. 

Mr.  Wallace  married  Hannah  (Beardsley) 
Wallace  in  November,  1849.  His  wife,  who 
was  the  daughter  of  Abner  and  Hannah  (Wor- 
den)  Beardsley  and  the  widow  of  his  brother 
Franklin,  was  born  at  Alexander,  N.  Y.,  Feb. 
3,  1818,  and  had  borne  his  brother  twins  named 
Mary  and  Sarah.  Franklin  Wallace,  who  had 
been  associated  with  Columbus  in  the  work  of 


1044 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


improvement   at   Crystal   Lake,   had   died    Feb. 
log  cabin,  which  has  been  described,  until  Mr. 
22,   1845.     Mr.   and  Mrs.  Wallace  lived  in  the 
Wallace  built  a  substantial  cobble-stone  house, 
the  first  of  the  kind  in  the  county,  which  is 
yet  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.     The  chil- 
dren   of    Columbus    and    Hannah    (Beardsley) 
Wallace  are:     Ada,  Alice,  Carrie,  William   B., 
named  in  the  order  of  their  birth.     Mrs.  Wal- 
lace died  May  31,  1894.       Since  boyhood,  Mr. 
Wallace  has  been,  until  in  years  comparatively 
recent,  a  very    hard    worker,    and    his    whole 
career  has  been  dominated  by  a  strong  mind. 
Although  now  ninety-one  years  old,  he  still  re- 
tains  his  mental  faculties    and  his  memory  in 
a  remarkable  degree  for  one  of  his  years.     He 
likes  to  talk  about  the  pioneer  days  and  about 
the  old  political  campaigns  in  which  the  Whigs 
were  a  factor.    He  voted  the  Whig  ticket  in 
those   days   and   when,   in  1856,  the  new-born 
Republican  party  named  John  C.   Fremont  as 
its  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  he  voted  for 
him,  and  four  years  later  for  Lincoln,  and  has 
voted  for  every  subsequent  Republican  nomi- 
nee   for   the    Presidency.       His    industry    and 
thrift  have  not  gone  unrewarded,  and  he  owns 
about  100  acres  as  of  good  farm  land  as  his 
neighborhood  affords. 


LEVI  A.  WATERMAN. 

The  family  of  this  honored  and  esteemed 
citizen  of  McHenry  County  is  of  English  origin, 
its  original  seat  being  in  Wales,  and  it  won  dis- 
tinction both  in  the  struggle  for  American  in- 
dependence and  in  the  War  of  1812,  when  the 
young  republic  appealed  to  the  patriotism  of 
ber  sons  to  maintain  her  honor  and  prestige  as 
a  Nation.  According  to  well-authenticated 
tradition,  seven  brothers  came  from  England  to 
the  colonies  early  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Of  these  three  settled  in  New  York,  two  in 
Massachusetts,  and  two  in  Connecticut.  One 
held  a  commission  in  the  British  army  under 
Queen  Elizabeth,  and  this  document,  of  price- 
less historic  value,  is  yet  treasured  as  an  heir- 
loom by  his  posterity.  Another  married  the 
daughter  of  the  man  who  struck  off  the  original 
"Pine  Tree  Shilling,"  the  first  coin  issued  in 
America.  Following  down  the  line  of  descent 
from  these  early  days,  the  genealogist  finds 
the  name  of  Aruna  Waterman,  the  grandfather 
of  Levi  A.,  who  was  a  Commissary  in  the  army 
of  the  Revolution.  His  birthplace  was  Nor- 
wich, Conn.,  and  it  was  there  that  he  married, 
his  wife's     maiden     patronymic    being     Hyde 


Two  of  his  sons,  Thomas  and  Asa,  the  latter 
the  father  of  ihe  gentleman  who  is  the  subject 
of  this  narrative,  were  soldiers  in  the  War  of 
1812,  Thomas  taking    part    in    the     battle    of 
Plattsburg.       Believing  that  the   prospects   of 
success  were  better  for  a  farmer  in  the  North, 
Aruna  Waterman  disposed  of  his  Connecticut 
property,  and,  in  1800,  started  for  what  is  now 
Lamoille,  but  was    then    a    rart    of    Franklin 
County,  Vt.     He  made  the  journey  on  a  sled 
with  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  team  of  horses,  and 
in  a  hogshead,  covered  by  a  nondescript  assor<> 
ment  miscellaneous  material,     he     took     with 
him  four  thousand  Spanish  milled  dollars.     On 
reaching  his  point  of  destination  he  bought  a 
partly-cleared  farm  of  415  acres,  on  which  he 
erected  a  saw  and  grist-mili,  his  location  being 
in  the  town  of  Johnson.    Here  he  held  the  of- 
fice of  Justice  of  the  Peace  tor  many  years.  He 
died  in  1837,  after  attaining  the  advanced  age 
of    eighty-nine    years,     leaving    a     handsome 
estate  to  be  divided  among  his  children. 

Asa,  the  son  of  Aruna  and  the  father  of  Levi 
A.  Waterman,  was  born  in  Norwich,  Conn., 
Dec.  2,  1772.  He  accompanied  the  family  to 
Vermont  in  1800,  and  there  married  Anna,  a 
daughter  of  John  McConnell,  for  whose  family 
the  village  of  McConnell's  Falls  is  named.  He 
inherited  150  acres  of  land  from  his  father,  and 
it  was  here  that  he  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  his  farm  being  now  the  site  of  the  vil- 
lage just  named.  He  served  with  gallantry 
during  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  a  Universal- 
ist  in  religious  belief,  and  in  politics,  first  ar. 
"old-line"  Whig,  and  later  a  Republican,  voting 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860.  Afcer  the  death 
of  his  first  wife  he  married  Anna  Dodge,  a  na- 
tive of  New  Hampshire.  He  fell  asleep  in 
1860,  after  passing  life's  eighty-eighth  mile- 
stone. His  children  by  his  first  marriage  were: 
Erastus,  Aruna  and  Harvey;  by  the  second, 
Levi,   Sanford  and  Norman. 

Levi  A.  Waterman,  who  was  the  eldest  son 
by  the  marriage  of  his  father,  Asa  Waterman, 
with  Anna  Dodge,  was  born  in  Lamoille  Coun- 
ty, Vt.,  Oct.  26,  1818.  His  early  years  were 
spent  much  after  the  fashion  of  other  farmers' 
sons  of  his  day  and  generation.  A  term,  once 
or  twice  a  year,  in  the  district  school  and  hard 
work  upon  the  farm,  male  up  his  boyhood  and 
youth.  Grass  was  mowed  with  a  scythe,  while 
grain  was  cut  with  a  sickle  and  threshed  with 
a  flail. 

On  November  25,  1851,  he  was  married,  at 
Johnson,  Vt.,  to  Hannah    D.    Whiting,    whose 


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J(m  <£  A-  %%k^&i^ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1045 


parents  were  Zachariah  and  Lucinda  (Dodge) 
Whiting.  After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Waterman  settled  on  his  paternal  homestead, 
and  there  their  four  children  were  born — Wal- 
ter W.,  Anna,  Lucinda  and  Howard.  For  near- 
ly a  quarter  of  a  century  they  lived  upon  the 
old  farm,  adding  to  it,  from  time  to  time, 
through  thrift,  good  management  and  wise  in- 
vestment, until  in  1865  it  embraced  200  acres. 
In  1865  they  resolved  to  seek  fortune  in  what 
was  to  them  a  new,  untried  country.  The 
fertile  prairies  of  Illinois,  with  their  nodding 
grass  and  rich,  well-watered  soil,  beckoned  to 
them,  and  in  that  year  they  removed  from  the 
mountains  of  Vermont  to  the  level  plains  of 
the  Prairie  State,  settling  in  McHenry  Town- 
ship, two  miles  northeast  of  Ringwood,  where 
Mr.  Waterman  purchased  a  farm  of  180  acres. 
This  property  he  has  constantly  improved, 
erecting  a  fine  residence  upon  it,  and  making  it 
one  of  the  best  and  most  valuable  farms  in  the 
township.  In  1886,  having  reached  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years,  he  resolved  to  take  the  rest 
to  which  his  long,  well-spent  life  richly  en- 
titled him.  In  that  year  he  retired  from  active 
toil,  and  removed  with  the  wife  of  his  youth  to 
Ringwood.  There,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of 
eighty-two  years,  he  is  passing  his  declining 
years,  looking  back  upon  the  past  without  re- 
gret and  forward  to  the  future  without  fear. 


EUGENE   STRODE   WHEELER. 

Eugene  S.  Wheeler  was  born  July  1,  1848,  in 
Warrenville,  Dupage  County,  111.,  where  his 
father  was  then  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church. 
He  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  McHenry  the 
following  March,  and  the  family  lived  for  sev- 
eral years  in  a  frame  house  built  of  oak  lum- 
ber. His  father  owned  450  acres  of  land,  now 
known  as  the  Wheeler  homestead,  for  which 
he  paid  $12  an  acre.  He  borrowed  money  at 
twenty-five  per  cent  interest  to  pay  for  this 
land,  and  was  seventeen  years  in  paying  the 
debt.  For  several  years  he  made  but  few  im- 
provements. In  addition  to  this  land  he  owned 
160  acres  north  of  Waukegan,  forty  acres  north 
of  Johnsburg,  and  a  large  part  of  what  is  now 
called  the  Ladd  farm,  near  Ringwood.  The 
present  residence  on  the  Joel  Wheeler  home- 
stead was  built  in  1852,  the  brick  being  made 
in  McHenry  by  Smith  Covey,  being  the  first 
manufactured  in  that  place. 

Eugene  Wheeler  attended  school  at  old  Mc- 
Henry in  an  old  oak-frame  school-house  near 
the  Universalist  church,  which  was  afterwards 


used  as  a  town-house,  later  as  a  gun-smith 
shop,  and  was  torn  down  in  1889,  being  then 
owned  by  the  widow  Zents.  His  teacher  was 
Frances  Wheeler,  daughter  of  Cristy  G. 
Wheeler,  and  among  the  pupils  were  Rollin 
Waite,  present  Postmaster  of  McHenry,  Henry 
Whiteman,  Elliot  and  Hinton  Wheeler,  Sallie 
Owen  and  the  Hankins  boys,  George,  Albert 
and  Jeff,  who  later  became  noted  residents  of 
Chicago.  In  pioneer  times  their  father  was  a 
harness-maker  at  McHenry  and  crossed  the 
plains  to  California  in  the  early  days  of  the 
gold  excitement.  Later  Mr.  Wheeler  attended 
a  select  school  one  year  at  McHenry,  kept  by 
a  Mr.  Case  and  his  sister,  and  afterwards  spent 
two  school  years  at  the  Marengo  school,  after 
which  he  attended  the  McHenry  High  School. 
He  thus  received  a  fair  education,  and  has  al- 
ways been  interested  in  and  taken  an  active 
part  in  educational  matters,  having  been  a 
member  of  the  School  Board  for  ten  years  and 
a  member  of  the  first  Board  of  Education  in 
McHenry.  His  father,.  Elder  Joel  Wheeler, 
was  a  practical  farmer,  who  worked  hard  on 
the  farm  and  preached  at  different  places  in  log 
school-houses  on  Sunday;  the  pioneers  coming 
to  the  meetings  from  far  and  wide  in  their 
carts  drawn  by  oxen.  Mr.  Wheeler  has  been 
known  to  preach  at  Algonquin  in  the  morning, 
Dundee  in  the  afternoon,  and  at  some  log 
dwelling  in  the  evening,  driving  home  many 
miles  late  at  night.  He  studied  his  sermons 
while  driving  on  the  road,  using  no  manuscript 
but  speaking  extemporaneously.  His  son,  Eu- 
gene, began  to  drive  about  with  his  father 
when  but  a  small  boy.  Elder  Wheeler  blazed 
the  line  for  a  wagon-road  from  Lily  Lake  to 
Wauconda,  which  afterwards  became  an  estab- 
lished highway.  Rev.  Wheeler's  politics  were 
Democratic.  He  was  married  three  times,  first 
to  Julia  A.  Elliott  of  New  Hampshire.  Their 
children  were:  Elliott,  Hinton  and  George  B. 
His  first  wife  having  died,  he  was  married  at 
Waukegan,  111.,  to  Mary  J.  Freeman,  who  was 
born  in  New  York  State,  May  26,  1828,  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  Peter  Freeman,  who,  in  company 
with  Rev.  Joel  Wheeler,  organized  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  Waukegan.  By  this  mar- 
riage there  were  two  children,  Alva  and  Eu- 
gene S.  Mrs.  Wheeler  died  in  October,  1860. 
Rev.  Wheeler  married  as  his  third  wife,  Jan. 
18,  1869,  Eliza  Dunn  (Berry)  Colbath,  of  Maine. 
She  was  a  widow  (nee  Berry),  daughter  of 
Levi  and  Mary  (Hammond)  Berry. 

Levi  Berry  was  born  in  Maine  of  Scotch  and 


1046 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


English  parentage.  He  was  a  hatter  by  trade, 
but,  in  later  years,  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness. He  married  Mary  Hammond  and  lived 
in  Smyrna,  Me.,  where  he  kept  a  tavern,  but 
still  attended  to  his  interests  in  the  lumber 
business,  and  owned  a  farm.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berry  are:  Dr.  Thaddeus  C.  S., 
Jane  (Mrs.  Winslow),  Peleg  H.,  Hon.  Andrew 
J.  (member  of  the  Illinois  Legislature),  Eliza 
D.,  Samuel  H,  Belle  (Mrs.  Adams)  and  Levi  H. 

Eugene  S.  Wheeler  was  married  March  1, 
1873,  at  the  old  homestead  in  McHenry,  to 
Luella  May  Colbath,  born  at  Smyrna,  Me.,  Dec. 
15,  1853,  daughter  of  Ivory  and  Eliza  D. 
(Berry)   Colbath. 

Mrs.  Wheeler  is  well  educated,  having  at- 
tended public  school  at  Holton,  Fairfax  and 
Presque  Isle,  and  an  academy  at  Presque  Isle 
and  Fairfield.  When  but  sixteen  years  of  age 
she  began  teaching  school  in  Aroostook  Coun- 
ty, Me.,  continuing  for  three  years,  when,  in 
1872,  she  came  to  Illinois  to  live  with  her 
mother,  Mrs.  Joel  Wheeler.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Eugene  S.  Wheeler  were:  Joel  E., 
Mabel  E.  and  Lillian  E.  In  politics  Mr. 
Wheeler  is  a  Republican.  He  owns  the  old 
family  homestead,  consisting  of  206  acres,  and 
has  a  fine  home  and  estate. 

Ivory  Colbath,  Mrs.  Wheeler's  father,  was 
born  in  Smyrna,  Me.,  the  son  of  Royal  Colbath, 
a  farmer,  and  followed  the  occupation  of  a  lum- 
berman. His  children  were  Jessie  and  Luella. 
Mr.  Colbath  was  Sheriff  of  Aroostook  County, 
Me.,  for  several  terms,  and  died  at  the  age  oi 
forty-seven  years. 


SAMUEL    H.   WALKER. 

In  the  death  of  this  pioneer  at  Ringwood,  in 
1880,  McHenry  County  lost  a  prominent  farmer 
and  efficient  business  man.  He  was  born  in 
Hebron,  Grafton  County,  N.  H.,  April  5,  1811, 
and  came  of  good  English  ancestry.  His 
grandfather,  Bruce  Walker,  was  a  loyal  Ameri- 
can, who  served  valiantly  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  while  Daniel  Walker,  his  father,  was  a 
respected  citizen  of  Grafton  County,  N.  H., 
where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  for  many 
years.  In  politics  he  was  an  ardent  Democrat 
and  took  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs. 

Samuel  H.  Walker  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Grafton  County,  N.  H.,  and  while 
carrying  on  his  literary  studies  for  some  time, 
devoted  a  part  of  his  time  to  work  upon  his 
father's  farm.  When  a  young  man,  he  went  to 
Boston,  where  he  secured  a  position  in  a  box 


factory,  working  for  the  meager  salary  of  fifty 
cents  per  day,  but  acquiring  at  the  same  time 
valuable  business  experience.  In  1836,  when 
about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  the  hope  of 
bettering  his  prospects  led  him  to  move  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  which,  like  the  rest  of 
the  State,  was  then  but  sparsely  settled,  Chi- 
cago, at  that  time,  being  only  a  little  log-cabin 
settlement.  On  a  forty-acre  tract  in  McHenry 
Township  he  furrowed  off  his  claim,  and  there 
began  a  home  for  himself,  which,  in  the  course 
of  time,  he  transformed  into  a  neat,  well-culti- 
cated  farm. 

Mr.  Walker  married,  in  McHenry  Town- 
ship, Elizabeth  Jane  Everett,  who  died  in  1851, 
and,  in  1860.  he  was  married,  in  Ringwood. 
Eliza  Hendrickson,  who  was  born  in  Richland, 
Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  May  9,  1835.  After 
her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Walker  resided  in 
Ringwood  until  1899  when  she  purchased  her 
present  residence  property  in  Lake  Geneva, 
where  she  passes  the  summer  month,  and 
spends  the  winter  season  in  Pasedena,  Cal. 
She  is  a  cultured  woman  with  many  charming 
social  qualities,  and  has  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  By  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Walker 
had  two  children  who  died  in  infancy.  By 
his  second  marriage  there  was  one  child,  Nina 
G.,  who  married  William  Cristy,  a  prominent 
resident  of  McHenry  Township,  who  is  now 
serving  his  fellow-townsmen  as  Supervisor. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cristy  two  children  have 
been  born,  Harold  and  Lynn. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Wplker  settled  on  a 
20-acre  tract  of  land  in  Ringwood  Township, 
where  he  made  a  pleasant  residence  for  him- 
self, and  where  he  engaged  in  the  grain  trade. 
He  also  purchased  several  farms  in  this  vi- 
cinity, which  he  greatly  improved,  becoming 
in  time  a  wealthy  land-owner.  During  this  same 
period  he  erected  a  large  pickle  factory  in 
Ringwood,  where  he  carried  on  an  extensive 
business  for  many  years.  Mr.  Walker  was  far- 
sighted  and  energetic,  and  met  with  uniform 
success  in  his  various  enterprises.  His  honor 
was  unimpeachable,  and  having  made  friends 
at  every  step  in  life,  he  was  widely  known 
and  highly  influential.  Politically  he  was  a 
strong  Republican. 

Mrs.Walker  comes  of  two  prominent  families. 
The  Drakes  and  the  Hendricksons,  the  former 
being  descendants  from  the  well-known  Ad- 
miral and  explorer  of  that  name.  The  Hen- 
dricksons  settled   in  the    State   of  New   York 


<f^^l 


<JW- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1047 


at  an  early  day,  and  there,  in  Oswego  County, 
William  Hendrickson,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Walker,  resided  for  many  years,  being  engaged 
as  a  farmer.  He  passed  his  last  days  with 
his  son  John,  in  Barrington,  111.,  where  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  married  Cather- 
ine Drake,  and  to  them  seven  children  were 
horn,  viz.:  John,  Alonzo  D.,  Abram,  William 
D.,  Mary,  Nancy  and  Jane.  Mr.  Hendrickson 
was  a  man  of  marked  integrity  of  character, 
respected  wherever  he  was  known.  The  Meth- 
odist church  counted  him  as  one  of  its  strong- 
est members. 

William  Drake  Hendrickson,  father  of  Mrs. 
Walker,  was  born  in  1799,  and  when  a  young 
man  engaged  in  farming  in  Oswego  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  owned  a  large  farm.  He  mar- 
ried Catherine  Ratnour,  who  was  born  in  New 
York,  and  who  comes  of  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry. By  this  union  there  were  nine  chil- 
dren: George,  William,  Henry,  Alonzo,  Cath- 
erine, Mary,  Marcia,  Ann  and  Eliza,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity  upon  the  New  York 
farm.  About  1857  Mr.  Hendrickson  came  to 
Illinois  settling  in  Elgin,  where  he  opened  an 
ertablishment  and  engaged  in  marble  work, 
carrying  on  a  prosperous  business  in  this  line 
for  many  years.  He  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty- 
Three  years,  dying  in  1882.  He  was  interested 
in  public  affairs,  and  in  politics  affiliated  with 
the  Republican  party  from,  its  organization. 
He  was  thoroughly  upright  and  possessed  the 
keenest  sense  of  honor,  and  belonged  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mrs.  Walker  is  now  deceased,  her  death 
having  occurred  since  the  preparation  of  this 
sketch. 


MICHAEL  F.  WALSH. 

Micnael  F.  Walsh,  newspaper  editor  and  pro- 
prietor and  Postmaster,  Harvard,  MoHenry 
County,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Hartland  Town- 
ship, Jan.  17,  1866,  the  son  of  William  and 
Johanna  (Callahan)  Walsh.  Possessing  few 
pecuniary  and  educational  advantages  in  early 
life,  he  was  reared  on  the  farm,  attending  the 
dis+iict  school  during  the  winter  and  perform- 
ing farm  labor  in  the  summer.  As  he  grew 
older,  he  turned  his  attention  to  any  honest 
employment  which  offered  adequate  compen- 
sation and  promised  him  the  means  of  ac- 
quiring a  better  education.  When  about 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  obtained  employment 


in  a  printing  office  in  Woodstock,  with  a  view 
to  learning  the  printer's  trade,  but  three  months 
later  was  compelled  by  sickness  to  return  home. 
Here  he  resumed  work  on  the  farm,  attended 
school  for  a  time,  and  through  his  own  efforts 
entered  Beloit  College,  where  he  spent  a  year. 
In  1887  he  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  secured 
employment  for  a  time  in  the  circulating  de- 
partment   of    the    "Chicago    Mail"    and    "The 
Times,"   but  returning  to  Harvard   in  Decem- 
ber of  the  same  year,  with  a  cash  capital  of 
$25,  started  the  "Harvard  Herald,"  which  has 
since    become   one    of   the    leading   papers    of 
McHenry  County,    He  first  leased  a  small  room 
for   use   as    an   office,   and,   having  the   paper 
printed  in     Chicago,    looked     after    the     local 
circulation,  which  he  worked  up  from  the  be- 
ginning.      His     enterprise     and     perseverance 
found   no'   obstacle   which   could   not   be  over- 
come  and,    at   the   end    of   the   first   year,    he 
had  not.  only  supported  himself  and   saved   a 
little    money,    but  had    obtained    a   circulation 
of  500  copies.    Then  borrowing  $400,  he  bought 
a  small  Washington  hand-press  and  some  type 
and   printer's   supplies,  and   starting   an   office 
on  his  own  account,   with  the  aid  of  "patent 
insides,"   he   was   soon   running  in    "smoother 
waters."    In  1891,  having  secured  an  increased 
circulation,  he  took  in  a  partner  in  the  person 
of  Mr.  P.  E.  Whittleton  of  Harvard,  and  thus 
added  new  capital  to  the  enterprise.    In  1896, 
the   "Harvard  Herald"   having  become   an   as- 
sured success,  a  commodious  two-story  brick- 
building  was  erected  as  its  permanent  home, 
nnd  this  now  constitutes  the  largest  and  best 
equipped   printing   office  in   McHenry   County. 
The   establishment  was  formally  incorporated 
under   State  law  in  1899,  under  the  name  of 
"The  Harvard  Herald  Company,"  with  a  capi- 
tal  of   $12,000,   wholly  in  the  hands   of  three 
stockholders— Michael  F.  Walsh,  P.   E.  Whit- 
tleton   and    James    T.    Walsh — the      latter      a 
brother    of    the    founder    of    the    paper,    with 
which  he  has  been  connected  since  1889.    "The 
I-lerald"  now  has  a  circulation  of  over  2,000, 
lelieved  to  be  the  largest  of  any  local  journal 
in  McHenry  County,  and  enjoys  a  reputation 
for   enterprise    and    progressiveness.     It   is    a 
strenuous    advocate   of   Republican   principles, 
and  treats  political  issues  with  vigor  and  abil- 
ity.      Fraternally  Mr.  Walsh  is   a  member  of 
.  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  Mystic  Workers   of  the  World,   and 


1048 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


has  several  times  represented  his  Lodge  of 
Woodmen  in  National  Conventions.  In  1897 
he  was  commissioned  by  President  McKinley 
Postmaster  for  the  city  of  Harvard,  an  office 
■which  he  still  occupies.  February  14,  1900, 
be  was  united  in  marriage  at  Portland,  Ore., 
to  Mary  G.  Groesbeck,  who  was  born  in  Har- 
vard, 111.,  March  28,  1871,  the  daughter  of 
John  W.  and  Charlotte  (Van  Ness)  Groesbeck. 
Starting  without  capital  and  with  few  advan- 
tages, Mr.  Walsh  has  succeeded,  by  prudent 
management,  business  sagacity  and  native  abil- 
ity, through  his  own  unaided  efforts,  in  build- 
ing up  a  prosperous  business  and  furnishing 
to  ihe  people  of  McHenry  County  a  trust- 
worthy and  valuable  medium  of  local  and  gen- 
eial  news,  and  stands  as  an  illustration  of 
tv  hat  persistent  industry,  directed  by  sound 
judgment,  will  accomplish  for  individual  and 
ihe  public  good. 

William  Walsh,  father  of  Michael  F.,  was 
born  at  Amsterdam,  Montgomery  County,  N. 
Y.,  Nov.  26,  1834,  the  son  of  John  and  Nora 
(Gleason)  Walsh.  John  Walsh  was  a  native 
ol  Youghal,  County  Cork,  Ireland,  born  in  1802, 
married  in  his  native  county,  Nora  Gleason, 
daughter  of  Capt.  John  Gleason,  and  soon  after 
marriage  came  with  his  wife  to  America,  sail- 
ing from  Queenstown  in  the  spring  of  1834, 
in  the  good  ship  "Mary,"  which  made  the 
passage  to  Quebec  in  seven  weeks.  Proceed- 
ing directly  from  Quebec  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  he 
iound  employment  in  a  stone  quarry,  remaining 
until  September,  1837,  when  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago by  way  of  the  lakes.  He  then  worked 
en  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lemont,  Cook  County,  until  1841, 
when  he  removed  to  McHenry  County.  Arriv- 
ing in  Hartland  Township  in  June,  1841,  he 
there  bought  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  tim- 
ber land,  built  a  log-house  upon  it  in  which  he 
lived  in  pioneer  style,  and  began  improving 
his  farm.  To  his  original  purchase  he 
added  160  acres  of  land  near  by,  and  became 
a  substantial  farmer,  dying  May  6,  1874,  aged 
seventy-two  years.  He  was  a  communicant  of 
the  Catholic  Church,  and  in  political  relations, 
a  Democrat.  His  children  were:  William,  John, 
Eliza  and  Michael — the  last  named  dying  in 
infancy. 

William,  the  oldest  son  of  this  family,  was 
not  quite  three  years  old  when  his  father 
came    to    Chicago,    and   in    1841,    accompanied 


the  family  to  McHenry  County,  where  he  grew 
up  amid  pioneer  surroundings,  receiving  a  lim- 
ited education  in  the  common  schools  as  they 
existed  at  that  time.  He  has  always  pursued 
the  life  of  a  farmer.  July  16,  1863,  he  was 
married  in  Hartland  Township,  to  Johanna 
Callahan,  born  in  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Julia  (McKenna)  Calla- 
han. John  Callahan  was  a  stone-mason  by 
trade  and,  coming  to  America  after  his  mar- 
riage, worked  at  his  trade  in  Chicago.  He  died 
at  Bloomingdale,  111.,  his  wife  dying  in  Ire- 
land. Their  children  were:  James,  Patrick, 
Matthew,  Bartholomew,  Mary  and  Ellen. 

.  Mrs.  Johanna  (Callahan)  Walsh  came  to 
America  with  friends  in  1856,  and,  after  reach- 
ing Chicago,  went  to  Hartland  Township, 
where  she  had  relatives.  After  marriage  Wil- 
liam Walsh  settled  down  to  farming  and  im- 
proved land  given  him  by  his  father,  and  which 
the  latter  had  brought  from  the  Government  in 
1846.  As  was  customary  with  the  early  set- 
tlers, he  first  built  a  log  cabin,  but  after- 
wards erected  more  substantial  buildings.  In 
general  politics  Mr.  Walfh  is  a  Democrat,  but, 
on  local  matters,  votes  independently.  His 
family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
His  children  are:  John,  Michael  F.,  William, 
James  (1),  Mary,  Elizabeth  and  Josie.  Henry, 
his  fifth  son,  died  at  seventeen  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Walsh  has  a.  vivid  lecollection  of  condi- 
tions existing  when  he  first  came  to  McHenry 
County,  there  being  then  but  few  log  cabins 
in  Hartland  Township  and  but  one  house  in 
Woodstock;  a  region  where,  deer  and  other 
game  were  abundant,  ai.rl  the  ordi-nary  mode 
of  conveyance  was  by  ox-team.  Of  the  early 
Irish  settlers  in  that  region  only  Patrick  Mc- 
Cabe  still  survives  at  an  advanced  age.  Others 
of  that  period  were:  Adrew  Donnelly,  Frank 
Short,  Neill  Donnelly  and  the  Quinlans — Cor- 
nelius, Dennis,  John  and  Jeremiah,  all  of 
whom  have  passed  away.  Mr.  Walsh's  reminis- 
cences of  the  families,  and  of  the  period  to 
which  they  belonged,  are  full  of  interest. 


THOMAS   J.    WALSH. 

The  career  of  Thomas  J.  Walsh  illustrates 
most  forcibly  the  possibilities  that  are  open 
in  this  country  to  earnest,  persevering  young 
men,  who  have  the  courage  of  their  convic- 
tions, and  the  determination  to  be  the  archi- 
tects  of  their   own   fortunes.     It   proves   that 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1049 


neither  wealth,  social  position  nor  influential 
friends  are  essential  to  the  attainment  of 
eminent  usefulness,  honorable  distinction  and 
true  success. 

Thomas  J.  Walsh  is  a  self-made  man  in  the 
fullest  sense  of  that  often  misused  term.  A 
native  of  Illinois,  he  was  born  in  McHenry 
County,  Feb.  5,  1855,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town. 

The  Walsh  family  is  of  Irish  ancestry  from 
Queens  County,  Ireland,  and  many  of  the  fam- 
ily have  settled  in  America,  where  their  natural 
ability  and  strong  integrity  has  placed  them 
in  the  front  rank  of  business  and  professional 
circles.  William  Walsh,  father  of  Thomas  J., 
was  born  in  Queens  County,  Ireland,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1815.  He  learned  the  harness  maker's 
trade,  and,  when  a  young  man.  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  a  sailing-vessel,  arriving  at  Quebec. 
He  married  there  Amelia  Rawson,  of  English 
parentage,  born  in  1819,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Mary  Payne.  In  1845  Mr.  Walsh  moved 
to  McHenry,  where  he  became  one  of  the 
early  harness  makers  and  a  prominent  citi- 
zen. Here  he  reared  his  family  and  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  His  children  were 
Edward  R.,  Amelia,  James  S.,  Thomas  J.  and 
Charles  A.  Mr.  Walsh  was  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  church,  and  in  politics  a  Democrat. 

Thomas  J..  Walsh  married,  Sept.  10,  1877, 
Lola  I>.  Bishop,  born  in  McHenry,  August  13, 
1855,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Mary  (Morris) 
Bishop. 

Richard  Bishop  was  born  in  New  York  State, 
Nov.  16,  1824,  the  son  of  Hezekiah  and  Char- 
lotte Bishop.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
State  Legislature,  was  on  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors of  his  town,  and  one  of  the  early 
members  and  founders  of  the  TJniversalist 
church  in  McHenry.  (See  sketch  of  Richard 
Bishop  in  this  volume.) 

Thomas  J.  Walsh  began  to  work  in  Mr. 
Bishop's  flouring-mill  when  a  boy.  By  his  in- 
dustry, attention  to  business  and  honest  char- 
acter, he  not  only  learned  the  business,  but 
gradually  worked  up  to  a  responsible  position. 
He  remained  in  the  flouring-mill  until  Mr. 
Bishop's  death,  when  he  engaged  in  the  agri- 
cultural implement  business,  in  which  he  still 
continues.  Mr.  Walsh  has  met  with  a  marked 
degree  of  success  and  is  now  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial business  men  of  McHenry.  He  is  a 
man   of  broad   views,    a   member   of   the   TJni- 


versalist church,  and  well  known  throughout 
th  surrounding  country  as  a  business  man  of 
integrity  and  high  standing  in  the  mercantile 
community.  Mr  and  Mrs.  Walsh  have  one 
child,  Richard  Bishop. 


JOHN  J.  WHITESIDE. 

John  J.  Whiteside,  the  rising  young  law- 
yer of  Woodstock,  combines  with  a  more  than 
ordinary  legal  education  unusual  inherent  abil- 
ity for  the  profession,  and  has  prospects  for  be- 
coming one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
McHenry  County  bar.  He  is  now  about  thir- 
ty-three years  old,  and  has  for  several  years 
been  associated  with  Mr.  Lumley  as  a  member 
of  both  law  and  real  estate  firms,  the  latter 
being  known  as  Lumley,  Whiteside  &  Mur- 
phey. 

Mr.  Whiteside  comes  of  a  highly  cultivated 
and  professional  family.  The  early  Whitesides 
were  from  Ireland,  and  John  Whiteside,  Lord 
Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  was  of  the  original 
stock. 

Phineas  Whiteside,  great-great-grandfather 
of  John  J.,  came  from  County  Tyrole,  Ireland, 
and  settled  in  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  secured  1.400  acres  of  land  and  en- 
gaged in  agriculture.  A  practical  hard-work- 
ing farmer  and  a  good  business  man,  he  made 
well  out  of  his  enterprise  and  won  for  himself  a 
solid  prosperity.  He  passed  his  last  days  on 
this  farm,  where  he  died  and  was  buried.  He 
left  six  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  their  de- 
scendants still  own  the  greater  part  of  the 
original  tract  of  1,400  acres.  William,  the  son 
of  Phineas,  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  and  was  the  father  of  Dr.  John 
Whiteside,  grandfather  of  John  J.,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  Dr.  Whiteside  was  the  leading 
physician  of  Milford,  N.  Y.  He  received  a  lib- 
eral education,  which  he  supplemented  with  a 
thorough  course  in  medicine.  In  1823,  from  the 
New  York  Board  of  Health,  he  received  his  li- 
cense to  practice,  and  opening  an  office  at 
Milford  in  that  State,  gained  a  large  practice, 
which  was  continued  throughout  his  active 
professional  life.  Having  married  in  early 
manhood,  he  had  nine  children.  He  was  not 
only  a  legal  physician,  but  a  man  of  wide  in- 
fluence in  all  walks  of  life. 

Romeyn  Whiteside,  father  of  John  J.,  was 
born  in  Milford,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  1833,  .  and  there 
acquired  his  early  education,  taking  a  classi- 
cal course.  His  course  at  Union  College  hav- 
ing been  interrupted,  in  1856,  he  came  to  Polo, 


1050 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


111.,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  pub- 
lic school  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 
Early  in  that  struggle  he  enlisted  as  a  private 
in  Company  D,  Fifteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. He  was  later  promoted  to  First  Lieu- 
tenant and  transferred  to  Company  H  of  the 
same  regiment,  and,  going  to  the  front,  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  the  Vicksburg  cam- 
paign and  many  other  important  engagements. 
Having  contracted  the  yellow  fever,  he  was 
finally  furloughed  and  returned  to  Polo  for  re- 
cuperation. 'After  a  short  rest  he  assisted  in 
raising  a  new  company  of  men,  of  which  he 
became  a  member  for  three  years'  service  and 
participated  in  many  of  the  hardest  fought  bat- 
tles of  the  war,  in  all  serving  his  country  for  a 
period  of  four  years  and  seven  months.  He 
proved  himself  an  efficient  soldier  and  received 
a  medal  in  acknowledgment  of  his  bravery. 
After  the  war,  Lieutenant  Whiteside  returned 
to  Polo,  and  there,  in  1869,  married  Maria  Em- 
ma Stapley,  widow  of  James  L.  Stapley,  born 
in  Rock  Falls,  111.,  daughter  of  Robert  Atkins, 
and  the  first  white  child  born  in  Coloma  Town- 
ship, Whiteside  County.  Robert  Atkins  came 
from  Toronto,  Canada,  and  erected  the  first 
dwelling  in  Rapids  City,  now  known  as  Rock 
Falls.  He  met  his  death  by  an  accident  at  a 
barn-raising.  He  had  a  family  of  seven  chil- 
dren: Robert,  Charles,  Mafy,  Albert,  Allen, 
Emma  and  Maria.  Mrs.  Whiteside,  who  was 
a  woman  of  marked  force  of  character  and 
ability,  died  in  Rock  Falls,  Feb.  27,  1878.  By 
her  marriage  to  James  L.  Stapley  there  were 
three  children:  Edward  H.,  Louise  S.  and 
James  L.,  Jr.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Romeyn  White- 
side were  born  two  children:  John  J.,  who  is 
mentioned  below,  and  Phrocine. 

After  marriage  Mr.  Whiteside  settled  in 
Polo,  111.,  where  he  continued  teaching  for  some 
time,  but  later  accepted  a  position  as  editor 
and  proof-reader  for  the  Lakeside  Publishing 
Company,  Chicago,  moving  to  that  city  and  en- 
tering upon  his  duties  in  1871,  where  he  re- 
mained for  sixteen  years.  In  Aipril,  1887,  he 
received  an  appointment  through  Gen.  Edward 
Dustin,  a  Trustee  of  the  Illinois  Soldiers'  Home 
at  Quincy,  as  Head  Sergeant  of  the  Home,  but 
died  on  May  25,  1887,  just  one  month  after 
his  appointment. 

Lieut.  Romeyn  Whiteside  was  a  man  of 
much  ability  and  gifted  in  many  lines.  While 
in  Polo  he  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
many  years.  As  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War  he 
was  affiliated  with  the  Polo  Post  G.  A.  R. 

John  J.  Whiteside,  owing  to  the  ill-health  of 


his  mother  and  her  early  death — which  occur- 
red when  he  was  but  seven  years  old — was 
reared  mainly  by  a  benevolent  uncle,  Col.  Zeb- 
ulon  E.  Goodrich,  of  Marengo,  a  bachelor  of 
means  and  prominence,  who  acted  as  Colonel  of 
the  Eighty-fifth  New  York  Infantry  during  the 
Civil  War.  In  1867  Colonel  Goodrich  settled  in 
Marengo  with  his  sister,  Roxanne,  as  house- 
keeper, where,  in  the  steady  pursuit  of  busi- 
ness, he  added  materially  to  his  wealth,  being 
one  of  the  founders  and  a  large  stock-holder 
in  the  Dairyman's  State  Bank,  in  which  he  held 
the  office  of  President  until  he  was  eighty 
years  old.  He  also  owned  three  large  farms  in 
Seneca  Township,  purchased  in  1856,  from 
which  he  received  a  considerable  income.  He 
lived  to  an  advanced  age,  dying  in  Marengo 
Aug.  8,  1897.  He  was  a  man  of  marked  benev- 
olence and  he  and  his  sister  furnished  homes 
to  twenty-one  homeless  children,  none  of  them 
remaining  for  less  than  three  years. 

John  J.  Whiteside  was  born  in  Polo.  Ogle 
County,  111.,  June  3,  1870,  and  as  a  child,  taking 
up  his  residence  with  his  uncle  in  Marengo, 
received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of 
that  city.  After  graduating  from  the  Polo  High 
School,  he  entered  Lake  Forest  University, 
where  he  remained  four  years,  after  which  he 
began  the  study  of  law,  two  years  later  enter- 
ing the  Northern  Illinois  College  of  Law,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  May,  1899.  Later  he. 
took  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  North- 
western University  at  Evanston,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  June,  1900,  and  the  same  year 
became  associated  with  V.  S.  Lumley,  a  prom- 
inent attorney  of  Woodstock.  On  April  3,  1902, 
Mr.  Whiteside  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  has 
since  been  associated  with  Mr.  Lumley  as  a 
member  of  the  firm.  In  addition  to  his  pro- 
fessional work,  Mr.  Whiteside  has  assisted  in 
the  management  of  the  real  estate  firm  of 
Lumley,  Whiteside  &  Murphey,  and  by  his 
close  study  of  the  market  and  the  special  fea- 
tures of  the  property  with  which  he  has  to 
deal,  is  proving  himself  a  capable  business 
man.  He  is  prospering  in  his  work,  and  he  has 
a  pleasant  residence  in  Woodstock,  which  has 
been  his  home  since  1900. 

At  Elgin,  111...  Sept.  17,  1895,  Mr.  Whiteside 
was  married  to  Ruby  May  Cady,  who  was  born 
in  Riley  Township,  McHenry  County,  the 
daughter  of  Alfred  and  Hannah  Mary  (Ed- 
wards) Cady.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whiteside  have 
had  one  son,  Alfred  Romeyn,  who  was  born 
Sept.  2,  1901,  and  died  Nov.  6,  1901. 

Mr.  Whiteside's  traits  of  character  and  at- 


MRS.  JOHN  J.   WHITESIDE. 


wW 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1051 


tainments  have  won  him  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  citizens  of  Woodstock.  He  is 
energetic,  decisive  and  exceedingly  practical 
in  business,  sympathetic,  yet  firm  with  his  cli- 
ents, fair,  and  even'  generous,  to  opponems. 
His  tact  and  his  readiness  at  repartee  have 
won  him  social  recognition  as  well  as  profes- 
sional prominence,  and  he  stands  high  in  the 
best  circles  of  Woodstock.  Fraternally  he  is 
popular  and  belongs  to  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  Nation- 
al Union  and  Royal  Arcanum,  of  Woodstock, 
having  acted  as  Master  of  the  first  named 
lodge  in  Marengo.  Politically  he  is  a  Republi- 
can. 

The  Cady  family  of  which  Mrs.  Whiteside 
is  a  member,  is  an  old  and  prominent  one. 
Stephen  Peter  Cady,  great-grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Whiteside,  who  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  was 
born  in  Connecticut,  an*  moved  at  an  early 
period  to  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
followed  his  trade  for  many  years,  but  later  he 
settled  in  Stratford,  in  the  same  State,  and 
there  passed  his  last  days,  dying  in  his  eighty- 
first  year.  In  early  manhood  he  married  in 
Saratoga  County,  Betsy  Edwards  and  they  had 
seven  children:  Caroline,  Ebenezer  (who  is 
mentioned  below),  Harriet,  Edgar,  Emily,  Sen- 
eca and  Herman.  Mr.  Cady  was  honest,  pub- 
lic-spirited and  influential  in  local  affairs,  and 
a  man  highly  respected  wherever  he  was 
known. 

Ebenezer  Cady,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  White- 
side, who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  the 
first  of  his  line  to  settle  in  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  15,  1815,  and  when 
a  small  boy,  moved  with  his  parents  to  Salis- 
bury, Herkimer  County  N.  Y.,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education,  and  there 
married  Mary  E.  Case,  who  was  born  in  Salis- 
bury. She  died  in  that  place  some  years  after 
marriage,  and  sometime  later  he  married  Pau- 
line P.  Jennings,  who  was  born  in  Salisbury 
July  17,  1817,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Jennings, 
a  farmer,  and  a  descendant  of  a  prominent 
Connecticut  family.  By  his  first  marriage  Mr. 
Cady  had  one  child,  Mary,  who  lived  to  matur- 
ity, married  and  resided  in  Marengo,  where  she 
died.  By  his  second  marriage  Mr.  Cady  had 
six  children:  Edwin,  who  was  a  private  in 
the  Ninety-seventh  Regiment,  New  York  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  during  the  Civil  War,  and  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg;  Alfred,  who. 
is  mentioned  below;  Sarah  A..  Oscar,  Lodica 
ar.d  Emily.  After  marriage  Mr.  Cady  settled 
in  Salisbury,  N.  Y.,  and  there  remained  until 


1851,  when  he  moved  to  Vernon,  Oneida  Coun- 
ty, same  State.  In  1863  he  moved  to  Marengo 
Township,  McHenry  County,  where  He  settled 
upon  a  100-acre  farm  one  mile  west  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Marengo.  Here  he  carried  on  his  farm 
until  1882,  when  he  retired  from  business  and 
settled  in  Marengo,  dying  there  in  1890,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five  years.  As  a  Whig  in  early 
days,  and  later  as  a  Republican,  Mr.  Cady  was 
influential  in  local  politics. 

Alfred  Cady,  father  of  Mrs.  Whiteside,  is  a 
retired  farmer  and  business  man  of  Marengo, 
who  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
public  affairs  of  his  city.  Born  in  Salisbury,  N. 
Y.,  Aug.  2, 1843,  he  was  but  seven  years  old  wheu 
his  parents  moved  to  Vernon,  N.  Y.,  and  nine- 
teen when  they  came  to  Illinois.  In  the  public 
schools  of  these  different  localities  he  received 
his  education,  finishing  with  a  high  school 
course  at  Marengo.  Having  entered  upon  his 
life  occupation  as  a  farmer,  on  Oct.  13,  1869,  he 
was  married  at  Marengo,  111.,  to  Hannah  Mary 
Edwards,  who  was  born  in  Greenfield,  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  30,  1846,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Bowen)  Edwards,  and  of 
this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children: 
Ruby  May,  who  is  mentioned  above;  William 
Carlton,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
and  Edwin  James.  After  marriage  Mr.  Cady 
settled  upon  a  well  improved  farm  of  112  acres 
in  Riley  Township,  McHenry  County.  He  final- 
ly increased  the  area  of  his  farm  until  it  em- 
braced 152  acres,  erecting  upon  it  substantial 
buildings,  materially  increasing  its  value.  In 
1880  he  opened  a  factory  in  Marengo  for  the 
manufacture  of  dairying  supplies,  and  also  en- 
gaged in  other  enterprises  with  marked  suc- 
cess. In  consequence  of  failing  eye-sight  he 
found  himself  incapacitated  for  business,  his 
trouble  ending  in  total  blindness.  He  is  still, 
however,  a  large  property  owner,  besides  his 
well  improved  farm,  being  owner  of  several 
city  lots  and  residences  and  other  valuable 
property. 

Mr.  Cady  is  a  well-informed  man,  possesses 
a  retentive  memory  and  has  been  a  great 
reader  all  his  life.  As  a  Republican  he  has 
figured  prominently  in  local  politics  and  has 
heid  several,  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility. 
He  is  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  in  all 
circles,  and  the  Methodist  church  counts  him 
and  his  wife  among  its  most  worthy  members. 
Naturally  cheerful  and  genial,  he  bears  the  loss 
of  his  sight  with  remarkable  fortitude. 


1052 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


WILLIAM   WAKELEY. 

William  Wakeley,  retired  farmer,  Harvard. 
111.,  an  early  settler  of  McHenry  County,  and 
for  many  years  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Che- 
mung Township,  is  descended  from  a  Colonial 
Connecticut  family  of  mixec1  Irish  and  Welsh 
ancestry.  His  father,  also  named  William 
Wakeley,  was  a  native  of  Litchfield,  Conn., 
born  in  April,  1802,  the  son  of  a  physician 
William  Wakeley,  St.,  was  a  drummer  boy  in 
the  War  of  1812,  later  learning  the  shoemaker's 
trade,  after  which  he  married  at  Athens,  N.  Y., 
in  September.  1821,  Margaret  Whippy,  who  was 
born  on  Nantucket  Island,  June  11,  1804,  the 
daughter  of  Reuben  and  Abial  Whippy.  The 
father,  Reuben  Whippy,  who  was  a  lame  man, 
was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  Late  in  life  he  re- 
moved from  Nantucket  to  Athens,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  died.  His  children  were:  Nancy,  George, 
Margaret  and  Ann.  Mr.  Wakeley,  Sr.,  worked 
at  his  trade  at  Athens,  N.  Y.,  until  about  1826, 
when  he  removed  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  a  few 
years  later  to  Williamsville,  in  the  same  State, 
where  he  remained  until  1849.  He  then  started 
west  with  a  view  to  settling  in  Kansas.  Leav- 
ing his  family  in  Chicago  with  his  son  William, 
he  proceeded  westward  alone,  but  was  seized 
with  cholera,  en  route,  arid  died  on  the  St. 
Mary's  River  in  Missouri.  He  was  a  self-edu- 
cated man,  but  was  well  informed,  and,  for 
many  years,  served  as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  also  practiced  law  at  times  before  the  Jus- 
tices' courts.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat, 
was  an  industrious  citizen  and  a  Kind-hearted, 
indulgent  father,  but  taught  his  children  the 
virtue  of  obedience.  His  children  were:  Wil- 
liam (the  subject  of  this  sketch),  James,  Car- 
oline, George  and  Benton.  Mrs.  Wakeley,  the 
mother  of  this  family,  lived  to  be  seventy-sev- 
en years  old.  In  her  later  years  she  went  to 
California  and  spent  some  time  with  her  son 
Benton,  but  returning  to  Illinois,  lived  with  her 
son  William  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
February,  1881. 

William  Wakeley,  Jr.,  was  born  at  Athens, 
N.  Y.,  Feb.  22,  1822,  and  having  received  a  lim- 
ited common  school  education,  at  thirteen  years 
of  age  began  learning  the  shoemaker's  trade 
with  his  father.  While  working  on  the  bench 
he  continued  his  studies,  and  learned  to 
"cipher"  until  he  could  perform  any  example  in 
the  old  Daboll's  Arithmetic.  When  he  had 
reached  twenty  years  of  age  he  opened  a  shop 
for  himself  at  Newstead,  fifteen  miles  east  of 
Williamsville;   and  here,  on  April  26,  1846,  he 


was  married  to  Joanna  Hunt,  who  was  born  at 
Day,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  6,  1824,  the  daughter  of  George 
and  Elizabeth  (Deming)  Hunt.  Her  father, 
George  Hunt,  was  born  in  1791,  and  her  mother 
Aug.  19,  1792.  Mr.  Hunt  was  a  farmer  of 
Newstead,  N.  Y.,  where  after  settlement  there, 
he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  and  his  wife 
had  children  named:  Lydia,  Susannah,  Chloe, 
Joanna,  George,  Elizabeth,  Tryphena,  Minerva 
and  Pamela. 

Before  his  marriage  Mr.  Wakeley  had  bought 
seventeen  acres  of  land,  and,  by  industry  and 
frugal  management,  had  saved  a  few  hundred 
dollars.  He  worked  at  his  trade  until  1850, 
when,  in  April  of  that  year,  he  removed  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  111.,  settling  in  Chemung  Town- 
ship, three  miles  north  of  Harvard,  where  he 
bought  twenty  acres  of  land,  seven  of  which 
had  been  broken,  the  remainder  being  unim- 
proved. Here  he  established  a  shoe-shop,  to 
which  settlers  came  for  many  miles  to  have 
their  work  done.  The  shoemaker  of  those  days 
was  a  very  different  sort  of  workman  from  the 
"cobbler"  of  the  present  time.  Mr.  Wakeley 
brought  leather  with  him  for  his  first  work,  and 
was  accustomed  to  make  shoes  of  all  sorts  and 
for  all  classes — men,  women  and  children.  He 
followed  his  trade  industriously,  and  often  ex- 
changed work  with  his  farmer  patrons,  making 
shoes  for  them  while  they  paid  him  by  working 
for  him  in  the  harvest  field.  In  this  way  he 
prospered,  soon  doubled  his  holding  of  land, 
later  making  other  additions  until  he  became 
the  owner  of  237%  acres.  The  log  cabin,  cov- 
ered with  oak  "shakes,"  which  stood  on  his 
land  when  he  bought  it,  he  replaced  by  a  sub- 
stantial frame  dwelling  in  1863,  and  erected 
good  barns  and  other  farm  buildings,  finally 
becoming  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  his 
township.  He  continued  his  work  at  the  shoe- 
maker's trade  until  1868,  when  he  closed  his 
shop  permanently,  thereafter  devoting  his  at- 
tention solely  to  his  farm. 

Mr.  Wakeley  has  been  twice  married,  the 
children  by  his  first  wife  being  George  H., 
Chloe,  William  S..  Milo  and  Walter  A.  Mrs. 
Wakeley,  who  died  April  17,  1880,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  church  and  a  woman  of 
many  virtues.  On  November  11,  1882,  Mr. 
Wakeley  was  married  to  Arabella  Cochran  (nee 
Grimley),  the  widow  of  Murray  Cochran,  who 
was  a  Union  soldier  during  the  Civil  War.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cochran  had  three  daughters,  Eva, 
Minnie  and  Ethel.  Mrs.  Arabella  (Grimley) 
Wakeley  was  born  at  Ellenville,  N.  Y.,   Sept. 


CfU^ftvn     Ci  }ftUjp 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1053 


29,  1847,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Melissa 
(Terwilliger)  Grimley.  Her  father,  Thomas 
Grimley,  was  born  in  the  "Drowned  Lands" 
region  in  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Nancy  (Ingham)  Grimley.  His 
father,  Jonathan  Grimley,  who  was  a  native  of 
England,  was  bookkeeper  for  a  wealthy  cutlery 
firm  at  Sheffield,  England,  and  in  his  early 
manhood  eloped  with  and  married  Nancy  Ing- 
ham, the  daughter  of  Jonathan  Ingham,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm.  Her  father  having  refused  to 
be  reconciled,  the  young  couple,  after  remain- 
ing in  England  about  four  months,  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  became  a  substantial  farmer  and 
where  he  finally  died  aged  eighty  years.  The 
Grimleys  were  not  recognized  in  the  will  of 
Jonathan  Ingham,  so  his  property  went  into  the 
hands  of  other  heirs.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grimley 
had  fifteen  children,  eleven  of  whom  grew  to 
years  of  maturity,  viz.:  William,  John,  Joseph, 
Thomas,  Nancy,  Eliza,  Emeline,  Alfred,  Mary, 
Edgar  and  Sarah.  Mr.  Grimley  was  a  Presby- 
terian in  religious  faith  and  a  man  of  stanch 
character.  Thomas  Grimley  of  this  family,  who 
became  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wakeley,  received  a 
common  school  education  and  became  a  glass- 
blower  in  Ellenville,  N.  Y.  He  was  married 
there  to  Melissa  Terwilliger,  who  was  born  at 
Mountain  Dale,  N.  Y.,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Benjamin  F.  Terwilliger.  The  Terwilli- 
gers  were  of  Holland-Dutch  ancestry,  and  Ben- 
jamin F.  was  a  farmer  at  Mountain  Dale.  He 
died  at  the  home  of  a  daughter  in  Sullivan 
County,  N.  Y.  The  children  of  this  family  were 
Debora  and  Melissa — the  latter  becoming  Mrs. 
Grimley.  Thomas  Grimley  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War,  having  enlisted  at  St.  Charles,  111., 
Sept.  17,  1861,  as  a  private  in  Company  I, 
Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  Col.  J.  F.  Farnsworth. 
His  company  commander  was  Capt.  H.  L.  Rap- 
elye.  He  was  honorably  discharged  at  Chicago 
in  February,  1864.  During  the  period  of  his 
service  he  was  promoted  for  gallant  and  mer- 
itorious conduct  from  Commissary  Sergeant 
through  the  various  grades  to  Captain,  mean- 
while participating  in  an  even  hundred  battles 
and  skirmishes,  including  the  battles  of  Get- 
tysburg, the  Seven  Day's  Fight  in  the  Wilder- 
ness, the  battles  of  Fair  Oaks,  Malvern  Hill, 
Richmond,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorville, 
Culpepper  Court  House  and  Williamsport. 
During  this  time  he  was  never  wounded  nor  a 
prisoner,  but  on  three  different  occasions  re- 
ceived  bullet-holes   through   his   hat.     In   1863 


he  was  detailed  to  purchase  horses  for  the 
Government  and  remained  in  this  business  for 
several  months. 

After  his  second  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wakeley  remained  on  the  farm  until  1898, 
when  they  removed  to  Harvard,  where  he  now 
owns  a  pleasant  home,  including  three  lots. 
He  also  retains  the  home  farm.  Their  children 
are:  Roy  P.,  Vera  A.  and  Guy  B. — all  having 
received  good  educations.  Mrs.  Wakeley  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr. 
Wakeley  a  stanch  Republican.  He  cast  his 
first  Arote  for  James  K.  Polk,  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  President  in  1844,  but  from  the 
organization  of  the  Republican  party  supported 
its  candidates  for  the  Presidency,  including 
John  C.  Fremont  in  1856,  and  Abraham  Lincoln 
in  1860.  He  has  held  various  local  offices,  in- 
cluding Assessor  (1862-3)  and  Overseer  'of  the 
Poor  for  Chemung  Township,  of  the  latter  be- 
ing relieved  at  his  own  request  by  the  Super- 
visor of  the  Township.  He  was  also  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways  for  several  years.  Mr. 
Wakeley  is  a  man  of  iron  constitution,  and 
now,  at  the  age  of  over  eighty-one  years,  is  in 
the  enjoyment  of  all  his  mental  j,nd  physical 
faculties,  being  able  to  read  without  glasses. 
Physically  active,  he  also  possesses  a  marked 
intelligence  and  is  an  especially  entertaining 
conversationalist. 


CHAPIN   A.  WILCOX. 

Chapin  A.  Wilcox,  an  early  settler  of  McHenry 
County,  substantial  farmer  and  prominent  citi- 
zen, springs  from  Puritan  and  colonial  Connec- 
ticut stock,  his  remote  ancestors  coming  from 
Wales.  There  is  a  tradition  that  three  broth- 
ers named  Seth,  Enoch  and  Timothy  Wilcox, 
came  to  America  at  an  early  day — the  two  first 
named  settling  in  Connecticut  and  the  last  in 
Rhode  Island.  A  descendant  of  one  of  these 
brothers,  also  named  Enoch,  was  the  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  born  near  Hartford,  mar- 
ried Chloe  Cossit  in  his  native  State,  and  in 
1798,  moved  to  Pompey,  Onondaga  County,  N. 
\.  Their  children  were:  Grandison,  Corin- 
thia,  Pattie  (or  Martha),  Jarvis,  Chloe, 
Timothy,  Alvira  and  Warren — all  born  in  Pom- 
pey, N.  Y.,  except  Grandison,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut.  Enoch  Wilcox  settled  in 
a  heavily  timbered  region  in  Onondaga  Coun- 
ty, where  he  cleared  up  a  farm,  but  about  1827-8 
moved  to  Chautauqua  County,  settling  at  Cas- 
sadaga,  where  he  became  the  proprietor  of  a 


1054 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


saw-mill,  which  he  managed  some  years.  He 
spent  here  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  partly 
opened  up  a  farm  and  died  aged  about  sixty 
years.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's  Har- 
bor. In  religion  he  was  a  Methodist,  in  poli- 
tics an  old-line  Whig,  and  having  some  knowl- 
edge of  law,  practiced  to  some  extent  in  the 
Justices'  courts.  Amy,  daughter  of  John  Wil- 
cox and  a  second  cousin  of  Enoch,  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Onondaga  County. 
Martha,  daughter  of  Enoch  Wilcox,  married 
Delos  Beebe,  the  first  white  child  born  in  Erie 
County,  N.  Y. 

Grandison,  the  oldest  son  of  Enoch  'Wilcox, 
last  named,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  April  4, 
1797,  and  received  a  common-school  education 
at  Pompey,  N.  Y.,  but  was  largely  self-edu- 
cated.- He  became  a  farmer  and,  in  1821,  was 
married  at  Pompey,  N.  Y.,  to  Theodosia 
Chapin,  who  was  born  near  Salisbury,  Mass., 
the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Martha  (Brundage) 
Chapin.  The  Chapins  are  of  English  descent, 
and  a  well-known  colonial  family  of  Massachu- 
setts. After  marriage  Grandison  Wilcox  re- 
mained for  a  few  years  on  the  Wilcox  home- 
stead, but  later  settled  near  Manlius,  N.  Y., 
where  he  lived  eight  years,  when  he  moved  to 
the  Chapin  homestead.  About  1829  he  re- 
turned to  the  vicinity  of  Manlius,  where  he 
opened  up  a  farm  of  100  acres.  Here  he  spent 
the  active  years  of  his  life,  though  his  last 
twenty  years  were  spent  for  the  most  part  with 
his  son,  Chapin  A.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
in  which  he  was  a  class-leader  and  exhorter; 
politically,  he  was  an  old-line  Whig  and  an 
early  Abolitionist,  casting  his  vote  for  James 
G.  Birney  for  President  in  1844,  and,  in  his  lat- 
ter years,  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  two  children:  Chapin  A.,  born 
Dec.  25,  1822,  and  Martha,  born  Sept.  15,  1831 
— both  born  at  Manlius,  N.  Y. 

Chapin  A.  Wilcox  received  a  good  education 
in  his  youth,  and  has  always  followed  the  ac- 
cupation  of  a  farmer.  Early  in  1844  he  came 
west,  making  the  journey  to  Detroit  by  lake 
steamer,  and  thence  across  the  State  of  Michi- 
gan by  the  partially  completed  Michigan  Cen- 
tral Railroad  to  Chicago — carrying  his  baggage 
on  his  back  seven  miles  at  one  point  over  an 
incompleted  section  of  the  road.  On  June  19, 
following,  he  was  married,  at  Kenosha,  Wis.,  to 
Susan  A.  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Columbia 
County,   N.   Y.,   Jan.   4,   1824,   the  daughter  of 


Peter  E.  and  Electa  (Smith)  Smith.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wilcox  first  settled  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  but  two  years  later  (1846)  made  a  visit 
to  Mrs.  Wilcox's  parents  near  Kenosha,  Wis. 
During  this  trip  Mr.  Wilcox  extended  his  visit 
to  McHenry  County,  where  he  looked  over  the 
land  where,  in  February,  1848,  he  entered  480 
acres,  besides  nine  acres  of  timber-land  which 
he  bought  in  the  Marengo  woods.  It  was  not 
until  April,  1856,  however,  that  he  came  west, 
locating  at  Evansville,  Rock  County,  Wis., 
where  they  resided  one  year,  when,  on  April  3, 
1857,  he  removed  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  set- 
tling on  his  present  homestead.  For  the  first 
few  months  they  lived  in  a  building  which  had 
been  erected  for  a  barn,  but  on  November  16th 
following,  occupied  the  brick  dwelling  which 
had,  in  the  meantime,  been  in  process  of  erec- 
tion. By  his  industry  and  economy  Mr.  Wilcox 
opened  up  a  good  farm  and  added  to  his  land, 
until  he  became  the  owner  of  about  670  acres. 
Of  this  he  subsequently  sold  120  acres,  besides 
giving  to  his  two  sons  160  acres  each,  leaving 
225  acres  and  the  family  residence,  which  he 
still  occupies.  His  first  residence  having  been 
destroyed  by  fire  on  Dec.  10,  1880,  it  was  re- 
placed during  the  following  year  by  a  com- 
modious two-story  brick  residence  of  more  sub- 
stantial character,  making  one  of  the  most 
comfortable  farm  homesteads  in  McHenry 
County.  Following  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
father,  Mr.  Wilcox  was  an  original  Abolitionist, 
casting  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  James  G. 
Birney,  and  has  later  been  a  stanch  Republi- 
can. His  father  was  identified  with  the  "Un- 
derground Railroad,"  the  Wilcox  home  in  New 
York  being  a  station  at  which  runaway  slaves 
frequently  received  shelter  and  food,  while 
making  their  way  to  Canada  and  freedom.  In- 
stances are  related  in  which  Chapin  Wilcox 
played  the  part  of  "conductor"  in  carrying  fugi- 
tives, who  had  been  secreted  in  his  father's 
home  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  by  night,  in  a  cov- 
ered wagon  to  Oswego,  whence  they  escaped 
to  Canada. 

Mr.  Wilcox,  though  not  a  seeker  for  office, 
has  served  his  township  as  Road  Commissioner 
for  twelve  years  and  as  Assessor  one  year,  be- 
sides serving  several  years  on  the  School 
Board.  In  these  positions  he  has  given  evi- 
dence of  public  spirit  in  the  promotion  of  pub- 
lic improvement  and  his  friendship  for  the 
cause  of  education. 

Peter  E.  Smith,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wilcox, 
was  born  of  colonial  stock  in  Connecticut,  Dec. 


QfcJ^&^y, 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1055 


"24,  1800,  and  his  parents  having  moved  to  New 
York,  he  was  educated  in  a  Quaker  boarding 
school  at  Kinderhook  in  that  State.  In  1843 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  Bristol,  Kenosha 
<3ounty,  Wis.,  where  he  became  the  owner  of  a 
good  farm.  Having  sold  his  farm  in  his  old 
age,  he  resided  for  a  time  at  Evanston,  111.,  but 
spent  the  last  eight  years  of  his  life  with  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Wilcox,  dying  at  the  age  of 
ninety  years.  Originally  a  Democrat,  in  later 
years  he  became  a  Republican.  He  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  were  parents  of  the  following 
named  children:  Susan  A.,  born  Jan.  4,  1825; 
Mary  P.,  born  March  7,  1826;  Debora,  born 
June  8,  1834;  Phoebe  Au,  born  Oct.  10,  1836; 
Emily  R.,  born  Nov.  5,  1840. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilcox  have  had  three  chil- 
dren: Frances  Isabel,  Eugene  Grandison  and 
Emmett  S. — whose  family  records  run  as  fol- 
lows: 

Frances  Isabel  Wilcox,  born  May  2,  1849, 
married  Samuel  L.  Tate,  and  they  have  had 
the  following  named  children:  Elva,  born 
Oct.  10,  1870 ;  Edith  Susan,  born  Dec.  16,  1872 ; 
Frances  Belle,  born  Feb.  21,  1875;  Helen 
Louisa,  born  March  14,  1883.  Edith  Susan 
Tate,  of  this  family,  was  married,  Feb.  26,  1897, 
to  Frederick  S.  Eldred,  who  was  born  Oct.  7, 
1870,  and  they  have  one  child,  Frederick  Wil- 
son Eldred,  born  May  18,  1901. 

Eugene  Grandison  Wilcox,  born  August  27, 
1858,  married  August  14,  1888,  Mary  Ellen 
Green,  who  was  born  May  9,  1868,  and  they 
have  five  children:  Lawrence  Eugene,  born 
Dec.  29,  1890;  Marguerette  Laura  and  Marjory 
Belle  (twins),  born  August  25,  1895;  Chapin 
Aaron,  born  June  28,  1898;  Harry  Green,  born 
August  11,  1901. 

Emmett  Smith  Wilcox  (twin  brother  of 
Eugene  Grandison,)  born  August  27, 1858,  mar- 
ried, Jan.  14,  18801,  Allatta  Grace  Metcalf,  born 
August  10,  1860;  children— Ada  Grace,  born 
Sept.  13,  1880;  Maxwell  Chapin,  born  May  30, 
1884;  Elna  Louise,  born  July  29,  1886.  Ada 
Grace  Wilcox  of  this  family  married,  Nov.  20, 
1900,  Blanford  Frederick  Pierce,  who  was  born 
Nov.  6,  1S78.  Emmett  Smith  Wilcox,  the  head 
of  this  family,  was  killed  by  a  runaway  team, 
March  15,  1902. 

Chapin  A.  Wilcox  is  a  man  of  strong  char- 
acter who  has  acquired  a  good  property  by  up- 
right, honest  methods,  and  has  assisted  in  the 
material  development  of  his  section  of  the 
county. 


JOHN    F.  WILSON. 

John  F.  Wilson,  whose  attractive  148-acre 
farm  in  Marengo  Township  is  the  picture  of 
thrift  and  prosperity,  has  long  been  a  resident 
of  this  section,  for  the  past  fifteen  years  occu- 
pying his  present  home.  Mr.  Wilson  is  of  good 
Scotch  ancestry,  his  grandfather,  James  Wil- 
son, who  was  a  resident  of  Scotland,  being  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and,  for  a  time,  the  man- 
ager of  a  grist-mill.  He  was  married  twice, 
and  of  his  children  there  were  two  sons — John 
and  James — besides  one  daughter. 

John  Wilson,  the  father  of  John  F.,  was  born 
in  Berwickshire,  Scotland,  in  May,  1810,  and 
in  his  native  country  received  careful  rearing. 
Coming  to  America  in  early  manhood,  he  spent 
some  years  in  Canada,  where  he  was  married 
and  had  one  daughter  named  Eliza.  About 
1840  he  came  to  Illinois,  and,  in  1844,  settled 
upon  a  tract  of  slightly  improved  land  north  of 
Maiengo,  then  consisting  of  188  acres,  where 
his  son  John  now  resides.  Possessed  of  in- 
dustrious energy,  he  cleared  up  his  land,  re- 
placed the  log  cabin,  which  he  found  there, 
with  commodious  and  substantial  buildings, 
making  a  comfortable  home,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  first  wife,  whom 
he  married  in  Canada,  having  died  about  the 
time  he  settled  in  Marengo  Township,  in  1844 
he  married  Margaret  Pringle,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  Berwickshire,  Scotland,  born  Feb.  15, 
1819,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Sidney  (Pat- 
terson) Pringle.  Mrs.  Wilson  was  about  twen- 
ty years  old  when  she  came  with  her  parents 
to  Illinois.  They  settled  near  Galena,  and  she 
was  about  twenty-five  years  old  at  the  time  of 
her  marriage.  She  was  a  faithful  helpmate  of 
her  husband,  and  has  always  been  most  highly 
esteemed  in  her  community.  By  his  second 
marriage  Mr.  Wilson  had  eight  children: 
James,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six  years;  Sid- 
ney, who  married  Dr.  Miller;  Anna,  who  mar- 
ried Ghordis  Stull;  Mary,  Margaret  and  Emma, 
who  were  never  married;  Helen,  who  died  in 
early  womanhood;  John;  and  Edith,  who  also 
died  in  early  life.  Mr.  Wilson's  daughter, 
Eliza,  by  his  first  marriage,  married  Rev.  John 
Hutchinson. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  well  read,  especially  upon 
subjects  relating  to  national  policy.  A  sturdy 
Scotchman,  he  became  a  stanch  American  citi- 
zen, was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Republi- 
can party  in  McHenry  County,  and  was  a  zeal- 
ous champion  of  its  principles.  As  a  devout 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  he  gave 


1056 


M-cH'EN  R  Y 


ctmtt^Y.- 


his  support  to  all  good  Works)!  being  especially 
liberal  in  his  offerings  for  church  benevolences. 
Possessed  of  a  high  sense  of  honor,  kind- 
hearted  and'  generous,  he  was  a  thoroughly 
good  citizen,  and  a  model  husband  and  father. 
He  died  May  18,  1889,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 
Mrs.  Wilson,  who  still  survives  him,  has  been 
a  life-long  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
with  which  she  united  in  her  native  Scotland 
during  her  childhood. 

John  F.  Wilson,  the  son  of  John  and  Marga- 
ret (Pringle)  Wilson,  was  born  on  the  farm, 
where  he  now  resides,  Feb.  26,  1857.  In  the 
public  schools  of  his  neighborhood  he  received 
his  early  education,  afterwards  for  a  time  at- 
tending the  Marengo  High  School.  Reared  to 
farm  work,  upon  reaching  manhood  he  chose 
that  occupation  for  his  life-work.  September 
5,  1888,  he  married  Mary  E.  Lockwood,  of  Dorr 
Township,  who  was  born  Dec.  28,  1863,  the 
daughter  of  Minor  and  Belva  (Button)  Lock- 
wood.  By  this  union  there  have  been  eight 
children:  Maxwell  Minor,  born  July  13,  1889; 
Marjorie  Belle,  March  16,  1891;  Edith  Helen, 
Dec.  24,  1892;  Ruth,  Nov.  21,  1894;  Kathryn  H., 
Nov.  27,  1896;  Jean  Marie,  Nov.  22,  1898; 
Gladys  Ruby,  Oct.  10,  1900,  and  John,  Sept.  7, 
1902.  After  marriage  Mr.  Wilson  settled  upon 
his  father's  farm  in  Marengo  Township,  now 
consisting  of  148  acres,  and  here  he  has  since 
resided.  By  his  untiring  industry  he  has  car- 
ried on  a  successful  business  and  has  added 
many  improvements.  In  his  methods  he  is 
progressive  and  scientific,  and  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  foremost  agriculturists  of  his  sec- 
tion. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  well-informed,  public-spirited, 
practical,  business-like  and  capable.  In  the 
public  affairs  of  his  community  his  word  car- 
ries weight,  and  as  a  person  keenly  interested 
in  the  advertisement  of  education,  he  has  acted 
as  school  director  for  many  years.  A  person 
of  high  moral  principles,  interested  in  all  good 
works  he  is  a  power  for  good  in  his  com- 
munity. Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Re- 
publican party.  His  family  are  regular  at- 
tendants upon  the  services  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 


WILLIAM  P.  WALKUP. 
Prominent  among  the  few  surviving  pioneers 
of  McHenry  County  stands  the  name  of  Wil- 
liam P.  Walkup,  who  still  resides  in  the  locality 
which  has  been  his  home  for  two  generations 
His  father,    Christopher    Walkup,    traced    his 


lineage  through  a  colonial  Virginia  family  to 
Irish  ancestry,  having  been  himself  born  in 
Greenbrier  County  (now  West  Virginia)  about 
1794.  He  received  the  limited  education  com- 
mon at  that  time,  became  a  farmer  and  was 
married  to  Sabina  Beard,  a  native  of  the  same 
county  and  member  of  an  old  Virginia  family 
of  Scotch  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walkup  first 
settled  in  their  native  county,  but  later  moved 
to  Nicholas  County,  W.  Va.,  where  they  lived 
on  a  mountain  farm  some  five  years.  Their 
children — all  born  in  Greenbrier  County- 
were:  John,  Margaret,  Josiah,  William  P. 
(our  subject),  Janet  and  Sabina.  In  1832  or 
'33  the  older  son,  John,  and  John  McClure,  who 
had  married  the  daughter  Margaret,  emigrated 
to  LaPorte,  Ind.,  where  they  remained  two 
years.  In  the  spring  of  1835,  they  removed  to 
McHenry  County,  Ill.,\  and  settled  in  Nunda  on 
the  border  of  Dorr  Township.  The  flattering 
reports  concerning  the  new  country  which 
they  wrote  back  to  their  old  home  induced  the 
rest  of  the  family  to  follow  them.  The  journey, 
which  occupied  between  five  and  six  weeks, 
was  made  with  a  canvas-covered,  four-horse 
wagon  (or  "prairie  schooner"  as  it  was  some- 
times called),  that  carried  the  household 
effects  and  a  part  of  the  family,  Mrs.  Walkup 
riding  all  the  way  on  horseback.  At  night  the 
family  camped  by  the  wayside,  sleeping  in  a 
tent  or  in  the  wagon,  and  cooking  their  meals 
over  the  camp-fire  in  camping  style.  They 
reached  their  destination,  in  what  is  now  Dorr 
Township,  on  Oct.  1,  1835,  finally  settling  on 
the  site  where  Mr.  William  P.  Walkup  now  re- 
sides. Here  the  elder  Walkup  built  a  primi- 
tive log-cabin  with  a  stick  and  clay  chimney, 
broad  fire-place  and  puncheon  floor,  in  which 
they  lived  for  several  years.  The  cabin  had  a 
loft  or  attic  reached  by  a  ladder,  which  served 
for  a  sleeping  room  and  storage  purposes. 
Through  the  aid  of  Mr.  Isaac  Torbert,  he  was 
enabled  to  enter  400  acres  of  land,  upon  which 
about  1846,  he  erected  the  first  all  frame  house 
in  the  township.  Mr.  Torbert  was  a  man  of 
education  and  capital,  as  well  as  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  the  township,  and  did  much 
to  assist  the  pioneers  in  securing  title  to  the 
lands  on  which  they  had  located  claims  and 
begun  improvements.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walkup 
were  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  assisted  in  the  erection  of  the  first  church 
edifice  of  that  denomination  in  Dorr  Township 
— this  being  built  on  Mr.  Walkup's  land.  While 
Lake   County  was  still  attached   to   McHenry 


Me  HENRY     GQINIY, 


1057 


County,  he  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  under 
Sheriff  Steele,  and  on  the  separation  of  the 
two  counties  in  1840,  was  elected  Sheriff  o£ 
McHenry  County,  serving  four  years.  He  died 
in  May,  1869,  having  reached  the  age  of  seven- 
ty-flve  years.  He  is  remembered  as  a  man  of 
honorable,  sturdy  character,  and  was  widely 
known   and   respected. 

William  P.  Walkup,  the  third  son  and  fourth 
child  of  this  family,  was  born  in  Greenbrier 
County,  Va.  (now  W.  Va.),  May  25,  1817,  re- 
ceived such  education  as  was  customary 
among  farmers'  boys  at  that  time,  and,  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  years,  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  McHenry  County.  Here  he  assisted 
his  father  to  erect  the  first  cabin  home  of  the 
family  and  open  the  new  farm,  and  attended 
the  first  school  in  McHenry  County  (1836-37), 
which  was  taught  by  Miss  Alvirah  Cornish  at 
the  residence  of  Uriah  Cottle.  After  one  win- 
ter term  at  this  school,  he  attended  a  school 
taught  in  a  log-house  at  Crystal  Lake,  and  this 
completed  his  education.  He)  also  labored 
upon  the  farm  to  assist  his  father  in  paying  off 
the  indebtedness  which  had  been  incurred  in 
the  purchase  of  the  land,  receiving  the  deed 
himself  from  Mr.  Torbert.  He  afterwards  sold 
200  acres  of  this  land,  retaining  a  like  amount, 
upon  which  he  erected  a  substantial  and  con- 
venient two-story  frame  residence  in  1869, 
which  is  now  one  of  the  most  attractive  home- 
steads in  McHenry  County.  In  1840,  being 
then  in  his  early  manhood,  Mr.  Walkup  as- 
sisted in  the  erection,  on  his  father's  farm,  of 
the  first  Presbyterian  church  edifice  in  Dorr 
Township.  On  November  23,  1848,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Esther  Louisa  White,  daughter  of 
Robert  G.  and  Esther  (Ormond)  White,  born 
in  Bond  County,  111.,  March  23,  1824. 

Mr.  White  (Mrs.  Walkup's  father)  early  in 
life  was  a  farmer  and  brick-mason  at  Fogg's 
Manor,  Penn.,  while  young  went  to  North  Caro- 
lina where  he  married,  moved  thence  to  Ken- 
tucky and  then  to  Indiana,  spending  a  short 
time  in  each  State,  and,  about  1818,  came  to 
Bond  County,  111.,  where  he  owned  and  operated 
a  sawjmill  and  a  farm.  In  1836  he  removed 
to  McHenry  County,  settling  in  Seneca  Town- 
ship, where  he  became  the  owner  of  a  large 
farm — also,  about  1840,  built  the  first  saw-mill 
in  that  part  of  the  county  and  operated  it  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  had  four  sons  and  two 
daughters  named,  Isaac,  Benjamin,  Mary,  John, 
Alfred  and  Louisa,  all  of  whom  were  settled 
near  him.    He  was  a  member,  and  for  many 


years  an  elder,  of  the  Presbyterian  church; 
also  an  early  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  a  Coun- 
ty Commissioner  of  McHenry  County.  He  died 
at. .the  home  of  his  son4u-law,  Mr.  Walkup,  at 
the  venerable  age  of  eighty^five  years, 

Lowell  A.,  son  of  William  P.  Walkup,  was 
born  on  the  present  homestead,  Dec.  14,  1849, 
received  a  good  common-school  education,  at- 
tended Todd's  Seminary  at  Woodstock  and 
afterwards  spent  one  year  at  Beloit  College, 
Wis.  He  engaged  in  farming  and  married  at 
Cooper's  Plains,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  25,  1889,  Annie  L. 
Morse,  born  at  Painted  Post,  Steuben  County, 
N.  Y.,  May  23,  1856,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Floyd 
and  Mary  A.    (Pierce)   Morse. . 

Dr.  Floyd  Morse  was  born  in  Yates  County, 
N.  Y.,  his  ancestors  being  members  of  an  old 
colonial  family  from  Connecticut.  He  had  a 
very  thorough  medical  education,  practiced 
medicine  at  Bradford,  Livingston  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  later  at  Painted  Post,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  thirty-three  years.  His  children 
were:  Emma,  Benjamin  Rush,  Floyd  H.,  and 
Annie  L. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowell  A. 
Walkup  settled  oh  the  Walkup  homestead, 
where  they  have  since  resided.  Their  children 
were:  William  Ralph,  born  Jan.  28,  1891; 
Harold  Morse,  born  July  28,  .1893;  Lowell  Al- 
fred, born  August  31,  1895,  who  died  July  8, 
1901.  Two  other  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Walkup  were:  Esther,  who  died  aged  about 
two  years,  and  Addie,  who  died  aged  about 
seven  years. 

Politically  Mr.  William  P.  Walkup  was 
originally  an  old-line  Whig,  became  a  Repub- 
lican on  the  organization  of  that  party  and  a 
supporter  of  both  Fremont  and  Lincoln,  but 
of  late  years  has  taken  an  "independent  posi- 
tion." He  held  the  office  of  School  Trustee  for 
a  number  of  years.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walk- 
up  are  devoted  members  and  liberal  supporters 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  has 
been  an  elder  for  some  forty-five  years.  Liv- 
ing an  upright  and  Christian  life,  kind  and 
courteous  to  all,  no  citizen  of  McHenry  County 
enjoys  in  a  higher  degree  the  esteem  of  his 
neighbors  and  fellow-citizens. 


PEARSON   KELLETT  WRIGHT. 

Pearson  Kellett  Wright,  newspaper  editor 
and  proprietor,  Richmond,  McHenry  County,  is 
a  worthy  representative  of  the  editorial  profes- 
sion, as  well  as  a  leading  factor  in  local  and 
county  affairs.     His  father,  James  Wright,  was 


1058 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


born  in  Leeds,  England,  Oct.  17,  1818,  and  was 
left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age — his  father  hav- 
ing died  before  the  birth  of  the  son,  and  the 
mother  dying  two  years  later.  After  the  death 
of  his  mother,  James  was  cared  for  by  an 
aunt  for  some  time,  but,  at  the  age  of  nine 
years,  came  to  America  with  a  cloth-finisher 
to  whom  he  had  been  "bound  out"  before  leav- 
ing his  native  country.  As  a  consequence  of 
his  early  orphanage,  he  was  largely  dependent 
upon  his  own  resources  and  was  entirely  self- 
educated,  but  became  well  read,  acquiring  a 
practical  education  through  his  own  efforts. 
After  coming  to  America  he  worked  for  a 
number  of  years  in  a  woolen  mill,  and  finally 
married  Elizabeth  Kellett,  who  was  born  in 
Leeds,  England,  Sept.  11,  1823,  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  (Pearson)  Kellett.  The 
father,  Samuel  Kellett,  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, was  married  there  to  Mary  Pearson,  and, 
in  1839,  came  with  his  family  to  America. 
His  children  were:  John,  Thomas,  William, 
Samuel,  Ann  and  Elizabeth,  besides  an  adopted 
daughter  named  Eliza — all  born  in  England. 
Samuel  Kellett  first  settled  in  New  England, 
where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  when  he 
removed  with  his,'  family  to  Minnesota,  settling 
In  Goodhue  County  of  that  State  at  an  early 
period.  He  owned  160  acres  of  land  there, 
which  he  improved  and  on  which  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  living  to  the  venerable 
age  of  ninety-six  years.  In  religious  belief  he 
was  a  Methodist,  and  was  a  highly  respected 
citizen. 

James  Wright,  the  father  of  Pearson  Kellett 
Wright,  came  to  Kenosha  County,  Wis.,  in 
1855,  and  there  bought  an  improved  farm  of 
143  acres.  This  he  still  further  improved,  and 
spent  there  the  last  years  of  his  life.  He  was 
a  Republican  in  political  sentiment  and,  dur- 
ing the  Civil  War,  tendered  his  services  to  the 
Government  as  a  soldier,  but  was  not  accepted 
on  account  of  physical  disability.  His  children 
were:  Mary  A.,  Thomas  W.,  Joseph  W.,  Al- 
bert S.,  Elizabeth  W.,  James  L.,  George  W., 
Edwin  E.,  John  F.,  Pearson  K,  Ella  and  Nellie 
R.  Mr.  Wright  died  on  his  farm  in  Kenosha 
County  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 

Pearson  K.  Wright,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  at  Randall,  near  Kenosha, 
Wis.,  June  3,  1862.  He  received  a  common- 
school  education  in  his  native  State,  attending 
school  during  the  winter  months  while  work- 
ing on  the  farm  in  the==~summer,  until  nineteen 
years  of  age.     In  1884  he  came  to  Richmond, 


McHenry  County,  and  engaged  in  the  meat- 
market  business.  Six  years  later  (1890)  he 
bought  a  half-interest  in  the  "Richmond 
Gazette,"  as  the  partner  of  Fred  E.  Holmes, 
and  has  since  been  one  of  the  editors  and  pro- 
prietors of  that  prosperous  local  paper.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican  of  conservative 
views,  and,  governed  by  strong  common  sense, 
entertains  broad  and  liberal  ideas  on  questions 
connected  with  national  affairs.  Mr.  Wright 
was  married  March  26,  1885,  to  Sarah  L.  Mot- 
ley, who  was  born  in  Richmond  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  August  20,  1865,  the  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Ann  (Sill)  Motley,  and  they 
have  one  son,  Pearson  Ellis.  Mr.  Wright  is  a 
member  of  Richmond  Lodge  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in 
which  he  held  the  office  of  Senior  Warden 
three  years  and  Secretary  three  years;  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and,  in  the  latter  organization,  has  held  the  of- 
fice of  Consul  for  seven  years,  and  was  Clerk 
for  one  year.  As  a  citizen  he  enjoys  the  re- 
spect of  the  community. 

Robert  Motley,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wright, 
was  born  in  England,  adopted  the  vocation  of 
a  farmer  and,  while  still  a  young  man,  came 
to  America,  locating  first  in  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago. Here  he  married  Ann  Sill,  the  daughter 
of  Peter  Sill,  a  resident  of  Richmond  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  but  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. After  coming  to  McHenry  County,  Mr. 
Motley  settled  on  a  tract  of  forty  acres  of  land, 
but  prospered  and  made  additions  to  his  hold- 
ings, until  he  was  the  owner  of  205  acres  and 
one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  Richmond 
Township.  His  children  were:  William,  Clara, 
Florence,  Edward,  Charles,  Sarah,  Jennie  and 
Alice.  In  politics  Mr.  Motley  was  a  Republi- 
can, a  man  of  integrity  and  of  industrious  and 
thrifty  character. 


ROLLIN    WAITE. 

Rollin  Waite  is  a  son  of  a  pioneer  in  Mc- 
Henry County  and  comes  of  a  pre-revolution- 
ary  New  England  family  of  English  ancestry. 
The  American  progenitor  of  the  family  located 
at  Cambridge,  Vt.  David  Wait  — as  he  spelled 
the  name — was  Rollin  Waite's  grandfather, 
and  his  father  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 
He  married  Fanny  Lilly,  of  an  old  New  Eng- 
land family,  and  had  children  named:  John, 
Lewis,  Jason,  Fanny,  Melissa,  Mary,  Amity, 
and  Loren.  Mr.  Waite,  who  was  a  black- 
smith  by   trade,    moved    to    Illinois    sometime 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1059 


before  1840  from  Burlington,  Vt.,  by  way  of 
Lake  Champlain,  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes 
west  of  Buffalo.  He  landed  at  Waukegan 
and  bought  and  improved  a  farm  of  160  acres 
at  Wauconda,  Lake  County,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  about  eighty  years.  He  was  a  man 
of  high  character,  a  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  and  politically  an  old  line  Whig. 
Lewis  Waite,  father  of  Rollin  Waite,  was 
born  in  Willbury,  Mass.,  Jan.  23,  1810,  was 
educated  so  far  as  possible  in  the  common 
schools  near  his  home,  and  married  Mary  A. 
Perkins,  Oct.  30,  1831.  Miss  Perkins  was  born 
at  Weathersfield,  Vt.,  Dec.  30,  1815.  After 
fifteen  years  residence  at  Cambridge  Centre, 
Vt.,  they  came  west  to  Wauconda  by  way  of 
the  canal  and  the  lakes.  Mr.  Waite  lived 
one  year  on  his  father's  farm  and  the 
next  year  (1848)  rented  a  farm  at  Gris- 
wold  Lake,  which  his  son  worked  while  the 
father  was  employed  at  wagon-making  at 
McHenry — for  he  was  a  natural  mechanic  and 
could  do  work  when  necessary  as  a  carpenter, 
brick-mason,  a  wheelwright  or  a  carriage- 
painter — in  fact,  could  make  almost  anything 
that  could  be  made  with  tools.     In  December, 

1849,  he  settled  at  McHenry,  where,  in  1852, 
he  built  a  wagon-shop.  For  many  years  hs 
was  a  leading  carriage  manufacturer  of  that 
town,  and,  after  his  retirement,  did  mechanical 
work  from  time  to  time  until  too  old  to  work 
longer.  He  acquired  twelve  town  lots  in  the 
northern  part  of  McHenry  and  prospered 
otherwise.  He  became  a  Republican  at  the 
organization  of  that  party.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Universalist  church.  They 
had  children  as  follows  born  at  Cambridge, 
Vt:  George  B.,  May  8,  1832;  Rollin,  August 
5,  1834;  Cornelia,  Nov.  6,  1836:  DeWitt  C. 
Jan.  3,  1839;  Lucinda  M.,  April  16,  1841,  and 
Lucy  Ann,  May  17,  1842.  who  died  August  6, 

1850.  William  T.  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Feb. 
27,1848  and  the  following  in  McHenry  County: 
Electa  K.,  April  9,  1851;  Charles  P.,  Nov.  21, 
1853;  Evelyn  and  Edward  (twins),  March  19, 
1856,  the  latter  dying  when  six  months  old. 
William  T.  lives  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  Electa 
K.,  Charles  P.  and  Evelyn,  live  at  Mc- 
Henry, 111.  DeWitt  C,  George  B.  and  William 
T.  Waite  were  Federal  soldiers  in  the  Civil 
War.  The  father  of  this  respectable  family 
died  in  1892. 

Mary  A.    (Perkins)  Waite,  mother  of  Rollin 


Waite,  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  H.  and  Lu- 
cinda (Marsh)  Perkins.  Lucinda  Marsh  was 
born  in  Hartland,  Vt.,  Nov.  28,  1787,  and 
Thomas  H.  Perkins  in  Pomfret,  Vt.,  August 
12,  1789.  They  were  married  May  18,  1812 
Mr.  Marsh  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  The  closing  years  of  his  life  were 
passed  at  Woodstock,  Vt.,  where  he  died. 
Thomas  H.  Perkins  learned  the  trade  of  a 
blacksmith  and,  early  in  life,  located  at  Cam- 
bridge, Vt.,  where  he  established  a  trip-ham- 
mer, which  furnished  employment  to  many 
men.  He  moved  from  there  to  Johnson,  Vt., 
and  thence  to  Illinois,  and  assisted  to  build  the 
plank  road  between  Waukegan  and  Liberty- 
ville,  located  eventually  at  Fremont  Centre, 
Lake  County,  and  died  at  Volo,  Oct.  2,  1864. 
He  was  until  the  organization  of  the  Republi- 
can party,  a  Whig,  afterwards  becoming  a 
Republican.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Christ- 
ian church  and  his  wife  a  Methodist.  The 
following  record  of  births  was  taken  from  the 
old  Perkins  family  Bible:     John  Perkins,  Jan. 

12,  1773;  David,  Nov.  2,  1774;  Gaius,  Jan.  4, 
1777;  Elijah,  May  12,  1782;  Patience,  Dec.  12, 
1783;  James  March  12,  1786;  Cyrus,  Dec.  10, 
1787;  Thomas  H.,  August  8,  1789;  Polly,  Jan. 
23,  1791;   Joseph,  Jan.  14,  1793;    Simeon,  July 

13,  1798.  Adeline  Perkins  was  born  at  Weath- 
ersfield, Vt.,  August  20,  1813;  Mary  Ann  Perk- 
ins, at  the  same  place,  Dec.  30,  1815;  Cynthia 
Perkins.  Oct.  20,  1817;  Lucy  Keys  Perkins, 
August  23,  1822;  Charles  Marsh  Perkins,  at 
Cambridge,  Vt.,  Dec.  27,  1825;  Edwin  Perkins, 
At  Cambridge,  Vt.,  Oct.  16,  1827;  Clarece 
Linden  Lathrop,  at  Fremont,  Vt.,  April  4, 
1836.  Lucy  K.  Noble,  died  at  Waukegan,  111., 
July  3,  1856. 

Rollin  Waite  was  between  twelve  and  thir- 
teen years  old  when  his  parents  came  to  Illi- 
nois. He  had  attended  the  common  schools 
at  Cambridge,  Vt.,  and  continued  his  education 
at  McHenry.  The  family  located  at  McHenry 
in  1849,  a  few  months  after  the  seat  of  justice 
>f  the  county,  was  removed  to  Woodstock, 
and  the  old  court  house  became  a  part  of  what 
was  afterward  known  as  the  McHenry  hotel. 
The  school  was  taught  in  those  days  by  Miss 
Caroline  Fay,  in  a  frame  building  on  the  site 
of  the  Universalist  church.  Among  those  who 
were  Mr.  Waite's  school-mates  were  Henry  and 
John  Whiteman  and  William,  Jeff,  and  Al. 
Hankins — all  of  whom  became  well  known  in 


1060 


McHIUtY      COUNTY; 


Chicago,  and  some  of  whom  achieved  national 
reputation.      William    Hankins,    father    of   the 
Hankins   boys,   was   a   pioneer     in     McHenry 
County,    coming    from    New    York    City,    arid 
Was  a  gold-seeker  in  California     about     1850. 
Jeff  went  overland  to  California  in  charge  of 
an  outfit,  began  to  gamble  arid  lost  his  money, 
then    struck    luck  ,  in    the    mines.      With    the 
capital  thus  acquired   he   opened  a  gambling- 
house  in   San  Francisco  and  inade   a  fortune 
there.     Eventually  he  met  his  father,  who  was 
with  him  in  the  rush  for  Pike's  Peak,  and  whom 
he   finally   brought  home   to   McHenry,   where 
the  elder  Hankins     died.     Jeff     and  William 
Hankins  were  hard  working  boys  in  the  pioneer 
town  in  the  days  of  their  youth.    They  support- 
ed and   always  helped  their  mother,  and  Jeff 
at  one  time  sent  her  $1,000  which  she  loaned  to 
the    school    board    at    McHenry.      Mr.    Waite 
often  worked  with  the  Hankins  boys  at  haying 
and    at    other    employment.     Al.,    who    is    the 
only  survivor  of  the  family,  lives  in  Chicago, 
and  was  once  reputed  wealthy,  but  is  said  to 
have    lost    his    property.     John    I.    Story    was 
another  of   Mr.   Waite's   schoolmates.     Rollin 
Waite   learned    the   wagonmaker's   trade   with 
his  father,  and  drifted  into  carpentry  and  build- 
ing.   At  eighteen  he  went  to  Michigan,  and  was 
employed  in  a  saw  mill.    After  marriage,  which 
was    celebrated    Jan.    1.    1860,    he    engaged    in 
building  at   McHenry,   and   achieved   consider- 
able  success.     In   1871   he    went   to   Emporia, 
Kansas,   where   he   worked   for   a  time   at  his 
trade.    For  four  years  and  half  he  was  a  build- 
er at  Elgin,  111.     He  erected  a  fine  residence 
for   Al.    Hankins    at   Hebron,   Ind.     Politically 
he    is    a    stanch    Republican;    was    appointed 
Postmaster     at     McHenry    by    President     Mc- 
Kinley,  and  has  proved  an  efficient  and  popular 
official.     He  was  received  as  an  Entered  Ap- 
prentice, passed  the  Fellow  Craft  degree,  and 
was   raised   to  the   sublime   degree   of  Master 
Mason  in   McHenry  Lodge,   No.   158,   A.   F.   & 
A.  M.,  of  which  he  has  been  Senior  Warden; 
also  took  the  degrees  of  Capitular  Masonry  in 
Chapter  No.  36,  at  Woodstock,  and  was  exalted 
to    the    august    degree    of   Royal    Arch-Mason, 
received  the  degrees     of  Chivalric     Masonary 
in  Calvary  Commandery,  No.     25.     K.     T.,     of 
Woodstock,   and  was   constituted,   dubbed  and 
created   a  Knight  Templar.     Mr.  Waite  loves 
to  talk  of  the  pioneer  days,  and  can  tell  more 
good   stories  of  the  days  that  are   gone  than 


there  is  space  for  record  here.  The  winter  of 
1847  was  severe  and  the  snow  was  deep  and 
thickly  encrusted.  He  was  a  mere  boy  then 
living  at  Wauconda.  One  day  he  heard  that 
seven  deer  had  been  chased  by  dogs  over  the 
snow  crusts  and  were  staggering  about,  cut 
and  bleeding,  on  the  frozen  surface  of  Bangs 
Lake,  unable  to  make  any  progress  on  the 
ice.  Arvilla  Hotton,  one  of  Mr.  Waite's  school- 
mates, was  a  strapping  sixteen  year  old  pion- 
eer lass,  whom  the  stoutest  boy  in  the  settle- 
ment could  not  have  worsted  in  a  wrestling 
match — an  athletic  back-woods  Tom-boy,  who 
delighted  to  ride  a  horse  at  break-neck  speed 
over  the  prairie  or  through  the  woods,  stand- 
ing on  its  back.  When  this  girl  saw  the 
plight  of  the  seven  deer,  she  borrowed  a 
butcher  knife  of  a  neighbor  and  went  out  on 
the  ice  and  cut  the  throats  of  all  of  them. 

Mr.  Waite  married  Mary  Ann  Britton,  who 
was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  in  1839, 
and  whose  father,  peddling  a  stock  of  goods 
overland,  enroute  for  California,  was  supposed 
to  have  been  murdered  by  some  people  with 
whom  he  had  stopped  for  the  night,  and  whose 
cupidity  had  been  excited  by  the  sight  of 
some  of  his  belongings.  Mrs.  Waite,  who  is 
a  model  wife  and  mother  and  a  consistent 
and  helpful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  at  McHenry,  has  borne  her  husband 
seven  children:  Adel,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Eloise;  Carrie  M.,  who  died  when  a  young 
woman;  Glen  G.,  Alice  G.,  Earl  J.,  and  Mildred, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 


FREEMAN   WHITING. 

Freeman  Whiting,  veteran  farmer  and  pion- 
eer settler  of  McHenry  County,  traces  his 
lineage  through  early  settlers  in  Connecticut 
and  Vermont  to  English-Puritan  ancestry.  His 
father,  Zachariah  Whiting,  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  Sept.  24,  1789,  served  as 
a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  a 
farmer  and  wheel-wright  by  occupation,  but 
after  removing  to  Johnson,  Vt.,  was  engaged 
for  a  time  in  merchandising.  He  was  mar- 
ried at  Johnson,  Vt.,  July  31,  1815,  to  Lucinda 
Dodge,  who  was  born  Feb.  13,  1800,  the 
daughter  of  Amos  Dodge,  a  pioneer  settler 
in  the  vicinity  of  Johnson,  where  he  cleared 
up  a  farm  in  the  forest.  Mr.  Dodge  was  a  prom- 
inent citizen  in  that  locality  and  had  children 
named    Jonathan,    Amos,      Daniel,      Solomon, 


McHENRY     COUNTY.. 


1061 


Lucinda  and  Sally.  Amos  Dodge,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Whiting,  died  at  Johnson,  Vt,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five  to  seventy  years.  Zachariah 
Whiting  settled  on  a  farm  at  Johnson,  contain- 
ing between  300  and  400  acres,  now  owned  by 
his  son  Almon.  His  children  were:  Almon, 
born  Sept.  8,  1816,  died  in  infancy;  Hannah 
born  March  6,  1819;  Freeman,  born  June  8, 
1822;  Amos  D.,  born  July  27,  1824;  Zachariah, 
born  Dec.  25,  1826;  Almon  (2),  born  Nov.  15, 
1829;  Sarah  L.,  born  Sept.  18,  1832,  and 
Arthur  O.,  born  Jan.  9,  1838.  Zachariah  Whit- 
ing, Sr.,  died  in  Johnson,  Vt.,  Oct.  31,  1861, 
aged  seventy-two  years 

Freeman  Whiting,  born  in  Johnson,  Vt., 
June  8,  1822,  was  reared  on  a  farm,  receiving 
a  common-school  education,  and  was  employed 
in  his  father's  store  at  Johnson  for  some  years. 
In  1843  he  came  by  lake  vessel  from  Buffalo 
to  Chicago,  and  walked  from  the  latter  place 
to  McHenry,  where  he  hired  out  to  John  W. 
Smith,  who  had  recently  bought  the  historic 
log  tavern  of  Benjamin  B.  Brown.  He  con- 
tinued in  the  employment  of  Mr.  Smith  seven 
months,  when  he  returned  to  his  former  home 
in  Vermont,  but  becoming  tired  of  plowing 
among  the  rocks  of  the  "Green  Mountain 
State,"  his  thoughts  reverted  to  the  smooth 
prairie  soil  of  Illinois.  So  again  turning  his 
face  westward,  in  the  fall  of  1844,  he  arrived 
at  Waukegan,  111.,  where  he  entered  into  the 
employment  of  Willard  Smith,  remaining  twd 
years,  when  he  removed  to  McHenry  County, 
and  there  bought  160  acres  of  land  which  now 
constitutes  a  part  of  his  home  farm.  This 
land  had  upon  it  some  small  improvements. 
On  January  8,  1850,  he  was  married,  in  McHen- 
ry Township,  to  Miss  Lucy  A.  Smith,  who  had 
been  born  at  Johnson,  Vt.,  April  18,  1832,  the 
daughter  of  John  W.  and  Clarissa  (Clemmens) 
Smith.  John  W.  Smith  was  born  in  Johnson, 
Vt.,  the  son  of  Aaron  and  Hitty  (Hawley) 
Smith — the  former,  born  May  6,  1765,  and  the 
latter,  Jan.  9,  1775.  Aaron  Smith  was  of  New 
England  Puritan  ancestry,  a  well-to-do  farmer 
and  a  prominent  citizen.  He  married  Hitty 
Hawley,  Nov.  10,  1787,  and  they  had  children 
born  as  follows:  Samuel,  Feb.  12,  1789;  Abijah, 
Feb.  7,  1781;  Samuel  (2),  Aug.  27,1795;  Lemuel, 
May  5,  1799;  Abel  C,  April  25,  1801;  John 
Wire,  Sept.  12,  1803;  John  Wire  (2),  July  12, 
1805;  Hitty,  Nov.  1,  1807;  Harriet  H.  A.,  Jan. 
26,  1810;   Betsy,  Jan.  9,  1812. 


John  W.  Smith  received  a  common-school 
education  in  his  native  State  of  Vermont, 
became  a  farmer  and  still  later  a  merchant, 
and  married,  at  Johnson,  Vt.,  Clarissa  Clem- 
mens, who  was  born  in  November,  1824.  After 
marriage  he  settled  on  a  farm  at  Hyde  Park, 
Vt.,  but  in  the  fall  of  1841  removed  with  his 
family  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  purchased 
a  partly  improved  farm  at  Griswold  Lake.  The 
journey  west  was  made  by  way  of  the  lakes  to 
Chicago  and  thence  by  team  to  McHenry 
County.  Four  years  later  he  removed  to  Mc- 
Henry village  and  bought  the  Brown  Log- 
Cabin  Tavern,  which  he  carried  on  several 
years,  when  he  moved  to  what  is  known  as 
"Smith's  Corners,"  where  he  built  a  store  and 
a  wagon-shop  as  the  beginning  of  a  town. 
The  construction  of  a  railroad  without  touching 
the  projected  town  site  caused  the  death  of 
this  enterprise,  and  Mr.  Smith  removed  his 
store  to  McHenry.  The  building  he  there  oc- 
cupied is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Lawless 
a  merchant  tailor.  A  few  years  later,  in  com- 
pany with  his  nephew,  David  Smith,  he  built 
the  Riverside  House.  In  his  mercantile  busi- 
ness he  had  as  a  partner,  Patrick  Cassidy,  but 
Mr.  Smith  continued  to  live  on  his  farm  at 
Smith's  Corners,  where  he  had  a  fine  property 
of  480  acres  of  land,  besides  a  large  amount 
of  land  elsewhere,  and  some  valuable  property 
in  Chicago,  which  was  destroyed  by  the  great 
fire  of  1871.  Mr.  Smith  was  a  Methodist  in 
religious  belief  and  in  politics  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat.  He  and  his  wife  had  the  follow 
ing  named  children:  Caroline  Maria,  Lucy 
A.,  Emily,  Laura,  Clarissa,  John  M.,  and  Philo 
D.  Mrs.  Clarissa  (Clemmens)  Smith  having 
died,  John  W.  Smith  was  later  married  at 
Nunda,  McHenry  County,  to  Cynthia  A.  Gris- 
wold, and  they  had  children  named  Julia,  Theo- 
dore H.,  Willard  E.,  Edward  A.,  Julius  D.  and 
Almon  N.  Mr.  Smith  was  a  man  of  great 
force  of  character  and  a  sagacious  and  active 
business  man,  being  engaged  during  his  career 
in  a  number  of  important  enterprises.  Among 
these  was  the  breeding  of  Durham  Short-horn 
cattle,  in  which  he  was  quite  successful. 

After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Lucy  A.  Smith, 
Freeman  Whiting  settled  on  the  farm  adjoin- 
ing that  on  which  he  now  lives.  Originally 
consisting  of  160  acres,  he  made  additions 
to'  it  until  he  was  the  owner  of  1,000  acres. 
A  part  of  this  he  has  given  to  his  children,  but 


1062 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


still  retains  about  600  acres.  For  a  number  of 
years  past  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  breed- 
ing of  Durham  Short-horns,  in  which  he  has 
been  successful.  His  marked  success  as  a 
business  man  has  been  due  to  his  energy  and 
sagacious  management. 

Mr.  and  Mr.  Whiting  have  had  children 
named  Delbert  A.,  Laura  A.,  Lillian  C.  and 
Abby  L.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  of  the 
Abraham  Lincoln  stamp,  and,  as  a  farmer,  his 
career  has  been  as  notable  for  its  success  as 
for  practical  good  sense. 


CHARLES    WANDRACK. 

Charles  Wandrack,  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  Algonquin,  111.,  'was  born  in  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  Nov.,  6,  1858,  the  son  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Dworck)  Wandrack.  Joseph  Wandrack 
was  of  Bohemian  parentage  and  born  in  Aus- 
tria, March  19,  1829.  In  his  younger  days  he 
learned  the  harness-maker's  trade,  and  in  1855, 
jarae  to  America.  Arriving  at  New  York,  he 
came  directly  to  Chicago,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  until  June,  1866,  when  he  moved 
to  Algonquin,  McHenry  County,  and  opened  a 
harness  shop,  where  he  lived  until  his  death 
in  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wandrack  were  the 
parents  of  Charles,  Nettie,  Nellie  and  John.  In 
religious  belief  he  was  a  member  of  the  Catho- 
lic church,  and  in  politics  affiliated  with  the 
Republican  party. 

Charles  Wandrack  received  his  primary  edu. 
cation  in  the  public  schools  of  Chicago,  and 
coming  to  Algonquin  with  his  parents  when 
nine  years  of  age,  he  gained  the  remainder 
of  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that, 
village.  Having  learned  the  harness  maker's 
trade  of  his  father,  he  continued  to  conduct 
the  old  shop  after  his  father's  death — which 
occurred  when  Charles  was  twenty-one  years 
old — until  1881,  when  he  engaged  in  business 
for  himself,  meeting  with  good  success  from 
the  beginning. 

December  11,  1883,  Mr.  Wandrack  married  at 
Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  Alba  T.  Argard,  who  was 
born  in  Chicago,  111.,  Nov.  21,  1858,  the  daugh- 
ter of  M.  J.  Argard.  Mr.  Argard  is  a  native  of 
Norway,  but  latter  in  life  settled  in  Chicago, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business, 
afterwards  moving  to  Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  and 
at  the  present  time  (1902)  is  living  in  Tennes- 
see. His  children  are:  Alba  T,  George,  Emma, 
Rose   and   Lillie    (twins).     Charles   Wandrack 


is  a  man  of  upright  character,  who,  by  practical 
business  experience  and  a  careful  study  of  the 
daily  press  and  books  of  standard  merit,  has 
added  to  the  common-school  education  obtain- 
ed in  his  younger  days,  and  is  now  well  inform- 
ed on  general  topics.  In  his  youth  Mr.  Wand- 
rack began  to  take  an  active  interest  in  poli- 
tics. He  cast  his  first  vote  fro  James  A. 
Garfield,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Mc- 
Henry Republican  Committee  for  the  past 
twelve  years.  He  was  President  of  the  Algon- 
quin Village  Board  four  terms,  refusing  to 
serve  after  1901;  was  one  of  the  Trustees  of 
the  Village  Board  from  1895  to  1897,  and  a 
member  of  the  Water-Works  Committee  in 
which  he  rendered  much  valuable  service  in 
securing  the  present  system  of  water-works 
for  Algonquin.  Mr.  Wandrack  was  Deputy 
Sheriff  under  Sheriffs  Udell  and  Eckert,  and 
at  the  present  time,  holds  the  office  of  Chief 
Deputy  under  Sheriff  Keys.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Cary  Station  Lodge,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  at 
Algonquin — having  passed  all  the  chairs  in 
both  lodges — and  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Neighbors.  Mr.  Wandrack  is  descended 
from  sterling  ancestry,  and  possessing  a  large, 
stalwart  figure,  is  an  excellent  representative 
of  the  hardy  native  race  of  people  to  which 
he  belongs.  He  is  a  recognized  leader  in  all 
local  athletic  contests,  and  won  the  second 
prize  in  the  St.  George's  Society,  Chicago,  on 
the  Queen's  birthday,  besides  winning  several 
first  prizes  in  Elgin,  111.  A  man  of  friendly 
disposition  and  pleasing  manners,  he  enjoys 
the  utmost  confidence  and  respect  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wandrack  are 
parents  of  two  children:  Lura  May,  born 
Dec.  7,  1884,  and  Martin  Joseph,  born  Nov.  21, 
1886. 


ALFRED  WILCOX. 

Alfred  Wilcox,  one  of  the  substantial  pioneer 
settlers  of  Richmond,  McHenry  County,  comes 
from  a  family  of  English  extraction,  who  set- 
tled in  Maryland  during  the  colonial  period. 
Isaiah  Wilcox,  grandfather  of  Alfred,  resided 
in  Maryland,  but  later  settled  in  Herkimer 
County,  N.  T.,  where  he  died  at  the  venerable 
age  of  ninety  years.  He  served  in  the  navy 
during  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Isaiah  Wilcox,  Jr.,   born   Nov.   30,   1790,   the 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1063 


father  of  Alfred  Wilcox,  was  a  well-to-do 
farmer  and  stock-buyer,  and  also  conducted  a 
mercantile  business.  He  married  in  Herki- 
mer County,  N.  Y.,  Betsy  Lovina  Thomas, 
born  in  Herkimer  County,  June  10,  1792.  Her 
father  was  a  farmer  and  moved  to  Illinois 
about  1836,  settling  one  mile  west  of  Rich- 
mond. After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilcox 
settled  in  Herkimer  County,  where  he  owned 
two  farms,  and,  like  his  father,  became  a 
farmer,  stock-buyer  and  merchant.  They  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Polly,  Isaiah,  Nancy  J.,  Lydia  R.,  Betsy  L., 
Amos  T.,  Irving  A.,  Lucius,  Thomas  J.,  Azuba 
and  Alfred.  Mrs.  Wilcox  died  July  14, 
1835,  and  Mr.  Wilcox  married  in  Herkimer 
County,  Jane  Coughfry,  who  bore  him  one  son, 
William  P.,  who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War  and  was  wounded  at  the  first  battle 
of  Bull  Run.  Shortly  after  his  second  mar- 
riage, Mr.  Wilcox  removed  to  McKean  County, 
Penn.,  where  he  bought  1,400  acres  of  land 
upon  which  he  had  begun  to  make  improve- 
ments when  he  died,  Nov.  22,  1840.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Alfred.  Wilcox,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
article,  was  born  in  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y., 
Dec.  8,  1832,  and  when  a  boy  four  years  of 
age,  moved  with  his  father  to  McKean  County, 
Penn.,  where  he  lived  eight  years.  In  June, 
1844,  he  came  with  his  older  brother,  Amos 
T.,  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  making  the  journey 
by  the  lakes  to  Kenosha  (then  Southport), 
Wis.,  whence  they  proceeded  directly  to  Rich- 
mond, McHenry  County,  where  a  family  of 
relatives  (the  Thomases)  lived.  Young  Al- 
fred lived  with  his  brother-in-law,  Walter 
Brush,  three  months,  and  then  accompanied 
him  to  Ft.  Atkinson,  Jefferson  County,  Wis., 
where  he  attended  school  for  six  months.  At 
an  early  age,  he  engaged  in  farm  labor  in 
Dodge  County,  Wis.,  where  for  two  years  he 
worked  on  the  farm  through  the  summer 
season  and  attended  school  during  the  inter- 
vening winter  months. 

February  23,  1861,  Mr.  Wilcox  was  married 
in  Richmond,  111.,  to  Mary  Eliza  Martin,  born 
in  Cheshire,  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  Feb.  22, 
1836,  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Mary 
(Rider)  Martin.  After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Alfred  Wilcox  settled  in  Hebron  Township, 
where  they  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  up- 
on which  they  made  substantial  improvements. 


In  1881  they  moved  to  Richmond  Township  and 
purchased  the  old  Martin  homestead,  but  five 
years  later  removed  to  the  village  of  Richmond, 
where  they  now  reside.  In  political  opinion 
Mr.  Wilcox  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  for 
five  years  served  his  fellow-citizens  of  Hebron 
Township  as  Supervisor,  and  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Richmond  Town  Council  for  several 
years.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Rich- 
mond Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
cox are  the  parents  of  two  children:  the  older, 
Estella  Mary,  married  William  Foley,  a  busi- 
ness man  of  Richmond,  and  they  have  three 
children, — Frank  Wilcox,  Cora  May  and  Wil- 
liam Russell;  the  other  child,  Benjamin  A., 
died  in  childhood. 

Benjamin  Martin,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Alfred 
Wilcox,  was  descended  from  a  Puritan-English 
family,  who  were  among  the  founders  of  the 
old  Massachusetts  Colony,  and  a  son  of  Ed- 
ward and  Mary  (Chase)  Martin,  whose  children 
were  named  Benjamin  C,  James,  Diana,  Leon- 
ard L.,  Chloe  M.,  Polly,  Lydia  A.  and  Emily  J. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  were  married  in  Berk- 
shire County,  Mass.,  Dec.  25,  1831,  and  resided 
there  for  five  years,  when,  in  1836,  they  re- 
moved to  and  settled  in  Westford,  Otsego  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.  In  1846  they  moved  to  Illinois,  mak- 
ing the  journey  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and 
the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and  thence  with  teams 
to  Richmond,  McHenry  County,  where  they  ar- 
rived in  May  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  Martin 
bought  a  farm,  consisting  of  120  acres  of 
partly  improved  land,  situated  two  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  the  village  of  Richmond,  upon 
which  he  resided  for  many  years.  In  1881 
having  retired  from  active  life,  he  sold  his  farm 
and  moved  to  the  village  of  Richmond.  In 
politics  he  was  a  stanch  Republican,  and  was 
also  a  member  of  the  old  New  York  State  mi- 
litia. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  were  the  parents 
of  but  one  child,  Mary  Eliza  (Mrs.  Alfred  Wil- 
cox.) 


ROBERT  WEGG. 


Robert  Wegg,  a  representative  pioneer  set- 
tler from  the  British  Isles,  was  born  at  Elham, 
Norfolk  County,  England,  Jan.  18,  1820,  the  son 
of  George  and  Martha  (Boyce)  Wegg.  He  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  in  the  sub- 
scription schools  of  England  and  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade  of  his  father.     In  1835,  while 


1064 


M  cHlNfiY     X:  O  13  N  X  Y. 


still  a  boy,  he  went  to  Sussex  with  an  older 
brother  named  William,  and  here  completed 
his  trade  as  a  carpenter,  following  the  same 
in  the  city  of  London  until  1851.  In  August, 
1843,  he  married  Lucy  Murray,  born  March  18, 
18.18,  near  Norwich,  England,  daughter  of  Jo- 
siah  Murray.  Josiah  Murray  was  a  carpenter 
and  lived  a  great  many  years  in  Norwich, 
and  his  children  were:  Mary  Ann,  who  married 
a  Mr.  Hunt;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Mr.  Pol- 
ner;  James;  Josiah,  and  Lucy.  Mr.  Murray 
was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  died 
in  England  at  a  venerable  age. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wegg  contin- 
ued to  live  in  London  where  he  followed  his 
trade.  May  1,  1851,  they  sailed  from  Liverpool 
to  Quebec  in  a  sailing-vessel  called  the 
"Helen,"  and  bringing  with  them  their  entire 
family.  Mr.  Wegg  went  to  St.  Thomas,  Canada, 
where  he  lived  six  years  as  a  contractor  and 
builder,  and  on  August  12,  1857,  moved  to 
Richmond,  McHenry  County,  111.,  following  the 
same  business  there,  taking  contracts  for  many 
of  the  best  buildings  in  Richmond,  among  them 
being  the  residence  of  George  and  Frank  Mc- 
Connell,  E.  Covell,  Elijah  Bowers,  Fred  Maure, 
the  McConnell  Bank  Building,  Columbia  Hotel, 
Baptist  church,  and  a  great  many  other  build- 
ings in  Richmond,  Geneva  and  Twin  Lakes. 
Mr.  Wegg  is  his  own  architect,  and  is  very 
skillful  in  modern  styles  of  the  art,  being  the 
designer  of  his  own  residence,  which  is  a  very 
attractive  structure.  Fraternally  Mr.  Wegg 
is  a  non-affiliated  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
His  children  are  Emma  E.  and  Robert  W.  Mr. 
Wegg  still  continues  in  active  business  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-one  years. 
George  Wegg,  the  father,  was  long  a  resident 
of  Elham,  England,  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
possessed  great  skill  in  the  handling  of  car- 
penter's tools,  besides  being  an  expert  mill- 
wright and  general  mechanic.  He  died  in  El- 
ham, aged  seventy-five  years.  His  children  by 
the  first  marriage  were:  George,  William,  Han- 
nah, Mariah  and  Robert.  Mr.  Wegg's  first  wife 
died  and  he  married  as  his  second  wife  Lucy 
Murray,  there  being  no  children  by  this  mar- 
riage. Mr.  Wegg's  father  and  mother  both 
lived  to  be  over  one  hundred  years  of  age,  and 
he  had  an  uncle,  John,  who  lived  to  celebrate 
his  one  hundred  and  fourteenth  birthday.  Mr. 
Wegg  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England. 


>  Emma  Elizabeth  Wegg,  daughter  of  Robert 
Wegg,  was  born  in  London,  England,  March  8, 
1846,  and  came  to  Richmond  with  her  parents 
when  eleven  years  of  age.  She  attended  the 
High  School  in  Canada  and  married,  on  Sept. 
28,  1870,  C.  M.  Kendall,  D.  D.  S.  They  lived 
in  Richmond  four  years  and  then  moved  to 
Woodstock   where   they   resided   until   May   9, 

1893,  when  Dr.  Kendall  died.  Mrs.  Kendall 
married   as   her  second   husband,   on  Jan.   18, 

1894,  Dr.  J.  L.  Newman,  D.  D.  S.  Dr.  New- 
man died  in  Chicago,  June  14,  1900,  and  Mrs. 
Newman  returned  to  Richmond  to  care  for  her 
father,  her  mother  having  died  Dec.  9,  1896. 

Dr.  Cassius  M.  Kendall  was  for  many  years 
the  principal  dentist  in  Woodstock  and  Mc- 
Henry County.  He  was  born  in  Wyoming  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  July  1,  1839,  and  received  a  thorough 
preliminary  education  at  Linn,  N.  Y.„  and  then 
studied  dentistry  at  Carlisle.  He  came  to  Rich- 
mond, 111.,  about  1863,  and  began  the  practice 
of  dentistry,  being  the  first  dentist  to  settle  in 
the  town  and  soon  proved  himself  to  be  skill- 
ful in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  mar- 
ried in  Wyoming  County,  N.  Y.,  Carrie  Thayer, 
who  died  a  few  years  after  they  moved  to  Rich- 
mond. After  his  marriage  to  Emma  Wegg,  he 
attended  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College,  from 
which  he  graduated,  receiving  the  degree  of 
D.  D.  S.  in  1875.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling 
worth,  well  read  in  the  current  periodicals 
pertaining  to  his  profession,  and  the  first  den- 
tist to  administer  gas  in  McHenry  County.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican  and  reached  a 
high  degree  in  Masonry.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Calvary  Commandery,  Number  25,  K.  T. 
of  Woodstock,  111.,  and  filled  every  position 
in  the  Commandery  from  that  of  Warden  to 
Eminent  Commander.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Town  Council  of  Woodstock,  where  he  ren- 
dered efficient  services.  The  Doctor  was  a 
man  of  excellent  character,  genial  disposition 
and  was  deeply  mourned  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  He  died  May  9,  1893.  Several  young 
men,  who  became  skillful  dentists,  received 
their  training  under  his  careful  supervision. 
Mr.  Wegg  has  always  been  a  man  in  favor  of 
public  improvements,  and  has  always  been 
known  as  being  extremely  careful  and  relia- 
ble in  carrying  out  the  full  measure  of  his 
contracts. 


M^HEKRY    ^COUNTY; 


1065 


JOHN   WHITWORTH. 

The  Oliver  Typewriter  Company,  of  Wood- 
stock, McHenry  Colnty,  has  an  efficient  and 
capable  manager  in  the  person  of  Mr.  John 
Whitworth,  who  assumed  the  duties  of  that  po- 
sition in  1898.  Mr.  Whitworth  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, Jan.  30,  1858,  and  is  descended  from  a 
family  who  have  been  prominently  identified 
with  important  manufacturing  enterprises,  his 
father,  Walter  Whitworth,  being  a  skilled  me- 
chanical engineer  as  well  as  a  capitalist.  Mr. 
Walter  Whitworth  introduced  the  manufacture 
of  cotton  cloth  into  Russia,  and  was  one  of  the 
builders  and  owners  of  the  first  cotton  mill  in 
that  empire. 

John  Whitworth,  of  Woodstock,  received  an 
excellent  education  in  select  boarding  schools 
in  his  native  country,  and,  at  nineteen  years 
of  age,  came  to  seek  his  fortune  in  America. 
He  had  been  preceded  here  by  his  brother 
Thomas,  who  is  now  manager  and  superinten- 
dent of  the  Piano  and  Organ  Supply  Company  of 
Chicago,  which  is  the  largest  concern  of  its  kind 
in  the  United  States.  After  coming  to  America 
John  Whitworth  entered  into  the  employment 
of  the  Fitchburg  Railroad  Company  of  Massa- 
chusetts, with  which  he  remained  two  years. 
He  then  came  to  Chicago  and  became  associ- 
ated with  B.  P.  Preston  &  Co.,  in  furnishing 
fire  department  supplies.  Beginning  here  in 
a  humble  capacity,  by  industry,  capability  and 
strict  attention  to  his  duties,  he  worked  his 
way  to  the  superintendency  of  the  mercantile 
department  of  the  company.  Later  he  became 
superintendent  of  the  Fowler  Cycle  Company, 
continuing  in  that  position  two  years  when,  in 
1898,  he  came  to  Woodstock  to  assume  the 
management  of  the  plant  of  the  "Oliver  Type- 
writer" Company,  in  which  he  is  also  a  stock- 
holder. His  success  in  this  position  is  indi- 
cated by  the  marked  advancement  that  has 
been  manifest  in  both  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  the  output  of  the  manufacturing  department 
under  his  management,  and  in  the  very  large 
increase  that  has  been  made  in  the  number  of 
machines  produced  and  the  higher  degree  of 
perfection  that  has  been  attained  in  a  machine 
which  has  grown  rapidly  in  popularity  and 
for  which  there  has  been  a  constantly  increas- 
ing demand. 

Mr.  Whitworth  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie 
Clark,    of    Chicago,    and    they    have    one    son, 


Walter  S.  They  have  made  their  home  in 
Woodstock.  Mr.  Whitworth  enjoys  in  the 
highest  degree  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
his  business  associates  and  the  employes  of 
the  Oliver  Typewriter  Company,  as  well  as  the 
general  public  of  Woodstock  and  McHenry 
County. 


EMIL    WINDMUELLER,    M.    D. 

In  1894  a  young  physician  came  to  Wood- 
stock, whose  youthful  appearance  bore  out  the 
impression  of  a  student  from  a  German  Uni- 
versity. He  opened  an  office  and,  before  many 
months,  it  became  known  that  the  new  phy- 
sician was  effecting  many  cures  and  had  al- 
ready established  a  good  practice.  As  time 
passed,  his  reputation  became  more  widely 
known  as  one  of  the  most  skillful  physicians 
and  surgeons  of  McHenry  County.  His  uni- 
form success  as  a  surgeon,  in  the  early  stage 
of  his  practice,  gave  to  him  the  deserved  credit 
of  being  an  expert  in  this  department,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  surgical  cases  from  the 
surrounding  country  came  under  his  care  and, 
without  exception,  were  treated  with  satisfac- 
tory results.  The  Germans  are  noted  for  their 
thorough  and  accurate  research  in  all  branches 
of  scientific  study,  and  their  institutions  for 
the  special  treatment  of  disease  in  all  its  forma 
have  obtained  a  deservedly  wide  reputation, 
and  it  is  probable  that  Dr.  Windmueller  owes 
much  of  his  recognized  skill  in  surgery  to  char- 
acteristics inherited  from  his  German  ancestry. 

Dr.  Windmueller  was  born  in  Oldenburg, 
Germany,  June  28,  1869,  the  son  of  Frederick 
and  Sophia  (Meyer)  Windmueller.  To  Freder- 
ick Windmueller  and  wife  were  born,  in  their 
native  Germany,  the  following  named  children: 
Bmil,  Frederick  (who  died  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-two years),  and  John,  now  a  druggist  in 
Chicago.  The  mother  died  in  Germany  and 
Frederick  Windmueller  was  married  in  his  na- 
tive country  to  Anna  Franz.  In  1881  the  fam- 
ily came  to  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  where  the  father 
conducted  a  real-estate  business  for  some 
time. 

At  the  time  the  family  came  to  America, 
Emil  Windmueller  was  about  twelve  years  of 
age.  He  had  already  received  a  good  primary 
education  in  the  Fatherland,  and,  after  coming 
to  Milwaukee,  attended  the  public  and  high 
school  in  that  city.  In  1883  he  became  a  clerk 
in  a  Milwaukee  drug-store  and  later  attended 
the  School  of  Pharmacy  for  a  year   (1889)   in 


1066 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


Chicago,  after  which  until  1890,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business  at  Lake  Geneva, 
Wis.,  in  Chicago  and  at  Shreveport,  La.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  year  he  entered  Rush  Medical 
College  in  Chicago,  where  he  took  a  thorough 
course,  graduating  in  1894,  also  taking  a  post- 
graduate course  at  the  Chicago  Polyclinic. 
Immediately  after  graduation,  he  established 
himself  in  practice  at  Woodstock,  as  already 
noted,  where  within  the  last  eight  years  he  has 
won  a  marked  success  in  his  profession. 

During  the  year  of  his  location  at  Woodstock, 
Dr.  Windmueller  was  married  at  Lake  Geneva, 
Wis.,  to  Miss  Julia  Seymour,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Helen  (Garfield)  Seymour  of  that 
place.  Both  the  Seymours  and  the  Garflelds 
are  of  old  New  England  ancestry.  Dr.  Wind- 
mueller and  wife  have  one  daughter  named 
Helen. 

In  his  political  opinions  Dr.  Windmueller  is 
a  Republican,  and  fraternally  is  a  member  of 
Woodstock  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.;  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  for  which  he  is  Ex- 
amining Physician;  of  the  Knights  of  Macca- 
bees, and  several  other  fraternal  orders.  He 
is  also  surgeon  in  McHenry  County  for  the  Chi- 
cago  &   Northwestern  Railroad    Company. 

As  already  indicated  in  the  preceding  por- 
tions of  this  sketch,  Dr.  Windmueller  has 
established  for  himself  a  high  reputation  as  a 
progressive  physician,  which  has  been  recog- 
nized in  the  official  positions  which  he  now 
holds.  He  is  a  close  observer  and  ardent 
student,  and  has  familiarized  himself  with  all 
recent  discoveries  in  medicine  and  modern  im- 
provements in  surgery,  which  has  made  such 
marked  advancement  during  the  past  few 
years.  As  an  up-to-date  member  of  the  pro- 
fession, he  is,  of  course,  well  supplied  with  the 
most  modern  instruments. 

Apart  from  his  profession,  Dr.  Windmueller 
is  known  as  an  enterprising  citizen  who  is  ever 
abreast  of  the  times,  and  he  has  the  distinction 
of  having  introduced  the  first  automobile  upon 
the  streets  of  Woodstock.  In  the  prime  of  his 
professional  career  and  with  a  past  which  has 
been  notable  for  its  success,  there  is  no  exag- 
geration in  predicting  for  him  a  most  promis- 
ing future. 


WILLIAM    E.    WIRE. 

William  E.  Wire,  educator  and  Superintend- 
ent of  Schools,  McHenry  County,  was  born  in 
Greenwood,  McHenry  County,  March  27,  1858, 


the  son  of  John  and  Badelia  (Brady)  Wire. 
Both  parents  were  descended  from  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry  from  County  Armagh,  Ireland.  The 
Wires  came  to  America  in  a  sailing-vessel 
from  Liverpool,  about  1824,  the  voyage  to  New 
York  occupying  five  weeks.  The  parents  of 
this  family — who  were  the  grandparents  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch — both  died  in  Castle 
Garden  soon  after  their  arrival,  leaving  two 
children,  John  and  Delia.  The  latter  died  in 
infancy,  leaving  John,  who  was  an  infant  when 
his  parents  came  to  this  country — having  been 
born  in  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  in  1824 — the 
sole  survivor.  He  was  taken  care  of  and 
reared  to  manhood  by  a  Mr.  Alexander,  an 
uncle  on  his  mother's  side,  in  New  Hampshire. 
After  he  grew  up  he  became  foreman  for  his 
uncle,  who  was  engaged  in  contract  work  on 
railroads.  He  finally  married  at  Westboro, 
Mass.,  Badelia  Brady,  who  was  born  Nov.  7, 
1824,  in  County  Westmeath,  Ireland,  where  her 
father  was  a  merchant.  Her  parents'  other 
children  were:  James,  Rose,  Jane,  Ann  and 
Thomas.  The  father  remained  in  Ireland, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Wire  remained  for  some 
time  after  their  marriage  at  Westboro,  Mass., 
where  he  continued  in  contract  work,  but  in 
1856,  on  account  of  failing  health,  removed  to 
McHenry  County,  111.,  and  settled  in  Green- 
wood Township,  where  he  died  in  1858.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Wire  were: 
John  Henry,  Mary,  Eliza,  Badelia,  Nellie  and 
William  E.  The  father  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and,  in  political  opinions, 
a  Jacksonian  Democrat.  After  the  death  of 
her  husband,  being  left  practically  without 
means,  the  responsibility  for  bringing  up  the 
family  devolved  upon  Mrs.  Wire,  but  she  was 
equal  to  the  occasion,  proving  herself  a  faithful 
and  devoted  mother.  She  still  survives  in 
Greenwood  Townships  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years. 

William  E.  Wire  grew  up  in  Greenwood 
Township,  and  early  engaged  in  any  employ- 
ment which  offered  itself  by  way  of  assisting 
his  mother  in  support  of  the  family,  meanwhile 
attending  the  public  school  during  the  winter 
months.  In  this  way  he  acquired  the  usual 
common-school  education.  He  was  diligent, 
persevering  and  studious,  which  is  more  than 
half  the  battle  when  a  boy  is  determined  to 
gain  an  education.  He  finally  attended  the 
high   school  in  Woodstock,     from     which     he 


cHENRY     COUNTY. 


1067 


graduated  in  1872,  after  which  he  took  a 
course  at  the  Illinois  State  Normal  University 
at  Normal,  111.  In  1876  he  began  teaching  in 
McHenry  Township,  remaining  one  year,  after 
which  he  taught  for  four  winters  in  Hebron 
Township,  while  working  on  the  farm  in  the 
summer.  Other  places  in  which  he  taught  in- 
cluded the  Spring  Grove  village  school  in  Bur- 
ton Township  where  he  was  Principal,  and  the 
Solon  village  school  for  two  years,  after  which 
he  was  invited  to  accept  the  principalship  of 
the  graded  schools  at  Greenwood,  where  he  re- 
mained seven  years.  Then,  after  retirement 
from  school  work  on  account  of  impaired 
health,  he  spent  a  year  in  charge  of  the  schools 
at  Hebron.  By  his  long  and  successful  ex- 
perience, Mr.  Wire  acquired  a  wide  reputation 
as  an  accomplished  teacher  and  capable  dis- 
ciplinarian. In  1890  he  was  elected  County 
Superintendent  of  Schools  for  McHenry  Coun- 
ty and,  by  repeated  re-elections,  is  now  (1902) 
serving  his  third  term.  Under  his  administra- 
tion much  useless  and  effete  material  has  been 
discarded,  and  the  schools  of  the  county  have 
been  advanced  to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency. 

On  July  15,  1885,  Mr.  Wire  was  married  at 
Spring  Grove,  McHenry  County,  to  Josephine 
Craine,  born  at  Spring  Grove,  July  6,  1857,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Jane  (Cain)  Craine.  Her 
father  was  born  on  the  Isle  of  Man,  of  old 
Manx  stock,  and  came  to  Richmond  Township, 
McHenry  County,  in  1850,  where  he  became  a 
prosperous  farmer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craine  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Catherine,  Marion,  John,  Josephine  and  Emma. 
Mr.  Craine  was  a  Republican  and  an  active 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  about  seventy-four  years. 

After  marriage  William  E.  Wire  and  wife 
settled  in  Greenwood,  and  in  1889  removed  to 
Hebron,  where  he  bought  residence  property 
and  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  adjoining  the  vil- 
lage. Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  takes  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs. 
He  served  seven  years  a;s  Town  Clerk  of 
Greenwood  Township.  His  repeated  re-elec- 
tion to  the  office  of  County  Superintendent  af- 
fords strong  evidence  of  his  personal  popu- 
larity and  the  high  estimate  in  which  his  serv- 
ices are  held  as  an  educator.  In  addition  to 
his  other  public  services,  Mr.  Wire  was  also 
one  of  the  chief  promoters  and  organizers  of 
the  McHenry  County  Teachers'  Institute. 

John  Henry  Wire,  the  oldest  brother  of  Wil- 
liam E.,  ran  away  from  home  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years  to  become  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 


War,  enlisting  as  a  private  in  Company  G., 
Seventeenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
took  part  in  many  battles  in  one  of  which  he 
was  badly  wounded.  After  serving  three  years, 
he  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  and,  in  the  latter 
part  of  his  second  term  of  enlistment,  saw 
service  in  campaigns  against  the  Indians  on 
the  plains.  He  was  one  of  the  youngest  of  the 
soldiers  who  served  in  the  Civil  War. 


PETER  J.   WELBON. 


Peter  J.  Welbon,  who  is  of  a  pioneer  family 
of  McHenry  County,  has  been  a  resident  of 
Hebron  Township  nearly  all  his  life.  The  Wel- 
bon family,  is  of  English  ancestry,  John  Wel- 
bon, the  father  of  Peter  J.,  having  been  born  in 
London,  England,  about  1815,  a  son  of  John 
Welbon,  who  came  to  America  about  1830. 
John  Welbon,  Sr.,  and  his  family  landed  at 
New  York,  and  immediately  afterwards  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Oneida  County,  of  the  same  State, 
where  he  died  at  a  venerable  age.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Peter,  Rachael,  Hannah,  Charity 
and  John. 

John  Welbon,  Jr.,  was  about  fifteen  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  America  with  his  fath- 
er's family.  He  received  a  common-school 
education  and  learned  the  stone  mason's  trade. 
He  was  married  in  New  York  State  to  Ann,  a 
daughter  of  John  Holland.  Mr.  Holland  was  a 
native  of  England,  came  to  America  with  his 
father's  family  in  1831,  and  settled  in  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  became  a  substantial 
citizen  and  owned  an  estate  of  400  acres.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holland  were:  John, 
James,  Alison,  Mary  and  Ann.  Mr.  Holland 
was  a  very  successful  farmer  and  lived  to  be 
ninety  years  of  age. 

John  Welbon,  Jr.,  settled  in  Oneida  County, 
N.  Y.,  in  1845,  coming  to  McHenry  County  and 
settling  in  Hebron  Township,  where  he  bought 
forty  acres  of  Government  land  at  $1.25  per 
acre.  Here  he  built  a  log  house  and,  being  an 
industrious  and  enterprising  man,  made  subse- 
quent additions  to  his  first  purchase  until  he 
finally  owned  a  good  80-acre  farm.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Welbon  were  the  parents  of  Elizabeth, 
Peter  J.,  Evaline,  John  and  Mary.  Mr.  Welbon 
died  in  1854,  being  then  but  thirty-nine  years 
of  age.  Mrs.  Welbon  lived  for  many  years 
with  her  daughter,  Evaline,  in  Marshall  Coun- 
ty, Iowa,  and  died  at  State  Center,  that  State, 
Sept.  13,  1901,  aged  eighty-one  years.  She  was 
a  woman  of  high  character  and  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church. 


Mc-HE-NrR^     e^OiUi^TrY,^ 


Peter  J.  Welbon,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  Rome,  Oneida  County, 
N.  Y.,  Dec.  17,  1842,  and  being  but  three  years 
of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Hebron  Town- 
ship, his  earliest  recollections  are  of  that  sec-, 
tion  of  country,  which  was  but  slightly  im- 
proved at  that  time.  Mr.  Welbon  received  his 
primary  education  in  a  log-cabin  school-house, 
and  among  his  schoolmates  were  the  Wilcox 
children.  He  afterwards  attended  school  in  a 
frame  building  that  stood  on  his  father's  farm. 
Being  but  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  father 
died,  he  was  early  inured  to  farm  labor.  He 
remained  at  home  until  twenty  years  of  age 
and  then  hired  out  as  a  farm  laborer  for  four 
years.  January  25,  1866,  he  was  married  in 
Geneva,  Wis.,  to  Charlotte  Householder,  who 
was  born  in  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Maria  (Casterline)  Householder.  Both  the 
Householders  and  Casterlines  were  of  sturdy 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  stock. 

Charles  Householder  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  in  early  manhood  moved  to  New 
York  State,  and  later  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Indiana,  where  he  was  married  to  Mariah 
Casterline.  In  1852  he  moved  to  Barrington, 
111.,  and  ten  years  later  to  Hebron  Township, 
McHenry  County,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  230  acres  and  lived  the  remainder  of  his 
days,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years;  his 
wife  dying  when  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Householder  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Phineas,  Sarah, 
Lewis,  Mary,  Henry,  Charlotte,  Alva,  Phoebe, 
Charles,  Ellen,  Catherine  and  Theodore.  One 
of  their  sons,  Lewis,  served  in  the  Civil  War.. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Welbon  settled 
on  the  old  Welbon  homestead,  of  which  he 
bought  eighty  acres,  and  made  subsequent  ad- 
ditions to  the  latter  until  he  owned  a  fine  farm 
of  145  acres,  well  improved  with  substantial 
buildings.  In  March,  1893,  he  bought  a  pleas- 
ant residence  in  Hebron  village,  where  he  and 
his  family  have  since  resided.  Aside  from  be- 
ing a  self-made  man,  Mr.  Welbon,  after  his 
father's  death,  assisted  his  mother  in  support- 
ing the  younger  children  of  her  family.  In  po- 
litical opinion  he  is  a  Republican,  and,  as  a 
citizen,  is  much  respected  for  his  upright  and 
high  moral  character.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Welbon 
are  the  parents  of  Frederick  Leslie,  Charles 
Alison,  John  Harrison  and  Clyde  Elmer.  The 
following  facts  concerning  their  children  are 
of  interest:  Fred  L.  married  Nellie  Hawley, 
who    died   Dec.    3,   1899,   leaving   a   son,    Glen. 


Charles  A.  married  Kate  Ehje;  resides  in  Heb- 
ron,  and  they  have  one  child,  Harold,  John  H. 
married  Kate  Hackett;  resides  on  the  Welbon 
homestead,  and  they  have  a  daughter,  Verona. 
Clyde  E.  is  a  farmer  and  married  Pearl  Finch. 
Mrs.  Peter  J.  Welbon  died  April  23,  1902. 


JOHN    WELTZIEN. 

John  Weltzien  is  one  of  the  substantial  self- 
made  business  men  of  Huntley,  McHenry 
County,  deriving  his  descent  from  sturdy  Ger- 
man ancestry.  His  father,  Charles  Weltzien, 
was  born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  Nov.  21, 
1819,  and  had  a  brother  John  who  came  to 
America  in  1864  and  settled  in  Huntley. 
The  father  of  Charles  and  John  Weltzien  waa 
a  Russian  soldier,  but  deserted  from  the  army 
and  settled  in  Germany. 

Charles  Weltzien  married  in  Mecklenburg, 
Germany,  Frederica  Schroeder,  and  they  had 
children  named  John,  Mary  (who  is  now  Mrs. 
D.  H.  Haeger  of  Dundee,  111.),  Charles  (who 
died  in  1861,  a  small  boy),  Fred,  Sopha,  Mina, 
Carrie  and  Frank.  The  five  oldest  children  of 
this  family  were  born  in  Germany  and  the 
remainder  in  Illinois.  For  about  ten  years 
before  coming  to  America,  Charles  Weltzien 
was  overseer  of  a  large  farm  in  his  native 
country.  In  1857  he  came  with  his  family  to 
America,  sailing  from  Hamburg  in  July  on  the 
good  ship  "Isaac  Newton."  During  the  trip 
they  encountered  a  great  many  severe  storms, 
landing  in  New  York  after  a  perilous  voyage 
of  two  months.  From  New  York  they  came 
direct  to  Barrington,  111.,  and  Mr.  Weltzien 
engaged  as  a  farm  laborer  near  Dundee,  where 
he  continued  to  work  for  two  years.  In 
1860  he  moved  to  a  farm  near  Huntley,  but  in 
1867  purchased  160  acres  northeast  of  the 
village,  upon  which  he  made  substantial  im- 
provements and  where  he  lived  until  advanced 
in  years,  when  he  rented  his  farm  and  moved 
to  the  village  of  Huntley,  residing  there  un- 
til his  death,  August  19,  1901,  being  then 
about  eighty-two  years  old.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  Lutheran  church,  and  con- 
tributed liberally  toward  the  support  of  his 
church  in  Huntley,  and  also  assisted  in  build- 
ing the  church  edifice.  In  political  opinions  he 
was  a  Democrat.  He  was  an  industrious  and 
respected  man  and  reared  an  excellent  family. 

John  Weltzien,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
article,    was    born    in   Mecklenburg,    Germany, 


C&VL       /^f*^&C<<t_ 


Mc  HENRY     COUNTY. 


1069 


Dec.  4,  1847,  and  was  less  than  ten  years  of 
age  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Amer- 
ica, the  incidents  of  that  eventful  journey  being 
vividly  impressed  upon  his  memory.  He  had 
attended  school  in  Germany,  and,  after  coming 
to  America,  attended  the  district  schools  dur- 
ing the  winter  and  worked  at  farm  labor  in  the 
summer  season,  continuing  to  employ  his  time 
in  this  manner  until  about  eighteen  years  of 
age.  In  1874  he  engaged  to  work  in  a  cream- 
ery owned  by  Mr.  D.  E.  Wood,  at  Huntley,  and 
two  years  later  became  Mr.  Wood's  partner  in 
the  business,  which  he  continued  successfully 
for  twenty-one  years.  In  1881  Mr.  Weltzien 
bought  a  farm  of  194  acres  adjoining  Huntley 
village  on  the  north,  most  of  which  is  now 
within  the  corporation  limits  and  is  being  sold 
as  city  lots.  In  1897,  having  disposed  of  his 
interest  in  the  creamery  to  the  Cornell  Broth- 
ers, he  built  his  present  feed-mill,  and,  be- 
sides doing  a  successful  milling  business, 
carries  a  stock  of  brick,  tile,  wood  and  coal. 
Mr.  Weltzien  is  a  business  man  of  the  ut- 
most reliability  and  owns  much  valuable  prop- 
erty in  Huntley,  all  being  the  result  of  his 
honest  efforts,  industrious  habits  and  good 
management.  In  political  opinion  he  is  a  firm 
believer  in  the  principles  advocated  by  the 
Republican  party,  and,  as  its  representative, 
has  served  his  fellow-citizens  of  Grafton  Town- 
ship as  Supervisor  for  sixteen  years,  and  many 
years  as  a  member  of  the  Village  Board,  being 
President  of  the  Board  for  six  years. 

August  1,  1869,  Mr.  Weltzien  was  united  in 
marriage,  in  Huntley,  111.,  to  Alice  E.  Bowen, 
who  was  born  in  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec. 
15,  1851  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Harriet 
(Cook)  Bowen  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
the  following  named  children:  Minnie,  Lottie, 
Myrtle,  Frank,  Grace  and  Hattie. 

Isaac  Bowen,  father  of  Mrs.  Weltzien,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  War  and  was  killed  in  a 
skirmish  just  before  the  battle  of  the  Wilder- 
ness. He  belonged  to  an  old  American  family, 
his  father  being  Aaron  Bowen,  a  native  of 
New  York  State.  Isaac  Bowen  married  Harriet 
Cook  and  their  only  child  was  Alice  E.,  now 
Mrs.  Weltzien. 


IRA    WEBBER. 

Ira  Webber,  veteran  of  the  Civil  War 
and  farmer,  Marengo,  111.,  was  born  at  Pan- 
ama,  Chautauqua   County,     N.     Y.,     Dec.      3, 


1830,  the  son  of  William  and  Eliza  (Terry) 
Webber.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  at  Columbia  Flats  near  the  New 
York  State  line,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, while  the  Terrys  were  of  Colonial  Massa- 
chusetts stock.  The  children  of  William  and 
Eliza  (Terry)  Webber  were:  Sallie,  Lorinda,  El- 
mira,  William,  Elijah,  Ira,  Marietta,  Cornelius, 
Daniel  and  Charlotte.  Mr.  Webber  died  July  4, 
1846,  aged  about  fifty-five  years,  and  his  wife, 
Dec.  4,  1847.  They  were  both  members  of  the 
Baptist  church,  and  in  politics  he  was  an  old 
line  Whig.  He  was  an  energetic  and  indus- 
trious citizen,  and,  while  living  the  life  of  a 
pioneer  in  a  log  house  in  Chautauqua  County, 
cleared  up  a  farm  from  that  heavily  timbered 
region. 

Ira  Webber,  the  son,  enjoyed  no  educational 
advantages  in  his  early  youth,  but  was  brought 
up  to  hard  work  on  the  farm  and  in  the 
woods.  When  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  his 
father  having  died,  he  began  working  out  for 
wages,  which  he  continued  a  number  of  years. 
In  1855,  having  reached  the  age  of  nearly 
twenty-five  years,  he  came  to  Marengo,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  and  soon  after  his  arrival,  began 
working  for  Henry  Underwood  of  Riley  Town- 
ship. The  following  year  he  went  with  a  party 
to  Minnesota,  driving  a  drove  of  100  cattle, 
the  journey  occupying  six  weeks.  Mr.  Webber 
then  engaged  in  farm-work  for  a  time  in  the 
vicinity  of  Faribault  and  Winona,  remaining 
four  years,  when  he  returned  to  McHenry 
County  and  entered  into  the  employment  of 
J.  St.  John,  of  Riley  Township,  for  about  three 
years.  He  then  worked  for  a  time  in  Coral 
Township  and,  on  Sept.  17,  1864,  he  enlisted 
at  Coral,  McHenry  County,  as  a  private  in 
Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, under  the  command  of  Capt.  John  Eddy, 
and  was  mustered  into  the  service  at  Marengo, 
for  one  year  or  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
After  serving  about  eleven  months,  on  August 
18,  1865,  Mr.  Webber  was  honorably  discharged 
at  Camp  Butler,  near  Springfield,  and  arrived 
home  August  22.  Mr.  Webber  saw  service  dur- 
ing his  connection  with  the  army  about  St 
Louis,  Jefferson  City  and  Sedalia,  Mo.,  in 
Tennessee  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Nash- 
ville in  December,  1864,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Mobile,  being  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Spanish 
Fort.  He  participated  in  all  the  battles,  skir- 
mishes, marches  and  campaigns  in  which  the 


1070 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


regiment  was  engaged  during  this  time,  but 
was  never  wounded  or  a  prisoner.  After  his 
return  from  the  field  he  was  unable  to  do  any 
work  for  some  time,  but  finally,  having  par- 
tially recovered  from  his  disability,  he  resumed 
work  as  he  was  able  on  the  little  farm  which 
he  had  purchased  the  year  of  his  enlistment. 
This  consisted  of  a  tract  of  forty  acres  without 
buildings,  which  he  had  purchased  for  the  sum 
of  $800,  all  of  which  he  had  paid  up  at  the 
time  of  his  enlistment  except  $50.  All  the 
improvements  upon  the  farm,  including  build- 
•  ings,  have  been  made  since  that  date. 

On  August  20,  1863,  Mr.  Webber  was  mar- 
ried, at  Beloit  Wis.,  to  Caroline  Cordelia 
Bowen,  who  was  born  August  20,  1846,  the 
daughter  of  Franklin  and  Permelia  (Ripley) 
Bowen.  Mr.  Bowen,  the  father,  was  born  in 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  August  5,  1820,  the 
son  of  Mr  .and  Mrs.  John  Bowen.  John 
Bowen,  who  was  of  New  England  ancestry, 
was  a  native  of  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y., 
and  moved  to  Chautauqua  County  at  an  early 
day.  His  first  wife  having  died,  he  married 
Nancy  Vrooman.  The  children  by  the  first 
marriage  were:  Freeman,  Rena,  John,  Frank- 
lin, Antoinette,  Harvey  and  Adelia;  and  those 
by  his  second  wife,  Angeline,  Helen  and  Earl. 
John  Bowen  moved  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
with  his  son  Franklin  in  1840,  and  settled 
under  Coral  Hill,  opposite  the  cemetery,  where 
the  farm  of  William  Ross  now  is.  Here  he 
entered  160  acres  of  land  at  the  Government 
Land  Office,  which  he  partially  improved  but 
afterwards  sold  and  settled  on  another  farm 
in  Coral  Township.  He  finally  went  to  Iowa 
to  live  with  his  children,  and  died  at  Waverly 
in  that  State.  He  was  a  Baptist  in  religious 
belief.  His  son,  Franklin  Bowen,  received  a 
common-school  education  in  his  native  country 
and,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  married  Permelia 
Ripley,  who  was  about  the  same  age.  She 
was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  May 
13,  1820,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Betsy 
Ripley,  who  were  of  New  England  stock  but 
pioneer  settlers  in  New  York.  Franklin  Bowen 
and  wife  remained  in  Chautauqua  County  until 
1840,  when  he  came  to  McHenry  County  in  a 
two-horse  covered  wagon,  the  journey  occupy- 
ing three  weeks.  After  his  arrival  in  McHenry 
County  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land,  to  which 
he  afterward  added  ten  acres  more,  but  subse- 
quently removed   to  Marengo.     His   first  wife 


died  on  the  farm,  Feb.  12,  1885,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five,  leaving  children  named:  Mary. 
Caroline,  Cordelia  and  Adelia  Atlanta.  Mr- 
Bowen  himself  died  at  Marengo,  August  29, 
1888,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church,  a  Republican  in  poli- 
tics and  an  industrious  and  reputable  citizen. 

After  his  marriage  in  1863,  as  related  above, 
Ira  Webber  settled  down  on  his  farm,  but  two 
months  after  the  birth  of  his  first  child,  by  his 
enlistment  in  the  army,  his  wife,  with  her  in- 
fant daughter,  was  left  to  face  the  anxieties 
and  loneliness  which  came  to  the  wives  of  sol- 
diers of  that  period.  The  story  of  Mr.  Webber's 
career  in  the  army  has  already  been  related 
with  reasonable  fullness,  but  the  following  in- 
cident is  mentioned  as  an  illustration  of  the 
hardships  encountered  by  the  soldiers  of  that 
period.  While  working  on  the  breast-works 
in  the  slashes  near  Spanish  Fort,  Ala.,  in  the 
last  days  of  the  war,  Mr.  Webber  was  poisoned 
by  coming  in  contact  with  some  poison  plant — 
probably  the  poison  ivy.  His  head  and  some 
parts  of  his  body  were  badly  swollen — some 
portions  to  twice  the  ordinary  size — and,  as  a 
consequence,  he  endured  great  suffering.  His 
illness  continued  for  a  long  time,  and  from  its 
effects  he  has  never  entirely  recovered,  being 
at  times  almost  entirely  disabled.  During  this 
period  he  did  not  enter  a  hospital,  but  endured 
his  suffering  in  camp  as  best  he  could. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ira  Webber  have  had  children 
named  as  follows:  Jennie  Adelia,  born  July 
1,  1864,  died  Sept.  26,  1869;  Mary  and  May 
(twins),  born  Sept.  16,  1870— Mary  died  Sept. 
27,  1870,  and  May,  Nov.  9,  1870.  Mr.  Webber 
is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  he  and  his  wife 
are  among  the  most  highly  respected  citizens 
of  McHenry  County. 


HENRY  C.  WERDEN. 

Henry  C.  Werden,  farmer,  Nunda  Township, 
McHenry  County,  is  descended  from  old  colo- 
nial stock  of  Massachusetts,  his  remote  ances- 
tors having  come  from  England  during  the 
days  of  Puritan  emigration  between  1630  and 
1640.  Alden  Werden,  the  grandfather  of  Henry 
C.  Werden,  was  born  in  Rhode  Island,  in  1789. 
He  was  the  son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and 
was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  by  trade.  In  1856  he 
came  with  his  only  son,  Ambrose  P.  Werden, 
to  Lake  County,  111.,  and  died  there  in  1865,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  years.    In  religious  be,. 


/7itc< .  &^1^4M^_ 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1071 


lief  he  was  a  Baptist.  His  wife,  Chloe  (Green) 
Werden,  died  at  their  old  home  in  Lanesboro, 
Mass. 

Ambrose  P.  Werden  was  born  in  Cheshire, 
Mass.,  in  1818,  and  in  his  earlier  days  was  a 
farmer,  but  later  became  a  paper  manufacturer, 
being  engaged  in  this  business  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  was  married  in  his  native  town 
of  Lanesboro,  to  Sarah  H.  Bagg,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  whose  maternal  grandfather,  a 
Mr.  Baker,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution. 
Her  father,  Aaron  Bagg,  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation. Ambrose  P.  Werden  and  wife  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Henry  C,  born  July  14,  1842;  Herbert,  born 
May  11,  1848;  Kirk,  born  Sept.  4,  1851;  Willie, 
born  Oct.  21,  1854.  After  coming  to  Lake 
County,  Mr.  Werden  entered  into  partnership 
with  a  Mr.  Tiffany  in  the  wagon  manufactur- 
ing business  at  Waukegan,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Tiffany  &  Werden,  and  they  were  the 
builders  of  the  first  steam-engine  sent  to  Min- 
neapolis, Minn.  In  1860,  having  retired  from 
business  at  Waukegan,  he  removed  to  Nunda 
Township,  McHenry  County,  where  he  bought 
the  farm  on  which  his  son  Henry  C.  now  lives. 
This  farm  at  the  time  had  been  but  little  im- 
proved, but  by  bringing  the  land  under  culti- 
vation and  erecting  buildings,  he  greatly  im- 
proved it,  and  converted  it  into  a  good  home- 
stead. Mr.  Werden  was  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  and  in  politics  an  old  line  Whig. 
He  died  in  1885,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

Henry  C.  Werden,  the  son  of  the  preceding, 
was  born  in  Lanesboro,  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.,  and  at  the  age  of  about  fourteen  years, 
came  with  his  father's  family  to  Lake  County, 
111.  He  received  a  common-school  education 
and  during  the  second  year  of  the  Civil  War, 
having  reached  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  Company  E,  One  Hundred 
and  Thirty-fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
under  Capt.  Henry  J.  Millay.  After  a  service 
of  Ave  and  a  half  months,  of  which  one  month 
was  spent  near  St.  Louis,  and  the  remainder 
chiefly  in  Kentucky,  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged and  returned  to  his  home  in  McHenry 
County.  On  December  31,  1866,  he  was  married 
at  Waukegan,  111.,  to  Louisa  H.  S.  Oakes,  born 
in  Sanford,  Bennington  County,  Vt,  the 
daughter  of  Andrew  and  Phoebe  (Meyers) 
Oakes,  and  two  children  have  been  born  of  this 
marriage,  viz.:   Louvain  A.,  born  Oct.  5,  1867, 


and  Clayton  K.,  born  April  26,  1873.  Louvain 
A.  is  a  dentist  in  Nunda,  and  married  Maude 
Rowena  Ferris,  and  his  brother,  Clayton  K., 
married  Hallin  Esther  Ferris.  Henry  C.  Wer- 
den politically  is  a  stanch  Republican,  main- 
tains the  reputation  of  a  reliable  and  trust- 
worthy citizen  and  has  served  for  the  last 
twenty  years  as  Road  Commissioner  of  Nunda 
Township. 

The  Oakes  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Henry  C. 
Werden  is  a  member,  is  of  early  New  England 
ancestry.  The  name  is  variously  spelled, 
"Oakes,"  "Oaks"  and  "Oak" — the  latter  being 
the  original  style  of  orthography.  Nathaniel 
Oak,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  was 
born  in  1660,  and,  in  1686,  married  Mehitabel 
Rediath,  who  died  at  Marlboro,  Mass.  He  sub- 
sequently married,  as  his  second  wife,  Mary 
Holloway  of  Concord. 

Nathaniel  Oak  (2),  son  of  the  preceding,  was 
born  Jan.  7,  1703,  and  lived  on  Long  Hill,  Bol- 
ton, Mass.,  where  his  father,  Nathaniel  (1), 
had  settled. 

Beriah  Oak,  son  of  Nathaniel  (2),  was  born 
about  1818,  and  lived  to  be  sixty-seven  years 
old,  dying  in  1885. 

Daniel  Oaks — as  he  spelled  the  name, — of  the 
fourth  generation  of  the  American  branch  of 
the  family,  and  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Henry  C. 
Werden,  was  born  June  17,  1776,  and  was  mar- 
ried June  24,  1800,  to  Hepzabeth  Batchelor. 
Their  children  were:  Asa,  born  May,  1801, 
died  1860;  Luke,  born  Oct.  16,  1802,  died  March 
16,  1872;  Merrick,  born  April  9,  1804,  died 
Feb.  2,  1893;  Louisa,  born  June  19,  1806,  died 
May  25,  1851;  Mary,  born  Sept.  13,  1807,  died 
May  12,  1901;  Adaline,  born  March  29,  1812. 
died  in  infancy;  Nancy,  born  Aug.  30,  1813, 
died  March  21,  1863;  Daniel,  born  April  20, 
1816,  died  Oct.  11,  1897;  Ephraim,  born  Oct. 
7,  1818,  died  May,  1902;  Andrew,  born  Oct. 
24,   1820. 

Andrew  Oakes,  the  last  named  of  this  family, 
was  reared  on  a  farm,  received  a  common- 
school  education,  and  was  married  at  Pownal, 
Vt.,  March  11,  1843,  to  Phoebe  Myers,  who  was 
born  April  14,  1821,  the  daughter  of  Simeon 
and  Sophia  (Barber)  Myers.  Simeon  Myers, 
the  father,  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  Andrew  Oakes  owned  a 
farm  of  100  acres  in  Stamford,  Vt.,  which  he 
had  bought  of  his  father.  In  1866  he  came  to 
Illinois,  arriving  April  4th,  and,  in  the  fall  of 


1072 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1867,  bought  the  farm  in  Wauconda  Township. 
This  consisted  of  100  acres  of  improved  land, 
upon  which  he  lived  until  Feb.  1,  1882.  Then, 
retiring  from  active  life  as  a  farmer,  he  re- 
moved to  Wauconda,  where  he  bought  im- 
proved property  and  where  he  now  resides. 
He  still  owns  the  home  farm  besides  valuable 
real  estate  in  Wauconda.  Mr.  Oakes  is  a 
Universalist  in  religious  belief  and  in  politics 
a  Republican.  His  children — all  born  in  Stam- 
ford, Vt.— -are:  Oscar  W.,  born  Dec.  6,  1843, 
died  in  Union  County,  Iowa;  Louisa  S.,  born 
Sept.  12,  1847;  Clara  L.,  born  June  21,  1856; 
Libbie  C,  born  Sept.  12,  1858.  At  the  present 
time  (1903),  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oakes  are  spending 
the  evening  of  their  lives  at  their  Wauconda 
home — he  having  reached  the  age  of  eighty- 
three  years  and  she,  eighty-two. 

Chloe  (Green)  Werden,  wife  of  Alden  Wer- 
den  and  grandmother  of  Henry  C.  Werden, 
was  of  the  same  stock  as  Gen.  Nathaniel 
Greene  of  Revolutionary  fame.  He  was  des- 
cended from  James  Green,  who  was  born  at 
Newport,  Mass.,  May  7,  1750,.  and  on  Oct.  23, 
1776,  was  married  at  Adams,  Mass.,  to  Hep- 
zibah  Bower,  who  was  born  at  Cumberland, 
near  Providence,  R.  I.,  April  10,  1753— the  cere- 
mony being  performed  by  Rev.  Samuel  Todd. 
James  Green  died  at  Williamstown,  Mass.; 
March  24,  1830,  and  his  wife  at  the  same  place, 
Nov.  5,  1794.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  Green  were:  Susannah,  born  in  Berk- 
shire, Mass.,  Aug.  1,  1777;  Sallie  T.,  born  Oct. 
18,  1778;  Eleanor  born  April  12,  1780,  died 
April  25,  1825;  Hasty,  born  Nov.  30,  1781; 
Daniel,  born  Sept.  18,  1783,  died  July,  1805; 
Polly,  born  Feb.  23,  1786;  Chloe,  born  March 
7,  1788,  became  the  wife  of  Alden  Werden; 
Laura  and  Clara  (twins),  born  Sept.  30,  1790— 
Clara  died  March  1,  1791 ;  Thomas  Bowen,  born 
May  17,  1792;  Clara  (2),  born  Oct.  14,  1794, 
died  at  Williamstown,  Sept.  25,  1825.  James 
Green  was  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  had  a  long  line  of  descendants.  (The 
above  record  of  the  family  is  taken  from  an 
old  family  Bible,  which  contains  many  records 
of  much  historical  value  written  in  a  very  leg- 
ible hand.) 


GEORGE   WHISTON.  , 

George  Whiston,  farmer  of  Nunda  Township, 
McHenry  County,  111.,  is  the  son  of  John  and 


Adelia  (Salisbury)  Whiston,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  McHenry  County.  The  Whistons 
are  an  old  Vermont  family  of  English  descent. 
Christ  Whiston,  the  great-grandfather  of 
George  Whiston  moved  from  Vermont  to 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  at  an  early  day,  and 
there  opened  up  a  farm.  His  children  were: 
Mary,  Catherine,  Susan,  Charlotte,  Margaret, 
Jane,  Stephen,  Samuel  and  John.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  The  son  John 
of  this  family  was  born  at  Deerfield,  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  21,  1801,  was  married 
August  18,  1822,  to  Hannah  James  and  they 
had  children:  Lovina,  born  August  20,  1824, 
died  July  26,  1826;  Hannah,  born  March  21, 
1826;  John,  born  April  17,  1828;  Fannie,  born 
Feb.  21,  1831,  died  July  11,  1902;  Mary  G., 
born  August  21,  1833;  Elizabeth,  born  Dec.  10, 
1835,  died  Feb.  28,  1903;  Margaret  E.,  died 
Oct.  9,  1843;  Annie,  died  Oct.  16,  1851;  William, 
born  Jan.  17,  1831, — was  a  soldier  in  the  Ninety- 
fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  during  the 
Civil  War,  and  died  Dec.  31,  1869;  Abbie,  born 
Feb.  3,  1842,  died  Oct.  9,  1843;  Rosette,  born 
Sept.  1,  1845. 

John  Whiston,  Sr.,  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Oneida  County  and  improved  a  farm 
upon  which  he  lived  until  1849,  when,  in  the 
spring  of  that  year,  he  came  in  advance  of 
his  family  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  and  bought 
land  (eighty  acres  of  prairie  and  a  like  amount 
of  timber)  in  Hebron  Township  near  Tryon's 
Corners.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  political 
belief  and  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  He  died  March  6,  1874. 
and  his  wife,  May  13,  1894,  aged  about  eighty- 
eight  years. 

John  Whiston,  Jr.,  of  this  family,  and  father 
of  George  Whiston  of  McHenry  County,  born 
at  Deerfield,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  April  17. 
1828,  received  a  limited  education  and  at  an 
early  age  began  work  on  the  farm.  At  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
McHenry  County,  remaining  seven  years,  when, 
on  March  6,  1856,  he  married  Adelia  M.  Salis- 
bury, a  native  of  Shelby,  Ohio.  After  mar- 
riage he  settled  on  a  40-acre  tract  of  land 
which  he  had  purchased  in  Hebron  Township. 
Later  Mr.  Whiston  removed  with  his  family 
to  Iowa,  buying  a  house  at  Independence,  Bu- 
chanan County,  where  he  engaged  in  teaming 
and    farming,    and    where    he   remained   until 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


107? 


1872,  when  he  returned  to  McHenry  County, 
settling  first  in  Nunda  Township,  and  later  on 
the  old  Cottle  farm  in  Dorr  Township  belong- 
ing to  George  K.  Bunker.  Here  he  lived 
twenty  years,  carrying  on  the  farm  in  part- 
nership with  his  son  George.  In  1898  he  re- 
moved to  his  present  home.  In  religious  be- 
lief Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Whiston  are  Methodists, 
while  in  political  faith  he  is  a  Democrat.  Their 
children  are:  George,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
born  Dec.  25,  1856;  Alice,  born  in  Hebron 
Township,  March  6,  1861,  and  Frank  E.,  born 
in  Elgin,  111.,  April  8,  1867. 

The  parents  of  Adelia  H.  (Salisbury)  Whis- 
ton, wife  of  John  Whiston,  Jr.,  were  Charles 
and  Elsie  (Marvin)  Salisbury.  The  Salisburys 
were  of  colonial  New  England  ancestry,  Hale 
Salisbury,  the  father  of  Charles  and  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Whiston,  being  born  at  Brattle- 
boro,  Vt,  where  he  became  a  farmer.  His 
children  were:  Esther,  Hannah,  Betsy,  Rachael. 
Melinda,  Roswell,  Hale,  Alva,  Enri  and  Charles. 
Hale  Salisbury,  Sr.,  moved  to  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y.,  at  an  early  period,  and  there 
established  himself  as  a  farmer.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  and  he  and  his 
family  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 
He  lived  on  his  farm  in  New  York  until  about 
eighty  years  of  age  and  there  died,  his  wife 
dying  about  the  same  age.  Charles  Salisbury, 
lather  of  Mrs.  Whiston,  born  at  Brattleboro, 
Vt.,  Feb.  13,  1805,  went  in  his  boyhood  with 
his  parents  to  New  York,  and  in  1829,  when 
about  twenty-four  years  of  age,  removed  to 
Richland  County,  Ohio,  with  his  sister  Betsy, 
who  had  married  a  Mr.  Manson.  Here,  on 
May  9,  1830,  he  married  Elsie  Marvin,  and  they 
continued  to  reside  in  that  locality  for  the 
next  ten  years,  when  they  removed  to  Chenan- 
go County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  bought  a  farm  of 
140  acres  in  the  town  of  Green,  and  there  re- 
mained fifteen  years.  During  a  memorable  re- 
ligious revival,  which  occurred  during  the  year 
1845,  he  and  his  wife  were  converted  and  united 
with  the  Methodist  church.  In  1855  Mr.  Salis- 
bury removed  with  his  family  from  Chenango 
County,  N.  Y.,  to  Greenwood,  McHenry  County, 
I'll.  Here  he  owned  a  farm  of  160  acres,  al- 
though following  the  occupation  of  a  carpenter 
most  of  his  life.  In  1867  he  removed  to  Bu- 
chanan  County,   Iowa,   but   after   a   brief  stay 


there,  about  1880  returned  to  McHenry  County, 
locating  in  Nunda  Township,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  there  Feb.  4, 
1890.  Had  he  lived  until  May  9,  following,  he 
would  have  celebrated  the  sixtieth  anniversary 
of  his  marriage.  His  children  were:  William 
C,  born  June  12,  1832;  Roswell,  born  March 
6,  1834;  Adelia  A.,  born  June  18,  1836;  Char- 
lotte A.,  born  May  6,  1838;  Louisa  M.,  born 
Nov.  12,  1840;  Hale  I.,  born  Dec.  21,  1842;  Ma* 
randa  M.,  born  June  21,  1847;  Helen  M.,  born 
July  13,  1849;  Emma,  born  March  22,  1852. 
His  wife  was  a  Miss  Elsie  Marvin,  born  in 
Connecticut,  Sept.  13,  1810,  the  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Hannah  (Hoit)  Marvin.  The  Mar- 
vms  and  Hoits  were  of  English  Puritan  ances- 
try. Mrs.  Elsie  (Marvin)  Salisbury's  parents 
were  early  settlers  in  Richland  County,  Ohio, 
the  father,  Isaac  Marvin,  being  born  in  Con- 
necticut, Feb.  27,  1774,  and  his  wife,  August 
15,  1773.  The  former  died  in  Mansfield,  Ohio 
October.  1850,  and  the  wife,  March  27,  1858. 
The  father  of  Isaac  Marvin  was  Isaac,  Sr.,  who 
was  born  Feb.'  16,  1745,  and  the  wife  of  the 
latter,  Rachael,  born  Dec.  9,  1740.  They  had 
children:  Henry,  born  Dec.  17,  1775;  Abraham 
and  Rachael  (twins),  born  Nov.  25,  1779.  The 
children  of  Isaac,  Jr.,  and  his  wife,  Hannah 
(Hoit)  Marvin,  were:  Charles,  born  Oct.  30. 
1795;  Stephen  born  June  8,  1797;  Maranda, 
born  June  13,  1798;  Sallie,  born  Nov.  8,  1799; 
Isaac  M.,  born  April  1,  1800;  Henry  H.,  born 
May  29,  1801;  Eliza,  born  July  20,  1802;  Hiram, 
born  May  22,  1804;  Silas,  born  Nov.  16,  1805; 
Abraham,  born  March  27,  1807;  William,  born 
Dec.  22,  1808;  Elsie,  born  Sept.  13,  1810;  Ezra, 
born  April  18,  1812;  Hannah,  born  Nov.  13, 
1813.  The  following  deaths  of  members  ot 
this  family  are  recorded  in  the  old  family 
Bible:  Abraham,  June  4,  1808;  Hiram,  June 
15,  1828;  Charles,  Dec.  4,  1840;  Isaac  Marvin, 
the  father,  1777;  and  Rachael  the  mother,  Feb. 
27,  1829. 

George  Whiston,  the  oldest  descendant  of 
John  and  Adelia  (Salisbury)  Whiston  and  prin- 
cipal subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Heb- 
ron Township,  McHenry  County,  111..  Dec.  23, 
1856,  and  received  his  early  education  in  the 
Tryon  district  school  and  in  Greenwood  village, 
walking  to  the  latter  a  distance  of  three 
miles,  after  which  he  spent  one   winter   in  a 


1074 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


school  at  Elgin  and  some  time  in  another  dis- 
trict school  in  McHenry  County.  After  his 
father's  removal  to  Buchanan  County,  Iowa,  as 
related  in  the  sketch  of  the  latter,  he  attended 
school  there  in  winter  while  working  on  the 
farm  in  summer — in  all,  his  school  training 
continued  until  he  was  about  sixteen  years 
old.  He  thus  acquired  a  good  common-school 
education,  while  being  trained  to  the  life  af 
a  practical  farmer — a  pursuit  he  has  followed 
ever  since.  Returning  from  Iowa  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  with  his  parents  when  about  six- 
teen years  old,  he  continued  his  farm-life 
there  with  his  father,  and  on  Dec.  25,  1878, 
was  married  at  Woodstock,  111.,  by  Elder  Todd, 
to  Carrie  Flanders,  who  was  born  August  28, 
1857,  the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Elizabeth 
Flanders.  The  following  March  he  settled  on 
the  Cottle  farm  in  Dorr  Township,  and  there 
carried  on  the  farming  business  in  conjunction 
with  his  father  continuously  for  the  next 
twenty  years.  In  1898  Mr.  Whiston  bought 
the  Gordon  Beckley  farm,  a  tract  of  160  acres 
in  Nunda  Township  on  the  McHenry  road. 
This  farm  is  well  improved  and,  under  Mr. 
Whiston's  practical  management,  is  yielding 
satisfactory  returns.  Mr.  Whiston  has  taken 
no  interest  in  partisan  politics,  and  has  never 
held  public  office,  devoting  his  time  to  his 
pursuit  as  a  farmer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Whiston  have  had  three  children:  Lillian,  born 
in  Dorr  Township,  May  7,  1882;  Pearl,  born 
Dec.  5,  1883,  and  Earle,  born  Jan.  20.  1887. 

The  daughter,  Lillian,  married  Hugh  O'Don 
aid,  a  farmer  who  resides  on  the  home  farm 
in  Nunda  Township,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Helen,  born  at  Nunda,  August  3, 
1«)02. 

Mr.  Whiston's   sister  Alice  married   Nov.   7, 

1883,  A.  D.  Barden,  of  Woodstock,  and  they 
have    one    daughter,    Daisy,    born    August    26, 

1884.  His  brother,  Frank  E.,  married  Lizzie 
Wheeler,  Nov.  24,  1886,  and  they  have  had 
children  named:  Charles,  born  Oct.  10,  1887; 
Harry,  born  August  7,  1889;  Myrtle,  born  May 
16,   1895. 


REV.  JOEL   WHEELER. 

Rev.  Joel  Wheeler  (now  deceased)  was  one 
of  the  most  notable  pioneers  of  Northern 
Illinois.      His    sphere    of   influence     was      not 


limited  to  McHenry  County,  but  extended  not 
only  through  this  section  of  the  State  but  over 
a  considerable  portion  of  Wisconsin  and,  in 
his  later  years,  he  preached  the  gospel  in  as 
distant  a  field  as  the  Pine  Tree  State.  By 
nature  a  man  of  powerful  physique,  while  a 
preacher  and  teacher  of  great  ability,  he  was 
also  a  sturdy  and  successful  pioneer  farmer 
who  could  work  on  his  farm  sixteen  hours  a 
day  for  six  days  in  the  week,  and  on  Sunday 
ride  many  miles  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the 
settlements,  preaching  morning  and  evening 
and  driving  home  late  at  night.  For  many 
years  he  labored  without  compensation,  found- 
ing many  frontier  churches.  When  in  the  late 
'70s  he  was  allowed  the  munificent  salary  of 
?300  per  annum,  he  felt  that  he  was  receiving 
a  generous  reward.  Besides  his  labors  as  a 
minister  and  teacher,  he  was  a  shrewd  and 
successful  farmer,  and  was  never  known  to  be 
without  a  supply  of  ready  money  to  pay  for 
his  land  and  improve  it  into  a  broad  and  pro- 
ductive farm.  The  following  historical  and 
biographical  sketch  is  taken  from  voluminous 
manuscripts  left  by  Mr.  Wheeler  and,  as  far 
as  possible,  the  quaint  language  of  the  pioneer 
evangelist  is  preserved. 

The  Wheeler  family  is  of  sturdy  Welsh  ex- 
traction, Jonathan  Wheeler,  the  great-grand- 
father of  Rev.  Joel  Wheeler,  having  emigrated 
to  America  about  the  middle  of  the  seven 
teenth  century,  settling  in  Salem,  Mass.  Two 
brothers  who  came  with  him  located  respec- 
tively at  Concord  and  Rowley,  Mass.  Jonathan 
Wheeler  was  a  follower  of  Roger  Williams 
who,  in  consequence  of  the  spirit  of  intoler- 
ance manifested  towards  the  Baptists  in  New 
England,  in  1836  established  the  Colony  of 
the  "Providence  Plantation"  in  Rhode  Island, 
with  a  view  to  securing  freedom  in  matters 
of  faith  and  civil  government.  Short  life  was 
predicted  for  this  experiment,  but  it  proved 
10  be  not  only  the  forerunner  of  perfect  reli- 
gious freedom,  but  of  universal  suffrage  and 
equality  in  the  matter  of  eligibility  to  office, 
which  has  since  become  the  rule  in  most  of 
the  States  of  the  American  Republic.  Under 
the  Puritanic  laws  then  existing  in  the  older 
New  England  Colonies,  meeting-houses  were 
erected  and  ministers  supported  at  public 
cost   by    taxes,    sometimes    forcibly     collected 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1075 


from  the  people  irrespective  of  religious  faith; 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  was  compul- 
sory, and  preaching  in  the  churches  by  minist- 
ers of  other  denominations  than  those  re- 
cognized by  the  Puritans  was  prohibited  under 
severe  penalties,  including  fines,  whippings 
and  even  imprisonment  or  banishment. 

William   Wheeler,  the   son  of  Jonathan   and 
grandfather     of     Rev.     Joel     Wheeler,     served 
under    Col.    George    Washington    on    the    side 
of  the  Colonies  in  the  French  and  Indian  War, 
during  which  he  was  captured  by  two  Indians 
but  escaped  by  strategy.     In  1761  he  remove! 
with   his  family,   consisting  of  four   sons   and 
three  daughters,  to  Dunbarton,  N.  Y.,  and  he 
and    two    of    his    sons    served    under    General 
Gates    in   the   War   of   the    Revolution,    being 
present  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne  at  Sara- 
toga in  1777.     Joel  Wheeler,  a  son  of  William 
Wheeler  and  father    of    Rev.     Joel     Wheeler, 
married  Achsah  Colby,  and  two  daughters  and 
one   son   were   born   to   them.     His   wife   was 
born  in  1776  and  died  in  1807.     He  then  mar- 
ried Esther  Hammond,  who  was  also  born  in 
1776,  and  she  bore  him  three  sons  and  died  in 
1844.    Joel  Wheeler  (1)  was  the  only  professed 
Baptist  in  his  town,  the  Puritan  faith  being 
predominant,  but  served  for  a  time  as  Church 
Clerk  at   Baw.     He   always   paid   his   tax  for 
the   support    of   the    established    church    until 
1807,  when,  having  refused  to  do  so,  he  was 
arrested  and  marched  to  jail.    Later  he  joined 
with   three   others   in   presenting  their   griev- 
ances to   the   authorities,   and   finally   in   1819 
religious  toleration  became  the     law     of     the 
State.    At  the  age  of  nineteen,  having  seen  a 
hand-printing  press  exhibited  by  a  gentleman 
at  an  academy  he  was  attending,  he  procured 
one    which    he    afterwards    used    for    printing 
the  ballots  on  the  Democratic  side  for  the  local 
election.     These     ballots,     when     distributed 
among  the  people,  caused  much  surprise  and 
evoked  no  little  admiration. 

Rev.  Joel  Wheeler  was  born  in  Dunbarton, 
N.  H.,  Sept.  19,  1808,  the  son  of  Deacon  Joel 
and  Esther  (Hammond)  Wheeler.  His  native 
town  is  situated  on  the  Merrimac  River  be- 
tween Concord  and  Manchester,  N.  H.  Both 
Joel  and  his  brother  Christy  united  with  the 
Baptist  church  at  Goffstown  and  entered 
jpoD   a  course  of  study  with  a  view  to  lives 


of  usefulness.  Joel  was  a  pupil  in  the  insti- 
tute at  Meriden  and,  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
began  teaching,  meanwhile  for  a  part  of  the 
time  studying  theology  under  Rev.  James 
Boswell,  of  Salem,  Mass. 

November  8,  1832,  he  was  licensed  to  preach, 
his  first  field  of  labor  being  at  Swansey,  N.  H., 
three   miles   west  of   Keene   on   the   Ashuelot 
River.     He  was     afterwards     elected     to    the 
pastorate  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Mason  Vil- 
lage, and  while  revival  was    in    progress    and 
numerous     converts     coming    forward,  he  was 
presented    by  the  Council   for  ordination   and 
this  ceremony  was  duly  carried  into  effect.    In 
3835   he  took   charge   of  an   infant   church   at 
Southampton,    Mass.,    where    he    labored    until 
the  spring  of  1837,  when  he  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, making  the  journey  overland  with  teams 
and    arriving    at   McHenry,    McHenry    County, 
August  18th.     At  this  time  McHenry  County 
extended    to    Lake    Michigan,    including    Lake 
County,    which    was    set    apart    in    1839.      On 
August  20th,  two  days  after  his  arrival,     Mr. 
Wheeler  preached  the  first  sermon  and  organ- 
ized the  first  Sabbath  School  ever  organized  in 
McHenry.     His  coming  to  Illinois  was  induced 
by    sympathy    for   his    brother,    Dr.    Cristy    G. 
Wheeler,  who  had  already  come  to  McHenry 
County,   in  the  hope  of  finding  relief  from  a 
lung  trouble  from  which  he  had  been  a  sufferer 
in  the  East.    Although  the  Indian  title  to  lands 
in    McHenry    County    had    been    extinguished 
during  the  previous   year,  the   land  was  still 
unsurveyed  and  only  an  occasional  log  cabin 
had  been  built.     There  were  no  school  houses 
or  churches,  and  no  highways   had   been  laid 
out,  no  bridges  across  streams  had  been  built, 
and    "not   a   fork   full   of  hay   had   been    cast 
into  a  mud-hole  or  slew"  (slough),  no  rails  for 
fences  had  been  split,  while  the  roofs  of  the 
log   cabins    consisted   of   oak   "shakes"    (split 
clapboards)    laid   on  poles   in   lieu   of  rafters, 
with  smaller  poles  laid  over  them  to  keep  them 
from    blowing    away.      Neither    sawed    lumber 
nor  nails  were  used  in  the  construction  of  the 
cabins,   access   to   distant   cities   was   difficult 
and  there  was  little  communication  with  out- 
side   civilization.      The    abundant    grass    was 
unbroken  and  ungrazed  save  by  herds  of  wild 
deer.     In  traveling  the  points  of  the  compass 
were  the  guide,  and  the  location  of  the  sun 


1076 


Me  HENRY      COUNTY. 


and  direction  of  the  wind  were  taken  into 
account.  Then  Indian  trails  were  of  value  as 
a  substitute  for  the  compass  in  assisting  the 
traveler  to  find  his  way  from  point  to  point. 
These  had  been  made  by  the  Indians  as  they 
traveled  on  foot  or  on  their  ponies,  following 
each  other  in  single  file,  even  though  there 
might  be  hundreds  of  them  stretching  out  a 
mile  or  more  in  direct  line.  These  trails  led 
the  "Che-mo-ke-mon"  (white  man)  to  the 
safest  crossings  of  the  sloughs  and  fords  of 
the  rivers,  and  they  protected  the  pioneer  set- 
tler and  early  explorer  from  many  perils  they 
would  otherwise  have  had  to  encounter.  But 
even  with  these  advantages  and  the  exercise 
of  a  fair  degree  of  caution,  the  traveler  would 
often  find  his  journey  arrested  by  the  miring 
of  his  horse  or  his  vehicle  in  the  black  soil. 
As  immigration  progressed,  families  settled 
down  in  isolated  situations  and  they  finally 
became  located  within  some  miles  of  each 
other.  They  would  "squat" — or  locate— with- 
out knowing  where  the  surveyor's  lines  would 
place  them,  or  in  what  township  they  would  find 
themselves.  A  large  percentage  of  the  settlers 
were  unmarried — adventurers — and  often  their 
stay  was  short.  The  method  of  the  early 
pioneer,  after  a  wearisome  journey  of  hundreds 
of  miles,  was  to  halt  his  tired  team  and  camp 
out  beside  his  wagon  while  collecting  logs  and 
poles,  sometimes  from  a  distance,  to  construct 
a  one-room  cabin,  then  pile  hay  upon  the  top 
in  place  of  boards  or  shingles,  hoping  in  the 
future  to  improve  their  humble  dwellings 
planted  under  these  circumstances — not  know- 
ing their  relation  to  any  other  settlement — the 
wolves  barking  around  them  at  night — only 
aware  that  their  home  was  in  a  broad,  track- 
less prairie  in  a  new  country. 

Dr.  C.  G.  Wheeler  and  his  family  were  the 
first  to  locate  in  McHenry,  and  one  cold 
morning  in  the  winter  of  1836-7,  his  log-shanty 
took  fire.  While  on  the  roof  trying  to  ex 
tinguish  the  flames,  he  was  delighted  to  hear 
a  musket  discharged  some  distance  east  of 
Fox  River,  which  gave  him  notice  of  some 
hunter  or  settler  near  by.  Other  early  settlers 
in  this  vicinity  were  the  Goodro  and  Rice 
families  who  located  near  what  is  now  called 
VoJo.  They  had  made  a  trail  to  Chicago  which 
the  McHenry  settlers  extended  to  Fox  River. 
This   trail,    covering   a   distance   of    thirty-four 


miles,  was  the  first  thoroughfare  from  Chicago 
to  Fox  River  and  the  region  west  of  it,  and  this 
has  been  maintained  up  to  the  present  time. 
A  matter  of  mysterious  interest  to  the  early 
settlers  was  the  existence  of  an  improved 
ford  at  McHenry  across  Fox  River — a  sort 
of  hearth  or  pavement  made  of  stone  laid 
across  the  bottom  of  the  stream.  Where  the 
stones  could  have  come  from,  or  how  brought 
there,  could  never  be  determined,  as  there 
was  no  quarry  in  the  surrounding  country; 
but  the  improved  ford  answered  a  good  pur- 
pose for  the  Indian  and  the  early  settler  as 
well.  These  stones  were  finally  taken  from  the 
river  at  low  water  and  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  walls.  An  Indian  burial-ground  once 
occupied  the  site  of  McHenry  during  the  days 
of  occupancy  by  the  Indians  and,  at  the  time 
of  the  arrival  of  the  first  white  settlers,  the 
remains  of  a  dead  chief  were  resting  in  his 
simple  sepulcher — a  diminutive  log-cabin  large 
enough  for  the  skeleton  to  rest  seated  on  a 
stool,  where  he  could  be  seen  and  receive  the 
homage  of  his  tribe.  Among  the  various  arti- 
cles left  by  his  devoted  followers  to  cheer  their 
dead  leader  on  his  way  to  the  "happy  hunt- 
ing grounds,"  plugs  of  tobacco  were  the  most 
conspicuous.  These  relics,  including  the 
skeleton  itself,  were  finally  appropriated 
by  settlers  as  curiosities.  Among  the  keep- 
sakes obtained  by  Mr.  Wheeler  was  a  neck- 
lace made  of  common  metal  vest  buttons, 
amounting  to  several  dozen  strung  on  a  sort 
of  braid. 

In  1837  the  population  of  Chicago  numbered 
about  1,500,  and  according  to  the  census  of 
1840  it  was  less  than  5,000.  Up  to  the  winter 
of  1840-41  there  was  no  formal  religious  organi- 
zation there  except  the  Baptists.  They  held 
services  over  a  region  extending  from  twenty- 
four  miles  north  of  Milwaukee,  southward  to 
Joliet,  then  a  small  settlement  but  a  seat  of 
justice  and  a  promising  town.  All  travel  at 
that  time,  except  on  the  lake  and  large  rivers, 
was  on  horseback  or  by  one-horse  wagon — the 
"Dearborn,"  consisting  of  a  box  suspended  by 
straps  called  "thorough-braces,"  being  the  pop- 
ular vehicle.  The  traveler  often  incurred  great 
danger  in  crossing  sloughs,  creeks,  ravines, 
rivers  and  long  marshy  tracts  with  which  the 
country,  during  the  wet  season,  abounded.  In 
his  many  long  journeys  between  widely  scat- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1077 


tered  settlements,  Mr.  Wheeler  endured  many 
hardships,  on  two  occasions  narrowly  escaping 
drowning  and  twice  being  reported  dead.  In 
November,  1837,  he  organized  a  Baptist  church 
at  Lake  Zurich  and  in  March,  1838,  others  at 
Salem  and  Kenosha,  Wis., — successively  add- 
ing eight  other  churches  in  this  field  during 
his  ministration.  While  conducting  services 
in  a  log-dwelling,  on  February  28,  1838,  a  small 
room,  in  which  he  had  deposited  his  overcoat 
and  other  extra  clothing,  took  fire  and  was 
destroyed,  including  the  wardrobe  of  the 
family.  A  part  of  his  loss  was  made  up  to  him 
by  voluntary  donations  received  through  Rev. 
Isaac  Hinton,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
Chicago,  and  by  an  appropriation  of  $100  per 
year  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Baptist  church,  which  was  continued  for  six 
years.  During  the  same  period  he  suffered 
fiom  another  fire  which  destroyed  a  building 
in  which  he  had  property  stored.  The  fund 
received  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society 
was  of  great  aid,  on  one  occasion  enabling 
him  to  save  his  unfinished  home,  which  other- 
wise would  have  passed  out  of  his  hands. 

It  was  not  until  the  winter  of  1840-41  that  a 
clergyman  of  any  other  denomination  entered 
the  field  in  which  Elder  Wheeler  had  been 
laboring  for  three  years.  This  was  in  connec- 
tion with  the  organization  of  a  Methodist 
Episcopal  class  at  Crystal  Lake.  At  this  time 
Mr.  Wheeler  had  eleven  churches  under  his 
charge.  In  1842  he  removed  to  Galena,  where 
he  was  remarkably  successful,  numerous  ac- 
cessions being  made  to  the  church  which  he 
organized  there.  At  an  earlier  date  he  had 
organized  a  church  at  Warrensville,  Dupage 
County.  The  following  is  a  list  of  churches 
under  his  charge  between  1837  and  1850,  found 
among  his  manuscripts  after  his  death  under 
the  heading,  '"My  Churches:"  Wauconda, 
November,  1837;  McHenry,  January  1,  1838; 
Kenosha  and  Salem,  Wis.,  March,  1838;  Crystal 
Lake  and  Upper  Desplaines,  1839;  Union 
Bridge,  Benton  and  Bloomingdale,  1841;  Rich- 
mond, 1842;  Oregon  (Rock  River),  1845; 
Waukegan,  1846;  Silver  Lake,  1847;  Wood- 
stock, 1850. 

When  Mir.  Wheeler  reached  McHentry  in 
August,  1837,  he  immediately  began  the 
erection  of  a  house  which  was  completed  dur- 
ing the  next  year.     This  was  the  first  frame 


building  in  what  is  now  McHenry  village.  The 
main  room  was  reserved  for  church  and 
school  purposes.  In  1838  he  opened  what  was 
called  a  boarding  school,  which  he  conducted 
with  the  aid  of  his  wife — this  being  the  first 
school  of  its  kind  in  McHenry  County.  Though 
sparsely  attended  at  times,  it  drew  its  pupils 
from  a  wide  extent  of  country,  including  por- 
tions of  both  Illinois  and  Wisconsin.  In  1841 
he  removed  to  Warrensville,  Dupage  County, 
which  possessed  no  church  edifice  or  school 
for  instruction  in  the  higher  branches.  Chi- 
cago, even  then,  had  not  entered  upon  any 
such  enterprise.  Elder  Wheeler  had  several 
students  fitting  for  the  ministry.  The  subject 
of  the  erection  of  a  school  building  having 
been  brought  before  the  people  of  Warrens- 
ville, the  first  story  of  a  spacious  building 
was  furnished  for  church  purposes  and  the 
second  for  a  school.  The  latter  was  conducted 
for  a  number  of  years  under  the  name  of  the 
"Warrensville  Institute" — the  only  school  in 
the  Northwest  where  the  classics  were  taught. 
Later  a  handsome  church  edifice  and  a  spa- 
cious school  building  were  erected.  A  number 
of  the  early  physicians  in  Northern  Illinois 
received  their  classical  training  in  this  institu- 
tion. 

Elder  Wheeler  was  three  times  married: 
first,  on  April  2,  1835,  to  Julia  Ann  Elliot, 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  Elliot,  of  Mason,  N. 
H.;  second,  to  Mary  Jane  Freeman,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Peter  Freeman,  of  Waukegan,  111.,  and 
for  his  third  wife,  in  January,  1869,  at  Browns- 
ville, Mo.,  to  Eliza  Dunn  Berry,  the  daughter 
of  Hon.  Levi  Berry,  of  Smyrna,  Me.  The  first 
marriage  ceremony  in  McHenry  County  was 
that  of  Jonathan  Emerson  and  Miss  Mary 
Wray,  performed  by  Elder  Wheeler,  Nov.  30, 
1837,  and  the  first  in  the  village  of  McHenry, 
also  performed  by  him,  was  that  of  Luther 
Burnham  to  Charlotte  Joslyn,  Jan.  26,  1839. 
Elder  Wheeler  died  October  30,  1886. 


DAVID  W.   HEWITT. 

David  Winslow  Hewitt,  veteran  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War,  and  for  twenty-one  years  past  City 
Marshal  of  Marengo,  111.,  is  descended  from 
Scotch  ancestry.  His  great-grandfather,  Capt. 
Alden  Hewitt,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and 
commander  of  an  ocean-going  vessel.  Once 
during  his  life  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  son  Thomas 


1078 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


and  family  in  New  York  State,  which  is  re- 
membered by  his  great-grandson,  David  W. 
At  that  time  the  venerable  sea-captain  was 
clad  in  the  old-fashioned  knee-breeches,  with 
long  stockings  and  low  shoes  with  bright  buck- 
les, and  his  long  white  hair  gathered  in  a 
queue  after  the  manner  of  a  century  ago.  The 
captain  bought  a  horse  in  New  York  City,  upon 
which  he  made  a  tour  of  260  miles  visiting 
relatives. 

Thomas  Hewitt,  the  son  of  Capt.  Alden  Hew- 
itt, and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Scotland,  came  to  America 
in  early  manhood,  and,  in  New  York  State,  mar- 
ried Sally  Hewitt,  who  was  of  colonial  Puritan 
ancestry  and  born  in  Vermont.  Thomas  Hewitt> 
who  was  a  farmer,  cleared  up  a  farm  in  the 
woods  in  the  neighborhood  of  Palatine,  N.  Y., 
but  later  moved  to  Oneida  County,  same  State, 
where  he  located  on  another  farm.  He  finally 
died  at  the  home  of  his  son  David,  at  Jordan, 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  aged  about  eighty 
years.  His  children  were:  Nathaniel,  Alden, 
Thomas,  Mercy,  Grant,  David  and  Benjamin. 

David  Hewitt,  the  father  of  David  Winslow 
Hewitt,  was  born  at  Palatine,  in  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  in  New  York  State,  June  9,  1810.  He 
was  reared  a  farmer,  meanwhile  acquiring  a 
common-school  education,  and  later  followed 
teaming  for  many  years,  also  being  employed  as 
a  boatman  on  the  Erie  Canal.  He  married  at 
Conastota,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  twenty-five 
miles  east  of  Syracuse,  Candace  Lillie,  who  was 
born  in  Oneida,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  12,  1814.  He  and 
his  wife  lived  here  two  years,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Elbridge,  Onondaga  County,  where 
they  lived  many  years.  Their  children  were: 
David  Winslow,  born  June  19,  1832;  Sophia, 
horn  Dec.  10,  1834;  Lucy,  born  Jan.  22,  1839; 
Mary  M.,  born  Jan.  31,  1841;  Lucinda,  born 
April  30,  1843,  died  Dec.  23,  1871;  Stephen  P., 
born  Oct.  1,  1845 — all  born  in  Onondaga  County, 
except  Mary.  David  Hewitt,  Sr.,  moved  to 
Marengo,  McHenry  County,  111.,  in  the  spring  of 
1866,  and  there  bought  residence  property, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying 
Jan.  17,  1893.  His  wife  died  at  Jordan,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  13,  1856.  Mr.  Hewitt  was  a  man  of  indus- 
trious habits,  originally  a  Democrat  in  politics, 
but  in  later  life  became  a  Republican. 

David  W.  Hewitt,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
received  a  limited  education,  being  taught  to 
read   and   write  by   his   maternal   great-grand- 


father, Stephen  Pratt  Lillie,  who  died  aged 
ninety-eight  years.  The  latter  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution  who  fought  at  Bunker  Hill  and 
on  Lake  Champlain.  In  his  later  years  he  was 
a  shoemaker  at  Elbridge,  N.  Y.  David  W„ 
while  a  boy,  began  driving  horses  on  the  tow- 
path  on  the  Erie  Canal,  later  was  employed  as 
a  boat-hand  and  steersman,  but  before  reach- 
ing his  majority,  became  the  owner  of  a  canal- 
boat,  carrying  freight  between  Buffalo  and  New 
York  City— 160  miles  of  the  distance  south  of 
Troy  being  upon  the  Hudson  river.  During  a 
severe  storm  off  West  Point  he  lost  his  boat 
and  had  a  narrow  escape  from  drowning,  being 
rescued  by  a  passing  steamer. 

Mr.  Hewitt  was  married  at  Brutus,  Cayuga 
County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  11,  1855,  to  Ursula  Hulett, 
who  was  born  on  Onondaga  Hill  in  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  13,  1834,  the  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Sarah  (Wood)  Hulett.  Both  her 
parents  were  natives  of  Bedfordshire,  England, 
where  they  were  married,  and  had  three  chil- 
dren before  coming  to  America.  The  father 
was  the  son  of  Robert  Hulett,  Sr.,  who  was  a 
wealthy  brewer  of  Bedfordshire.  After  coming 
to  America  the  Hulett  family  settled  in  Onon- 
daga County,  N.  Y.,  but  later  moved  to  Brutus, 
Cayuga  County,  where  the  father  was  accident- 
ally killed  at  a  railroad  crossing.  The  children 
were:  Charles,  James,  Jesse,  Elizabeth,  Ur- 
sula, Martha,  Carrie  and  Mary  Ann. 

After  marriage  David  W.  Hewitt  settled  at 
Elbridge  N.  Y.,  where  he  continued  his  em 
ployment  in  connection  with  the  Erie  Canal 
until  sometime  during  the  Civil  War,  when  on 
Feb.  15,  1864,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com- 
pany E,  Tenth  Regiment  New  York  Cavalry, 
serving  until  May  31,  1865,  when  the  war  having 
ended,  he  was  honorably  discharged.  The 
Tenth  Cavalry  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Bri- 
gade, Second  Division,  Second  Corps,  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and  took  part  in  the  following  en- 
gagements and  campaigns:  Hawes'  Shop,  May 
26-28,  1864;  Cold  Harbor,  May  31  to  June  6, 
1864;  Sheridan's  Raid,  June  7-27,  1864;  Peters- 
burg, June  18,  1864,  and  April  2-3,  1865;  Lee's 
Station,  July  12, 1864;  Lee's  Mills,  July  30,1864; 
Weldon  Railroad,  August  18-20,  1864;  Ream  Sta- 
tion, August  23-25,  1864;  Stony  Creek,  Sept.  4- 
16,  1864;  Hatcher's  Run,  Oct.  27,  1864;  Black- 
water  Nov.  18,  1864;  Hick's  Ford  Raid,  Dec. 
6-11,  1864;  Appomattox  Campaign,  March  29  to 
April  9,  1865,  including  nine  engagements,  he- 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1079 


sides  other  battles  not  here  enumerated, 
amounting  to  more  than  one  hundred  in  all. 
Mr.  Hewitt  was  wounded  by  a  saber  cut  in  the 
hand  at  Hatcher's  Run  and  was  in  Findlay  Hos- 
pital, at  Washington,  D.  C,  twenty-one  days. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Hewitt  returned  to  his 
home  in  New  York  State  and,  in  the  spring  of 
1866,  moved  with  his  family  to  McHenry  County, 
settling  at  Marengo.  After  coming  to  McHenry 
County  he  was  engaged  successively  in  farm 
work,  teaming,  running  a  threshing  machine 
and  clover-huller  and  a  wood-sawing  machine. 
Nearly  twenty-one  years  ago  he  received  an 
appointment  as  City  Marshal  of  Marengo,  a 
position  which  he  has  filled  continuously  to 
the  present  time.  He  has  also  served  as  Dep- 
uty Sheriff  two  terms  and  as  Constable  for  the 
last  eighteen  years,  discharging  his  duties  in 
these  several  positions  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
public. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  W.  Hewitt  are  parents 
of  the  following  named  children:  David  Allen, 
born  Dec.  23, 1856;  John  V.,  born  March  21, 1859; 
Florence  O,  born  July  25,  1851,  died  Nov.  6, 
1862,  in  Jordan,  N.  Y.;   Stephen  W.,  born  Feb. 

2,  1863;  Harvey  M.,  born  Sept.  9,  1866,  died 
Sept.  17,  1868;  Bertie  W.,  born  March  12,  1869, 
died  July  31,  1894;  Lucy  Ann,  born  Dec.  29, 
1871,  died  July  15,  1873;   Sarah  A.,  born  April 

3,  1876. 


HENRY  W.  BEARDSLEY. 
Henry  W.  Beardsley,  pioneer  citizen  of 
Nunda,  111.,  and  veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  was 
born  at  Alexander,  Genesee  County,  N.  Y., 
August  1,  1828,  the  son  of  Ziba  S.  and  Ency 
(Winters)  Beardsley,  and  believes  himself  to 
be  the  oldest  surviving  settler — in  point  of  res- 
idence— in  Nunda  or  Crystal  Lake  Township. 
His  father,  Ziba  Beardsley,  was  born  at  Har- 
persfield,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  3,  18A0.  the  son  of  Najah 
and  Rachel  (Woodard)  Beardsley.  Najah  was 
a  native  of  New  England  (probably  of  Connec- 
ticut) and  came  in  pioneer  dpys  to  Genesee 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  opened  a  farm.  His 
children  were:  Abner,  Cynthia,  Gratie,  Han- 
nah and  Ziba  S.  Ziba  S.  became  a  farmer,  and 
married  at  Alexander,  N.  Y.,  July  4.  1823,  Bncv 
W.  Ellis,  who  was  born  in  Orange  County,  N. 
Y.,  March  20,  1803,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Catherine  Ellis.  He  settled  on  a  farm  in  Gen- 
esee County,  but  for  a  time  drove  stage  between 
Alden,  N.  Y.,  and  Buffalo.     In  1835  Ziba  S.  and 


his  father,  Najah,  came  to  Illinois,  making  the 
journey  by  sailing  vessel — the  "Queen  Char- 
lotte"— which  had  been  captured  from  the  Brit- 
ish during  the  War  of  1812,  the  voyage  from 
Buffalo  to  Chicago  beginning  in  the  early  part 
of  September  and  occupying  twenty-seven  days. 
Chicago  was  then  a  frontier  hamlet,  while  Fort 
Dearborn  was  still  standing.  Ziba  first  settled 
at  Naperville,  DuPage  County,  where  he  re- 
mained two  and  a  half  years,  in  the  meantime, 
during  1836,  locating  a  claim  in  McHenry,  a 
part  of  which  is  now  embraced  within  the  Dole 
farm  in  Algonquin  Township.  This  claim  he 
sold  and  later  took  up  another  on  the  east  side 
of  Crystal  Lake,  to  which  he  removed  in  1837. 
This  tract,  originally  consistng  of  about  150 
acres,  he  improved,  building  upon  it  a  house, 
where  the  village  of  old  Crystal  Lake  was  af- 
terwards located.  His  father,  Najah  Beards- 
ley, removed  from  DuPage  County  about  1836 
to  Crystal  Lake,  where  he  bought  75  acres  of 
land  and  improved  a  farm,  upon  which  he  died 
Oct.  5,  1844,  aged  seventy-four  years,  his  wife 
dying  at  Alexander,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  26,  1849.  Ziba 
S.  had  children  as  follows,  all  born  in  New  York 
except  the  two  younger,  who  were  born  in  Illi- 
nois: Alonzo  D.,  born  April  10,  1824;  Theodore 
E.,  born  August  27,  1826;  Henry  W.,  born  Aug- 
ust 1,  1828;  Earl  A.,  born  June  20,  1830;  Cyn- 
thia A.,  born  August  25,  1832;  Fannie  M.,  born 
Feb.  18  1834;  Catherine  L.,  born  Dec.  11,  1840; 
Frank,  born  March  7,  1846.  Ziba  S.  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  and  served  as  Justice 
of  the  Peace  at  Crystal  Lake  for  several  terms. 
He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  enlisting  first 
when  over  sixty  years  of  age  as  a  private  in  a 
100-days'  regiment,  in  which  he  served  one 
month  over  time,  after  which  he  re-enlisted  in 
the  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  but  was  discharged 
after  four  months'  service  on  account  of  his  ad- 
vanced age.  His  father,  Najah  Beardsley,  who 
came  west  with  the  son  in  1835,  was  also  a 
soldier  of  the  War  of  1812. 

Henry  W.  Beardsley  attended  the  first  school 
taught  in  Crystal  Lake  in  a  building  on  the  old 
'Squire  Crandall  place,  but  owing  to  conditions 
in  those  pioneer  days,  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion. He  assisted  his  father  in  improving  his 
farm,  and  when  about  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
on  Jan.  10,  1854,  was  married  at  old  Crystal 
Lake,  to  Alzina  (Raymond)  Maynard,  the  wid- 
owed daughter  of  Charles  and  Polly  Raymond. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Massachusetts  of  col- 


1080 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


onial  Puritan  ancestry,  Jan.  22,  1794,  and  on 
June  6,  1815,  married  Alzina  Maynard,  and  they 
afterwards  became  early  settlers  at  Waukesha, 
Wis.  Mr.  Raymond  was  a  ship  carpenter  by 
trade  and  was  accidentally  killed  in  a  ship-yard 
on  the  lake  shore,  March  12,  1847.  His  children 
were:  Juliette,  born  March  9,  1816;  Martha, 
born  June  9,  1818;  Desdemona,  born  Jan.  15, 
1821;  Bertha,  born  Nov.  29,  1822;  Lovina  born 
Dec.  27,  1824;  Alzina,  born  Feb.  18, 1827;  Esther 
Ann,  born  Sept.  6,  1829;  Charles  H.,  born 
March  27,  1832;  Martin  VanBuren,  born  June 
15,  1834;  Mary  H.,  born  Feb.  7,  1840. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  W. 
Beardsley  settled  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of 
Nunda,  McHenry  County,  and  still  later  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  In  August,  1862, 
he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  D,  Ninety- 
fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  command 
of  Col.  Humphrey,  but  nine  months  later  was 
honorably  discharged  on  account  of  disability 
incurred  in  the  service.  After  remaining  at  home 
about  eighteen  months,  he  re-enlisted  in  the 
same  company  and  regiment,  serving  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  During  his  first  period  of  en- 
listment he  participated  in  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  was  under  fire  much  of  the  time. 
Having  contracted  rheumatism  about  this  time 
he  was  in  hospital  at  Jackson,  Tenn.,  and  at 
Memphis  six  weeks,  resulting  in  his  discharge 
as  already  stated.  During  his  second  term  of 
service  he  spent  about  six  months — Dec.  8, 
1864,  to  June  22,  1865— in  hospital  at  Nashville, 
at  Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  and  at  Quincy,  111.,  and 
after  his  return  home  was  entirely  disabled  for 
more  than  a  year,  when,  having  sufficiently 
recovered,  he  resumed  his  trade  as  a  carpenter, 
which  he  has  followed  ever  since.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beardsley  are:  Ann  Estella, 
born  Nov.  24,  1854;  Frank  H.,  born  June  21, 
1857;  Herbert  J.,  born  Oct.  4,  1860;  Julia  W., 
born  April  17,  1863;  and  Newton  S.,  born  Oct. 
10,  1866,  besides  one  child  (deceased)  a  twin 
of  the  last  named.  Mr.  Beardsley  is  a  charter 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Post  at  Nunda,  in  which 
he  has  held  the  position  of  Vice-Commander 
and  other  offices.  Mrs.  Beardsley,  for  many 
years  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal, 
but  later  of  the  Free  Methodist  church,  died 
Oct.  4,  1894.  Mr.  Beardsley  has  always  main- 
tained the  reputation  of  a  straight-forward  and 
trustworthy  citizen.  He  now  resides  with  his 
son-in-law,  Elias  Paine. 


Elias  Paine  was  born  in  Nunda  Township, 
McHenry  County,  Oct.  5,  1848,  the  son  of  Jason 
and  Harriet  (Pierson)  Paine,  received  a  com- 
mon-school education  and  is  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  but  owns  a  farm  of  fifty-three  acres  in 
Nunda  Township.  His  children  are:  Clarence 
H.,  born  June  15,  1872,  and  Laura  A.,  born  July 
31,  1876.  The  son,  Clarence  H.,  married  on 
August.  24,  1898,  Flora  Wood,  and  they  have 
two  children:  Frances  Mabel,  born  Feb.  14, 
1900;   Charles  Henry,  born  March  7,  1902. 


WILLIAM  A.  CARMACK. 

William  A.  Carmack,  Harvard,  111.,  member  of 
a  pioneer  family  of  Dunham  Township,  Mc- 
Henry County,  is  descended  from  Capt.  William 
Carmack,  a  native  of  the  North  of  Scotland, 
who,  in  early  manhood  removed  to  the  North 
of  Ireland  and  there  married.  Captain  Carmack, 
who  became  the  founder  of  the  family  in  Amer- 
ica— described  as  a  man  of  dark  complexion, 
while  his  wife  was  a  blonde  with  red  hair,  both 
being  very  tall.  They  were  Scotch  Presbyter- 
ians. The  Captain  was  a  boat-builder  by  occu- 
pation, and  emigrated  to  America  sometime 
before  the  Revolutionary  War,  settling  in  New 
Jersey  on  the  Delaware  River.  His  location  is 
said  to  have  been  near  where  General  Washing- 
ton made  his  famous  crossing  of  the  Delaware, 
before  the  battle  of  Trenton  in  December,  1776. 
Capt.  Carmack  followed  boat-building  after  com- 
ing to  America,  and  is  said  to  have  advised  Gen- 
eral Washington  where  to  effect  the  crossing  ot 
the  river,  and  to  have  furnished  and  commanded 
five  of  the  boats  used  in  that  memorable  event. 
He  is  also  said  to  have  rendered  valuable  ser- 
vice to  the  Colonies  in  other  respects  during  the 
war.  He  was  the  father  of  two  sons,  William 
and  David.  The  former  settled  in  Crawford 
County,  Penn.,  and  the  latter  in  Southern  Ken- 
tucky. From  the  latter  is  descended  Senator 
Carmack  of  Tennessee. 

William  Carmack,  the  son  of  Captain  Car- 
mack, and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware 
about  1788.  While  a  young  man  he  adopted  his 
father's  occupation  as  a  boat-builder,  but  after- 
wards became  a  carpenter  and  mill-wright,  was 
a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812  and  took  part  with 
the  land  forces  in  the  battle  of  Put-in-Bay.  At 
an  earlier  date  he  served  as  ensign  under  Gen. 
William  Henry  Harrison  at  the  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe, and  was  a  member  of  the  Council  of 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1081 


War  held  by  General  Harrison  after  the  battle. 
In  1813  he  participated  in  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  which  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the 
British  General  Proctor  and  the  death  of  Chief 
Tecumseh  at  the  hands  of  Col.  Richard  M. 
Johnson  of  Kentucky.  After  the  latter  battle 
he  witnessed  the  skinning  of  the  Indian  chief's 
body  by  soldiers  of  the  Kentucky  regiments  to 
procure  souvenirs  of  that  tragic  event.  He 
also  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  Black  Hawk  War 
some  twenty  years  later. 

William  Carmack  married  in  Crawford  Coun- 
ty, Penn.,  Mary  Blystone,  who  was  born  in  that 
county,  the  daughter  of  Abraham  Blystone,  who 
was  of  Holland-Dutch  ancestry  from  New  Jer- 
sey. After  marriage  he  settled  on  a  tract 
of  land  at  French  Creek  in  Crawford  County, 
which  he  had  received  from  the  Government 
for  his  services  during  the  war.  This  land  was 
located  within  thirty  miles  of  Meadville,  Penn., 
and  here  Mr.  Carmack  built  a  mill,  and  also 
carried  on  the  rafting  of  logs  down  the  Alle- 
gheny and  Ohio  Rivers  to  Cincinnati.  Later  he 
removed  to  the  River  Raisin  region  in  Michigan, 
where  he  kept  a  hotel,  and  still  later  kept  a 
hotel  in  Door  Prairie,  west  of  LaPorte,  Ind.  In 
the  spring  of  1839  he  moved  by  ox-team  to  Mc- 
Henry  County,  111.,  where  he  bought  a  claim, 
and  later  perfected  the  title  from  the  Govern- 
ment to  a  half-section  of  land,  which  now  con- 
stitutes a  part  of  the  corporation  of  the  City 
of  Harvard,  extending  from  below  the  Railroad 
Depot  to,  and  beyond,  the  school  building.  He 
also  owned  eighty  acres  now  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  Harvard.  He  built  a  double 
log-house  where  the  residence  of  B.  L. 
Church  now  stands,  which  was  the  first 
house  within  the  central  portion  of  Harvard. 
In  1847  he  bought  a  farm  two  miles  south- 
west of  Harvard,  where  he  lived  some 
years,  when,  having  sold  this  farm,  he  "bought 
what  is  known  as  the  Martin  farm,  consisting 
of  240  acres,  and  there  he  and  his  wife  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  days,  after  having  be- 
come advanced  in  years,  living  with  their  son 
Abram.  Mr.  Carmack  owned  between  400  and 
500  acres  of  land,  and  gave  his  children  a  good 
start  in  life.  In  politics  he  was  an  old-line 
Whig.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Carmack  were:  Abram,  David,  Christopher, 
Sylvanus,  William  and  Perry.  William  Car- 
mack, Sr.,  died  Sept.  28,  1865,  aged  eighty-two 
years. 


Abram  Carmack,  of  this  family,  was  born  in 
Crawford  County,  Penn.,  March  3,  1815,  and  was 
about  fifteen  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
moved  to  Michigan.  He  received  a  common- 
school  education  and  showed  especial  capability 
in  arithmetic,  but  followed  farming  as  his  life 
occupation.  Before  coming  to  Illinois,  in  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  he  married  Ruth  Massey,  who  was 
born  in  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains  in  West  Vir- 
ginia, some  six  miles  south  of  Harper's  Ferry, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Farns- 
worth)  Massey.  Her  father,  who  was  an  Eng- 
lish Quaker,  was  a  currier  and  tanner  by  trade, 
and  a  practical  abolitionist,  not  hesitating  to 
assist  fleeing  slaves  to  freedom  by  way  of  the 
"underground  railroad."  On  this  account  he 
left  Virginia,  going  to  Pittsburg,  and  thence  by 
boat  to  a  point  below  Cincinnati,  afterwards 
settling  south  of,  and  near,  Indianapolis.  His 
sons  having  visited  Northern  Indiana,  selected 
a  considerable  tract  of  land  in  Porter  County, 
to  which  Samuel  Massey  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily. The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Massey  were: 
Tamar,  born  April  10,  1802;  Levi,  born  Sept 
17,  1804;  Mordecai,  born  Oct.  9,  1807;  Isaac, 
born  April  20,  1809;  Phebe,  born  July  21,  1811; 
David,  born  Sept.  13,  1813;  Ruth,  born  Nov.  11, 
1815;  Joseph,  born  June  23,  1818.  Mr.  Massey 
died  June  14,  1848,  aged  about  86  years,  and  his 
wife  Jan.  11,  1864,  aged  81. 

After  marriage  Abram  Carmack  settled  on  an 
80-acre  tract  of  land  received  from  his  father- 
in-law,  Samuel  Massey,  to  which  he  added  forty 
acres  more,  making  a  farm  of  120  acres.  Two 
years  later  he  moved  to  Coffee  Creek,  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  160  acres  of 
land,  but  in  1839  came  to  McHenry  County,  111., 
with  ox-teams,  settling  on  a  claim  purchased  of 
Thomas  and  John  Metcalf,  which  he  afterwards 
entered  at  the  Government  Land  Office.  This 
tract  consisted  of  240  acres  with  two  log-houses 
upon  it.  He  built  a  good  frame  house  and  other- 
wise improved  his  land,  finally  becoming  the 
owner  of  five  good  farms  in  McHenry  County. 
Abram  Carmack  was  a  member  of  the  TTniver- 
salist  church  and  held  the  ofiice  of  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  many  years,  and  was  also  Asses- 
sor of  his  township.  His  children  were:  William 
A.,  born  Feb.  15,  1837;  Mary  C,  born  Nov.  11, 
1839;  and  Robert  L.,  the  two  first  named  born 
in  Porter  County.  Ind.,  and  the  last  in  his  grand- 
father's double  log-house  at  Harvard,  111.  Mrs. 
Ruth    (Massey)    Carmack  having  died,  Abram 


1082 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


Carmack  married  as  his  second  wife,  in  Mc- 
Henry  County,  about  1866,  Caroline  Niewerth, 
born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Nov.  16,  1837, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Niewerth.  The 
children  by  the  second  marriage  were:  Flora 
E.,  born  August  31,  1869;  Merville  A.,  born  Aug- 
ust 23,  1872;  Minnie  C,  born  Dec.  23,  1875. 
The  father,  Abram  Carmack,  died  on  his  home 
farm  Feb.  17,  1892.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
Mr.  Carmack  was  the  owner  of  nearly  1,000 
acres  of  land. 

William  A.  Carmack  was  about  five  years 
old  when  his  father  removed  to  McHenry 
County,  and  can  remember  incidents  of  the 
journey,  camping  out  in  a  tent  and  the  big  ox- 
teams.  He  received  his  education  in  the  graded 
school  at  Harvard  and  the  Belvidere  High 
School,  in  the  latter  studying  Latin,  surveying 
and  the  higher  mathematics.  June  11,  1861,  he 
was  united  in  marriage,  at  Franklinville,  Mc- 
Henry County,  to  Charlotte  D.  Robinson,  born 
Sept.  7,  1840,  at  Geneva,  Wis.,  the  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Harriet  (Carr)  Robinson.  Joseph 
Robinson,  who  was  a  native  of  North  of  Ireland, 
came  to  America  about  1834,  settling  near  Tor- 
onto, Canada,  four  years  later  (1838)  coming  to 
Lake  Geneva,  Wis.,  where  his  wife's  mother 
bought  land.  In  1840  he  removed  to  Franklin- 
ville, McHenry  County,  111.,  and  there  bought 
240  acres  of  land,  but  died  while  on  a  visit  to 
Springfield,  Mo.  His  children  were:  Rachael, 
Rebecca,  Henry  W.,  Maria  and  George  W. 

After  marriage  William  A.  Carmack  settled 
on  a  farm  south  of  Harvard,  where  he  resided 
one  and  a  half  years,  when  he  removed  to 
Tripoli,  Bremer  County,  Iowa.  He  there  bought 
197  acres  of  land,  which  he  improved,  but  after 
residing  there  seven  years,  returned  to  Mc- 
Henry County,  locating  on  Section  7  in  Marengo 
Township.  This  land  he  still  owns,  and  here 
his  sons,  George  A.  and  John  B.,  still  live.  He 
is  also  the  owner  of  90  acres  in  Dunham  Town- 
ship, upon  which  he  now  resides.  His  children 
are:  George  A.,  born  in  McHenry  County, 
April  1,  1862;  John  E.,  born  at  Tripoli,  Iowa, 
Dec.  19,  1863;  and  Hattie  M.,  born  at  Tripoli, 
Jan.  22,  1866.  Mrs.  Carmack  died  March  15, 
1896.  Mr.  Carmack  is  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  in  which  he  holds  the  office  of  trus- 
tee and  steward,  and  has  been  a  Sunday  school 
teacher  for  fifty  years,  from  the  time  when  he 
was  sixteen  years  old.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican and  takes  an  earnest  interest  in  polit- 


ical affairs  in  which  he  has  been,  at  times,  an 
active  worker.  While  in  Iowa  he  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  was  Collector  of 
Taxes  in  Dunham  Township,  McHenry  County, 
in  1860.  Fraternally  he  is  an  unaffiliated  Mason 
of  Marengo  Lodge.  During  his  residence  in 
Iowa,  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law, 
Joseph  E.  Robinson,  Mr.  Carmack  built  a  saw- 
mill, which  they  ran  for  six  years.  He  is  an 
expert  stationary  engineer  and  a  practical  sur- 
veyor, and  has  been  an  occasional  contributor 
to  the  local  press. 


MERVILLE    A.    CARMACK. 

Merville  A.  Carmack,  lawyer>  Harvard, 
111.  is  one  of  the  youngest  members  of  the 
McHenry  County  bar,  with  offices  in  both 
Woodstock  and  Harvard.  Mr.  Carmack  was 
born  on  his  father's  farm  in  Dunham  Town- 
ship, McHenry  County,  Auugst  23,  1872,  the 
son  of  Abram  and  Caroline  (Niewerth) 
Carmack.  (See  sketch  of  William  A.  Carmack 
for  Carmack  family  history.)  Merville  A.  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  district  school  and 
the  Harvard  High  School,  graduating  from  the 
latter  in  1891.  His  parents  died  in  February, 
1892,  and  for  the  next  two  years  he  managed 
the  home  farm  of  200  acres.  In  the  fall  of 
1894,  he  entered  the  Sac  County  Normal  School, 
at  Sac  City,  Iowa,  which  he  attended  for  one 
year,  when  he  entered  the  Illinois  State  Uni- 
versity at  Champaign.  Owing  to  ill-health  he 
was  compelled  to  return  home,  however,  and 
there  resumed  management  of  the  home  farm 
and  engaged  in  the  buying  and  selling  of  stock, 
which  he  continued  for  two  years.  He  then 
entered  the  law  office  of  Judge  O.  H.  Gill- 
more,  as  a  student  of  law,  continuing  his 
reading  for  the  next  two  years  when,  in  1902, 
he  was  finally  admitted  to  the  bar  and  immedi- 
ately began  practice  with  satisfactory  results. 
Although  one  of  the  youngest  members  of  the 
McHenry  bar,  Mr.  Carmack  has  a  promising 
future.  In  political  opinions  he  is  a  Republi- 
can, but  being  a  man  of  independent  views,  is 
in  no  sense  of  the  term  a  strict  partisan,  in 
local  affairs  being  the  advocate  of  good  men 
and  sound  measures.  Personally  he  is  a  man 
of  unimpeachable  integrity  and  correct  life, 
and  is  building  up  for  himself  a  good  reputa- 
tion at  the  bar  as  a  reliable  and  capable  at- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1083 


torney.     He  is   a  man  of  property,  being  the 
owner  of  a  farm   of  200  acres. 


GEORGE    W.    FIELD. 

George  W.  Field,  Woodstock,  111.,  prominent 
attorney  and  Master  in  Chancery  for  McHenry 
County,  was  born  in  Woodstock,  McHenry 
County,  Jan.  18,  1870,  the  son  of  Albert  F 
and  Addie  (Walton)  Field.  George  W.  received 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Woodstock,  and  then  became  clerk  in  the  office 
of  his  father,  who  at  that  time  was  the  Sta- 
tion Agent  at  Woodstock  for  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railway.  During  1894-95  he  at- 
tended the  Law  Department  of  the  University 
of  Chicago  from  which  he  graduated,  mean- 
while reading  law  in  the  office  of  W.  S.  Lumley, 
a  prominent  attorney  of  Woodstock.  In  1896 
he  was  formally  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
during  the  next  five  years,  remained  in  the 
office  of  Mr.  Lumley,  who  was  then  State's 
Attorney,  and  to  whom  he  gave  a  full  share  of 
assistance  in  the  duties  of  that  office.  In  1900 
he  established  himself  in  business  alone,  and 
has  met  with  marked  success;  during  the 
same  year  he  was  appointed  Master  in  Chancery 
for  McHenry  County,  a  position  which  he  still 
holds;  at  an  earlier  date  served  four  years  as 
City  Clerk,  when,  in  1897,  he  was  chosen  City 
Attorney,  serving  until  1903  and  proving  him- 
self a  capable  official  in  these  several  offices. 

On  May  17,  1901,  Mr.  Field  became  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  National  Guard,  and  was  im- 
mediately commissioned  First  Lieutenant  of 
Company  G,  Third  Infantry,  on  Dec.  3,  1901, 
being  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  his  com- 
pany. Fraternally  Mr.  Field  is  a  member  of 
the  Order  of  Elks,  Lodge  No.  4,  Chicago.  The 
notable  success  which  has  attended  Mr.  Field's 
career  furnishes  conclusive  evidence  of  his 
ability  and  the  confidence  of  the  people  of 
McHenry  County.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. 


ALBERT    F.    FIELD. 

The  Field  family  is  of  Colonial  and  Puritan 
blood,  descended  from  English  ancestors,  who 
settled  in  New  England  at  an  early  day,  the 
McHenry  County  branch  being  of  the  same  gen- 
eral stock  as  the  late  Cyrus  W.  Field,  whose  an- 
cestors were  long  residents  of  Stockbridge, 
Mass.      The    particular    branch    of   the    family 


of  which  we  write  were  early  settlers  in 
Vermont.  Oliver  Field,  the  grandfather  of 
Albert  F.  Field,  was  the  son  of  a  Revolution- 
ary soldier  and  he  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of 
1812,  taking  part  with  the  Vermont  troops 
in  the  battle  on  Lake  Champlain.  He  and  his 
wife  were  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Oliver  F.,  Charles  C,  Martha  and 
Julia.  Oliver  Field  came  to  Elk  Grove,  Cook 
County,  111.,  in  1844,  with  his  wife  and  sons, 
and  there  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
with  his  son  Oliver  F.,  dying  at  the  age  of  about 
seventy  years.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  in  re- 
ligious belief,  and  was  buried  in  Elk  Grove 
Cemetery.  His  wife  lived  to  be  about  ninety 
years  old,  dying  at  Barrington,  111.  Oliver  F. 
Field,  the  oldest  son  of  this  family,  and  father 
of  Albert  F.,  was  born  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Vermont,  received  the  ordinary  common-school 
education  of  his  native  New  England,  grew  up 
a  farmer  and,  in  1844,  removed  with  his 
family  overland  by  teams  to  Elk  Grove,  Cook 
County,  111.,  where  he  settled  on  a  tract  of  110 
acres  of  Government  land,  which  he  improved 
and  upon  which  he  lived  for  ten  years.  He 
then  removed  to  Arlington  Heights,  Cook 
County — at  that  time  known  as  Dunton — 
where  he  was  engaged  in  farming,  but  in  1866 
became  a  resident  of  Lake  County,  buying 
there  a  farm  of  160  acres.  This  farm  he  soon 
after  sold  when  he  again  moved  to  Barrington, 
Cook  County,  and  there  died  in  1868,  aged 
53  years.  Oliver  F.  Field  was  married  twice; 
the  first  time  in  Vermont,  and  of  this  mar- 
riage two  children  were  born — Albert  F.,  near 
Waitsfield,  Vt,  Jan.  20,  1841,  and  Edward  C, 
in  Illinois,  September,  1844.  His  first  wife  hav- 
ing died  soon  after  settling  in  Illinois,  Mr.  Field 
married  as  his  second  wife,  Narcissa  Miner, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Frederick  T.  Miner,  the  pioneer 
settler  of  Elk  Grove,  who  located  there  at  an 
early  period  when  the  Indians  were  still  oc- 
cupying the  lands  in  that  section  and  were  a 
source  of  considerable  trouble  to  the  early 
settlers.  The  children  by  the  second  mar- 
riage were:  Flora,  Floyd,  Ella,  Frank,  Ida, 
Frederick,  Kate,  Minnie,  Fannie  and  Charles. 
Mr.  Field  was  a  typical  pioneer  and  a  man  of 
sterling  character. 

Albert  F.  Field,  born  in  Vermont,  Jan.  20, 
1841,  was  about  three  years  of  age  when  his 
family  moved   to   Illinois.     Here   he   grew   up 


1084 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


among  pioneer  surroundings,  and  entertains 
a  high  regard  for  the  sturdy  integrity  and 
simplicity  of  character  of  the  early  settlers, 
and  the  natural  lives  led  by  the  members  of 
a  community  in  which  there  was  seldom  oc- 
cassion  to  appeal  even  to  a  Justice  of  1 
Peace.  He  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  scenes 
connected  with  that  early  period — especially 
the  prairie  fires  which  annually  swept  over  * 
large  areas  of  country — consuming  grass  and 
weeds  as  high  as  a  man's  head,  and  often  im- 
periling both  life  and  property.  In  childhood 
Mr.  Field  had  but  limited  opportunity  of  ac- 
quiring an  education  in  the  pioneer  schools 
of  Elk  Grove,  but  the  family  having  removed 
to  Dunton  (now  Arlington  Heights)  when  he 
was  about  thirteen  years  old,  he  there  attended 
school  three  winter  terms  while  working  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer,  and  under  the 
instruction  of  a  better  teacher,  obtained  a 
good  knowledge  of  the  common  branches  and 
became  especially  expert  in  arithmetic.  When 
about  sixteen  years  of  age  he  found  employ- 
ment as  clerk  in  a  general  store  at  Dunton. 
where  he  remained  six  years,  when  ne  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  Station  Agent  at  Dunton 
for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad.  This 
position  he  retained  four  years,  when  he  went 
to  Lake  County,  and  there  spent  nearly  one 
year  with  bis  father  on  the  farm.  On  July 
22,  1867,  he  became  Station  Agent  of  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  at  Woodstock,  continu- 
ing until  April,  1887 — a  period  of  nearly  twenty 
years.  Retiring  from  the  position  in  con- 
nection with  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  he 
then  engaged  in  the  coal  business,  to  which 
he  has  since  added  the  insurance  business. 
He  served  two  years  as  Secretary  of  the  Mc- 
Henry  County  Agricultural  Society,  and  a  like 
period  as  Treasurer  of  the  same  organization. 
On  September  7,  1864,  Albert  F.  Field  was 
married,  at  Arlington  Heights,  111.,  to  Addie 
F.  Walton,  born  in  Maine  Township,  Cook 
County,  May  26,  1843,  the  daughter  of  John 
W.  and  Catherine  (Mohnson)  Walton,  and  they 
had  three  children  born  to  them;  Clara,  born 
nt  Dunton,  111.,  June  7,  1865;  George  W.,  born 
Jan.  18,  1870,  and  Ethel,  born  Nov.  28,  1877— 
the  last  two  born  in  Woodstock.  Clara  mar- 
ried Jesse  M.  Austin,  of  Chicago,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Gordon.  Ethel  married  S.  A. 
Greenleaf,  now  bookkeeper  of  the  Oliver  Type- 


writer Company,  Woodstock.  Mrs.  Albert  F. 
Field  died  in  Woodstock,  August  2,  1902, 
deeply  mourned  by  her  family  and  a  large 
circle  of  friends. 

John  W.  Walton  was  a  Chicago  pioneer  and 
assisted  to  build  the  second  frame  house  in 
that  city.  Later  he  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Maine  Township,  Cook  County,  and  held  the 
office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  his  township. 
In  1849  he  visited  California  as  a  gold-seeker 
His  children  were  named  Catherine  and  Addie 
F.  Mr.  Walton  died  at  the  home  of  his  son- 
in-law,  Albert  F.  Field,  aged  about  75  years. 

Edward  C.  Field,  a  brother  of  Albert  F.,  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  serving  in  the  Chi- 
cago Board  of  Trade  Battery,  and  participated 
in  a  number  of  important  engagements.  He 
was  killed  in  battle  before  Atlanta  during  the 
campaign   in   Northern   Georgia. 

Albert  F.  Field  is  a  Republican  in  politics, 
and  served  one  year  as  a  member  of  the  Wood- 
stock Board  of  Alderman.  He  is  also  a  charter 
member  of  the  Woodstock  A.  O.  U.  W.  De- 
scended from  that  class  of  patriots  who  won 
our  national  independence  over  a  century  ago, 
he  inherits  that  marked  decision  of  character 
which  bespeaks  the  typical  American  citizen, 
and  enables  him  to  rely  upon  his  own  judg- 
ment without  leaning  upon  that  of  another 
man.  Outspoken  and  frank  in  manner,  his  word 
is  trusted  implicitly  where  he  is  best  known, 
while  his  rugged  honesty  commands  universal 
respect. 


JOHN    MARSHALL. 

John  Marshall,  venerable  pioneer  and  Civil 
War  veteran,  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111. 
is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent — ancestors  of  the 
family  having  emigrated  at  a  remote  period 
from  Scotland  and  settled  in  County  Armagh, 
Ireland.  William  Marshall,  great-grandfather 
of  John  Marshall,  was  a  farmer  at  Market  Hill, 
near  the  city  of  Armagh,  and  is  believed  to 
have  been  the  first  of  the  family  to  own  the 
farm  on  which  he  lived.  His  wife  was  a  Miss 
McCune.  John  Marshall,  a  son  of  William 
Marshall,  married  a  Miss  Agnes  Blair,  inherited 
his  father's  farm  of  sixty  acres,  and  here  spent 
his  life.  The  children  of  John  and  Agnes 
(Blair)  Marshall  were:  Hugh,  David,  William, 
Sarah,  Margaret,  Mary  and  one  daughter  wnose 
name   is   not  remembered.     In  religious   faith 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1085 


the  family  were  Scotch  Presbyterians.      John 
Marshall  died  on  his  farm,  aged  84  years. 

Hugh  Marshall,  of  this  family  and  father  of 
John  Marshall  of  McHenry  County,  was  horn 
on  the  paternal  homestead  in  Ireland,  received 
a  good  education,  and  married  Margaret  Fergu- 
son, who  was  born  in  1808  near  her  husband's 
birth-place,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza 
(Watson)  Ferguson.  Their  children  were: 
Martha  J.,  born  Feb.  15,  1832,  and  married 
William  Paul;  John  (subject  of  this  sketch), 
born  June  11,  1834;  William,  born  July  1, 
1836;  Agnes,  born  April,  1840,  married  Peter 
Fitzer;  Hugh,  born  Nov.  3,  1845;  Elizabeth, 
born  March,  1848,  married  James  B.  Huynd- 
man;  Thomas,  born  Sept.  16,  1850;  Robert  J., 
born  Jan.  21,  1855.  Hugh  Marshall  lived  after 
his  marriage  on  a  farm  which  he  had  inherited 
in  the  neighborhood  of  his  birth-place,  until 
1843,  when,  on  AprU  27th  of  that  year,  he  left 
Liverpool  on  a  sailing-vessel,  the  "Patrick 
Henry,"  for  America,  the  voyage  to  New  York 
occupying  twenty-one  days.  His  family  at 
that  time  consisted  of  his  wife  and  the  five 
older  children,  the  remaining  four  children  be- 
ing born  in  Illinois.  From  New  York  he  came 
by  steamer  up  the  Hudson  to  Albany,  thence 
by  canal  and  railroad  to  Buffalo,  and  from  there 
by  lake  steamer  to  Chicago.  Proceeding  with 
his  family  by  private  conveyance,  he  went 
from  Chicago  to  Boone  County,  arriving  at 
Belvidere,  June  7,  1843,  and  finally  settling 
two  miles  northeast  of  that  city,  where  he 
bought  175  acres  of  land  from  the  original 
purchasers  from  the  Government.  This  land 
had  received  but  little  improvement,  being 
without  a  house  and  only  a  small  portion  of 
it  broken.  Here  Mr.  Marshall  erected  a  brick 
house,  which  was  one  of  the  first  of  its  kind 
in  that  neighborhood,  and  made  other  valuable 
improvements.  Seven  years  later  (1850)  he 
removed  to  Chemung  Township,  McHenry 
County,  where  he  bought  330  acres  of  land 
which  had  some  improvement  on  it,  includ- 
ing a  log-house.  This  land  he  still  further  im- 
proved, erecting  on  it  good  buildings,  and  here 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in 
February,  1864,  aged  about  fifty-seven  years. 
His  wife  lived  to  the  age  of  over  eighty  years. 
Hugh  Marshall  was  originally  an  old-line  Whig, 
later  a  Free-Soiler,  and  finally  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  Republican  party  in 


McHenry  County.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he  held  the 
office  of  deacon.  Three  of  his  sons — William, 
David  and  John — served  as  soldiers  of  the 
Civil  War.  William  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Company  H,  First  Illinois  Artillery,  and  veter- 
anized at  the  termination  of  his  period  of 
enlistment — in  all  serving  over  three  years 
and  eight  months.  During  his  term  of  service, 
he  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg,  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  many 
other  important  movements  and  engagements, 
including  the  memorable  "March  to  the  Sea" 
under  Sherman.  He  died  in  April,  1902,  at 
the  age  of  about  sixty-six  years.  David  was  a 
private  in  Company  E,  Ninety-fifth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  three  years,  and 
participating  in  the  Vicksburg  and  Atlantic 
campaigns. 

John  Marshall,  principal  subject  of  this 
sketch,  born  in  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  June 
11,  1834,  was  between  eight  and  nine  years  old 
when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  America  in 
1848,  and  well  remembers  incidents  of  the  long 
journey  by  ocean  and  by  the  lakes  from  Liver- 
pool to  Illinois.  He  entered  the  schools  of 
his  native  country  at  four  years  of  age  and. 
before  leaving  Ireland,  had  obtained  several 
years  of  schooling,  but  after  coming  to  Boone 
County,  attended  school  there  until  about  fif- 
teen years  of  age. 

December  17,  1858,  he  was  married,  in  Le- 
roy  Township,  Boone  County,  to  Mary  Jane 
Thompson,  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  May  12, 
1836,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Eliza  (Mc- 
Cullough)  Thompson,  who  were  also  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry.  After  marriage  Mr.  Marshall 
settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land 
on  which  he  had  previously  built  a  house,  and 
upon  which  he  and  his  family  continued  to 
reside  twenty-seven  years.  In  the  meantime 
he  made  additions  to  his  land  until  he  was  the 
owner  of  180  acres,  constituting  a  well  im- 
proved farm  with  good  buildings.  The  children 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Marshall  are:  Harriet, 
born  March  17,  1863;  Margaret,  born  March 
31,  1870 ;  and  Jane  Elizabeth,  born  May  1,  1877. 
Mr.  Marshall's  war  service,  already  alluded 
to,  was  as  a  private  in  Company  I,  Ninth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry,  in  which  he  enlisted  at  Belvidere, 
Oct.  1,  1861.  and  was  mustered  in  Nov.  30, 
following.    His  company  commander  was  Capt. 


1086 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


William  M.  Chichester,  and  tne  wrsu  com- 
mander of  the  regiment  Col.  A.  G.  Brackett. 
After  a  service  of  fifteen  months,  Mr.  Marshall 
was  discharged  on  account  of  disability  in- 
curred in  the  field.  His  service  was  chiefly  in 
Missouri  and  in  Arkansas,  where  he  took  part. 
in  a  number  of  skirmishes.  That  in  Missouri 
was  especially  severe,  being  employed  in  the 
pursuit  of  and  fighting  bushwhackers  and  guer- 
rillas. Much  of  the  last  few  months  was 
spent  in  hospital  at  St.  Louis  and,  later,  m 
Quincy,  where  he  was  finally  discharged,  Dec. 
15,  1862.  A  daughter  was  born  to  Mr.  Marshall 
during  his   absence  in  the   field. 

Having  returned  home,  after  recruiting  ms 
health  Mr.  Marshall  turned  his  attention  to 
improving  his  farm,  upon  which  he  continued 
to  live  until  1886,  when  he  retired  from  active 
life  as  a  farmer,  settling  in  Harvard,  where 
he  now  resides.  He  still  owns  his  farm  of  180 
acres,  which  has  developed  into  a  valuable 
property.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshall  are  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he  has 
held  the  office  of  elder  for  more  than  thirty 
years. 

Mr.  Marshall  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  and  has  served  as  Commander 
of  his  Post  for  nine  years.  In  politics  he  is 
a  zealous  Republican,  was  present  at  a  mass 
convention  held  at  Woodstock,  August  27,  1854, 
at  which  the  first  steps  were  taken  for  the 
organization  of  the  party  in  McHenry  County, 
and  cast  his  first  vote  for  President  for  John 
C.  Fremont  in  1856,  and  four  and  eight  years 
later  for  Mr.  Lincoln.  For  the  past  four  years 
he  has  been  President  of  the  Chemung  and 
Dunham  Republican  Club. 

Mr.  Marshall's  three  daughters  have  been 
well  educated.  Margaret  and  Jane  are  both 
graduates  of  the  Harvard  High  School,  and 
Margaret  was  a  teacher  in  the  Harvard  public 
schools  for  seven  years.  The  elder  daughter, 
Harriet,  married  Frank  Demunn,  a  farmer  of 
Boone  County,  and  they  have  children  named: 
Jay  M.,  Roy  P.,  Floyd  S.,  Merritt  T.,  Paul 
Kenneth  and  Mary.  Margaret  married  John 
B.  Rumsey,  who  is  a  general  merchant  at  El 
Cajon,  Cal.  Jane  E.  married  A.  L.  Tibbetts, 
who  is  employed  in  a  general  store  at  El 
Cajon,   Cal. 

James  Thompson,  the  father  of  Mrs.  John 
Marshall,    was   a  native   of   North   of  Ireland, 


born  about  ioju,  tne  sou  or  .mines  auu  Mary 
(King)  Thompson.  His  parents  being  then 
deceased,  wheu  about  twenty  years  of  age 
James  Thompson  came  to  America,  settling 
in  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  thread-bleacher.  In  May,  1835, 
he  married  in  Providence,  Eliza  McCullough, 
daughter  of  James  and  Hannah  (Faulkner) 
McCullough,  and  they  had  children  named- 
Mary  Jane,  born  Aiigust  24,  1836;  Elizabeth 
Ann,  born  Dec.  21,  1843;  Sarah  M.  born  Nov. 
30,  1845.  Mr.  Thompson  having  come  to  Illi- 
nois in  the  hope  of  benefitting  his  health, 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Squaw  Prairie, 
Boone  County,  but  remained  only  a  short  time, 
when  he  returned  to  Rhode  Island.  In  1857  he 
came  to  Chemung  Township,  McHenry  County, 
bought  a  small  place  for  a  home  and  there 
died,  May  20,  1868,  aged  about  fifty-six  years. 
He  was  a  Republican  in  politics  and,  in  reli- 
gious belief,  a  Presbyterian,  being  an  elder  in 
the  church  both  in  Rhode  Island  and  in  Illi- 
nois. 


JOSEPH   M.   HARRIS. 

The  Harris  family  in  America  is  descended 
from  James  and  Sarah  (Dennison)  Harris, 
who  were  married  in  Boston  in  1666.  James 
Harris,  who  was  of  an  ancient  British  family, 
came  from  England.  The  branch  of  the  family 
to  which  he  belonged  had  a  coat  of  arms. 

Richard  Harris,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Joseph  M.  Harris,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  of  colonial  New  England  ancestry 
and  emigrated  from  Massachusetts  to  New 
York  at  an  early  day,  settling  in  Ogden, 
Monroe  County,  in  the  latter  State,  where  he 
cleared  up  a  farm  and  made  potash  for  years. 
He  owned  a  considerable  tract  of  land  which 
was  inherited  by  his  descendants.  His 
children  were:  John,  Caleb,  Richard,  Ceiia, 
Polly,  Lucy  and  Armilla.  The  family  were 
Presbyterians  in  religious  faith.  Richard 
Harris  died  on  his  New  York  farm. 

John  Harris,  the  oldest  son  of  this  family 
and  grandfather  of  Joseph  M.,  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  Jan.  13,  1807,  received  the 
ordinary  common-school  education,  and  be- 
came a  farmer.  On  October  3,  1833,  he  was 
married  in  Ogden,  N.  Y.,  to  Abigail  McArthur, 
who  was  born  Nov.  7,  1808.  He  settled  in 
Ogden,   where  he   bought   100   acres   of   unim- 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1087 


proved  land,  which  he  cleared  up  from  the 
woods  and  built  on  it  a  log-house  and  a  frame 
barn.  He  later  sold  the  farm  and  located  on 
an  improved  farm  of  125  acres  in  the  town  of 
Gates,  where  he  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life,  dying  there  Nov.  11,  1853,  his  wife  having 
died  March  24,  1852.  Their  children  were: 
Emily  F.,  born  April  17,  1836;  Joseph  S.,  born 
Nov.  22,  1840;  John  Charles,  born  June  23, 
1842;  Marietta,  born  April  14,  1844;  and  Ann 
Adella,  born  August  15,  1848.  The  parents 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Two  of  the  sons — Joseph  and  John  Charles — 
were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War.  Joseph  S. 
first  served  as  a  private  in  the  Twenty-Third 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  taking  part  in  a 
number  of  battles.  Still  later  he  re-enlisted 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighth  New  York 
Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  he  served  as  First 
Lieutenant   and    Quarter-Master. 

John  Charles  Harris,  the  other  brother  re- 
ferred to,  and  father  of  the  principal  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Ogden,  N.  Y.,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education,  and  for  a 
time  attended  a  preparatory  school  at  Brock- 
port,  N.  Y.,  after  which  he  spent  some  time  in 
the  preparatory  department  of  Oberlin  Col- 
lege, Ohio.  In  July,  1862,  he  enlisted  at 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  as  a  private  in  Company  B, 
One  Hundred  and  Eighth  New  York  Volun- 
teers, served  out  his  term  of  three  years  and 
was  honorably  discharged  at  Bailey's  Cross 
Roads,  Va.,  in  1865.  His  service  was  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  last  two  years  being 
in  the  capacity  of  Quarter-Master's  Sergeant, 
to  which  he  was  appointed  from  the  ranks.  He 
was  married  Nov.  15,  1865,  at  Succasunna 
Plains,  in  Morris  County,  N.  J.,  to  Cordelia 
S.  Merritt,  who  was  born  in  Morris  County,  N. 
J.,  June  26,  1844,  the  daughter  of  Daniel  L. 
Merritt.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Vermont 
and  of  colonial  ancestry.  Their  children  were: 
Mnnson  Hampton,  George,  Jennie,  Ellen  and 
Virginia.  Daniel  L.  Merritt  died  in  Coral,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  at  the  home  of  his  grandson 
Joseph  M.  Harris. 

After  marriage  John  C.  Harris  settled  In 
Ogden,  N.  Y.,  where  he  bought  100  acres  of 
land  and  carried  on  farming  for  five  years, 
after  which  he  moved  to  Morris  County,  N. 
J.,  remaining  there  three  years.  In  1876  he 
came   west  with   his   family,  first   locating   in 


Chicago,  where  he  remained  three  months, 
and  later  in  Blue  Island,  Cook  County.  Then 
(about  1878)  removing  to  Marengo,  McHenry 
County,  he  remained  there  five  years,  during 
a  part  of  this  time  being  engaged  in  farming. 
In  1884  he  established  himself  in  the  draying 
business  at  Harvard,  which,  five  years  later, 
he  extended  to  general  teaming,  continuing 
until  about  two  years  ago  (1901)  when  he  be- 
came a  Rural  Mail  Carrier.  In  political  opin- 
ions Mr.  Harris  is  a  stalwart  Republican  and 
has  served  two  terms  as  Highway  Commis- 
sioner for  Chemung  Township.  He  is  a  non- 
affiliated Mason  and  member  of  the  J.  B. 
Morgan  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  Harvard,  111.  His 
children  are:  Etta,  born  Nov.  17,  1866,  John 
C,  born  August  14,  1871;  and  Joseph  M.,  born 
July  4,  1875.  Joseph  M.  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  school  of  Harvard  and  the 
Atchison  Business  College,  at  Atchison,  Kansas, 
from  which  he  graduated.  Then,  having  re- 
turned to  Harvard,  he  entered  into  the  em- 
ployment as  book-keeper  of  the  E.  L.  Church 
manufactory;  later  was  engaged  for  two  years 
as  a  clerk  in  W.  R.  Collins'  clothing  store, 
and  finally,  in  1896,  became  book-keeper  for 
Mr.  James  Lake,  lumber-dealer.  Since  1899 
Mr.  Harris  has  been  a  member  of  this  firm, 
now  doing  business  under  the  name  of  Lake 
&  Harris. 

On  November  30,  1898,  Mr.  Harris  was  mar- 
ried, at  Harvard,  111.,  to  Grace  Louisa  Lake, 
daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Burditt)  Lake, 
and  they  have  one  daughter,  Sylvia  Lourine, 
born  April  13,  1903.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican and  fraternally  a  Mason,  being  a 
member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  and  Harvard 
Chapter.  He  has  proved  himself  a  successful 
business  man,  and  maintains  a  high  reputa- 
tion for  integrity  of  character. 


JOSEPH    I.    LANG. 

Joseph  I.  Lang,  rising  young  lawyer,  Rich- 
mond, 111.,  was  born  in  Ypsilanti,  Mich.,  Jan. 
30,  1878,  son  of  Cornelius  and  Jennie  G.  (Gunn) 
Lang.  The  father,  Cornelius  Lang,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Michigan,  but  of  German  parentage. 
He  married  at  Ypsilanti,  Jennie  G.  Gunn, 
daughter  of  George  Gunn,  who  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  but  came  at  an  early 
day  to  Michigan,  settling  at  Ypsilanti,  where 
he  became  a  contractor  in  the  construction  ot 


1088 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  Michigan  Central  Railroad.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cornelius  Lang  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren: George  W.,  Elizabeth,  Mary  G.,  Joseph 
I.,  Jennie  R.  and  Helen  M.  Their  children 
received  a  liberal  education  at  the  State 
Normal  School,  Ypsilanti.  Joseph  I.  received 
his  primary  education  in  the  St.  James  Paro- 
chial School  and  the  Ypsilanti  High  School, 
completing  his  education  in  the  State  Normal. 
While  in  the  High  School  he  was  President  of 
the  "Sigma  Delta,"  a  Greek  Letter  society, 
was  an  officer  of  the  military  company  and 
captain  of  the  base-ball  team. 

In  1897  Mr.  Lang  went  to  Duluth,  Minn., 
where  he  was  employed  as  clerk  by  a  lumber 
firm  two  years,  at  the  expiration  of  this  period 
entering  in  the  employ  of  E.  J.  Stone,  a  bridge- 
contractor  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  Railroad.  In  1899  he  bought  a  one-third 
interest  in  this  firm,  which  had  the  contract 
for  building  bridges  on  the  Nippersink  cut-off 
between  the  head  of  Fox  Lake  and  Janesville. 
This  contract  resulted  successfully.  The  com- 
pany built  ninety-nine  bridges  and  culverts. 
Later  it  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  same 
road  for  the  construction  of  bridges  in  Iowa 
and  Minnesota.  During  a  part  of  this  time  Mr. 
Lang  was  located  at  Preston,  Iowa,  and  later 
at  Rice  Lake,  Minn. 

October  9,  1901,  Mr.  Lang  was  married  at 
Ypsilanti,  Mich.,  to  Ella  Lewis  Knight,  who 
was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  received  her 
education  in  the  high  school  at  Richmond,  111. 
After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lang  settled  ir 
Woodstock,  and  having  sold  out  his  interest 
in  the  firm  of  which  he  was  a  member,  he  re- 
tired from  the  contracting  business. 

On  January  1,  1902,  Mr.  Lang  entered  the 
office  of  C.  P.  Barnes  as  a  student  of  law,  in 
the  meantime  taking  a  course  in  the  Law  De- 
partment of  the  Northwestern  University.  In 
politics  he  is  an  Independent.  A  young  man 
of  energy  and  native  ability,  he  has  won  success 
in  life  by  his  own  unaided  effort,  establishing 
for  himself  a  reputation  as  a  straight-forward 
and  reliable  business  man.  Since  the  above 
sketch  was  written  Mr.  Lang  has  established 
himself  permanently  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Richmond,  McHenry  County, 
where  he  is  entering  upon  a  prosperous 
career. 


GEORGE  ECKERT. 

George  Eckert,  Woodstock,  111.,  veteran  of  the 
Civil  War  and  ex-Sheriff  of  McHenry  County, 
was  born  in  Alsace,  then  France,  but  now  a 
province  of  Germany,  Feb.  24,  1843,  the  son  of 
Harry  and  Elizabeth  (Herdklotz)  Eckert.  Hen- 
ry Eckert  removed  to  the  central  part  of  France 
and  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life  near  Paris, 
where  he  died.  His  children  were:  Henry,  Eliz- 
abeth, Catherine,  Michael,  Lena,  Peter,  George 
and  Jacob  B.  After  the  death  of  her  husband 
Mrs.  Eckert  came  with  her  family  to  America 
in  1849,  her  oldest  son,  Henry,  having  already 
located  in  St.  Louis.  From  New  York  she  came 
to  Waukegan,  and  thence  to  Queen  Ann  Prairie, 
McHenry  County.  Her  children  immediately 
began  to  support  themselves.  Mrs.  Eckert  lived 
with  her  brother,  Peter  Herdklotz,  a  few  years, 
but  later  lived  with  her  children,  dying  at  the 
age  of  84  years.  In  religious  faith  the  family 
were  German  Presbyterians. 

George  Eckert  was  but  six  years  old  when  he 
came  with  his  mother  and  family  to  America, 
and  well  remembers  the  voyage  on  an  old-fash- 
ioned sailing-vessel,  occupying  thirty-six  days. 
He  first  lived  with  his  relatives,  but  soon  be- 
gan farm  work  at  $4  per  month  and  his  food, 
during  the  season  earning  $36.  During  the  win- 
ters he  attended  the  district  school  in  Queen 
Ann  Prairie,  and  thus  acquired  a  common-school 
education.  In  1858,  when  nearly  sixteen  years 
of  age,  he  obtained  employment  in  the  store 
of  A.  W.  Fuller  &  Co.— later  Fuller  &  Sher- 
wood— general  merchants  at  Woodstock,  where 
he  remained  until  the  summer  of  1862,  when, 
on  August  14,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com- 
pany F,  Ninety-fifth  Volunteer  Infantry,  served 
his  term>  of  three  years  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Springfield,  111.,  in  August,  1855. 
Soon  after  his  enlistment  he  was  appointed  to 
the  office  of  Sergeant,  later,  was  advanced  to 
Orderly  Sergeant,  and,  hear  the  close  of  the  war. 
received  a  commission  as  Second  Lieutenant 
of  his  company.  During  his  term  of  service  he 
took  part  with  his  regiment  in  the  important 
battles  of  the  campaign  which  ended  with  the 
capture  of  Vicksburg,  in  the  Red  River  expedi- 
tion with  Banks,  in  the  disastrous  Guntown 
affair,  was  under  fire  at  Nashville,  and  was 
present  at  the  capture  of  Spanish  Fort  and  Fort 
Blakely,  which  preceded  the  fall  of  Mobile.  In 
all  this  time  he  was  never  wounded  or  a  pris- 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1089 


oner,  never  in  hospital  and  suffered  no  severe 
sickness. 

Returning  after  his  military  service  to  Wood- 
stock, during  the  following  winter  he  engaged 
in  buying  and  selling  produce,  hut  in  1866  be- 
came  a  elerk  in  the  general  store  of  Philbrick 
&  James,  continuing  until  they  sold  out  to 
Thomas  &  Son,  with  whom  he  remained  six 
months.  For  the  next  eighteen  years  he  was 
clerk  in  the  general  store  of  J.  T.  &  A.  L.  Salis- 
bury, but  in  1886  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Mc- 
Henry  County,  serving  one  term  of  four  years. 
He  then  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for 
four  years,  when  he  was  again  elected  to  the 
office  of  Sheriff,  and  since  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  service  has  held  the  position  of 
Deputy  Sheriff.  Mr.  Eckert  has  also  been  a 
member  of  Woodstock  City  Council  for  sixteen 
years,  and  served  two  terms  as  Collector  of 
Dorr  Township.  A  stanch  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, he  maintains  a  high  reputation  for  loyalty 
to  his  friends  and  as  a  public-spirited  citizen. 

Mr.  Eckert  has  been  twice  married,  his  first 
wife  being  Amy  Green,  who  was  born  in  New 
York,  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Amy  (Cur- 
tis) Green.  (See  sketch  of  Barney  Terwilliger 
in  this  volume.)  Mrs.  Amy  (Green)  Eckert 
bore  her  husband  two  children:  Willis,  who  died 
in  infancy,  and  Georgia.  Mrs.  Eckert  having 
died,  Mr.  Eckert  married  Rhoda  Green,  a  sister 
of  his  first  wife,  with  whom  he  now  resides  in 
their  home  in  Woodstock.  Mr.  Green  is  an  hon- 
ored member  of  the  Woodstock  Post,  G.  Aw  R., 
in  which  he  holds  the  office  of  Quartermaster, 
and  is  Past  Commander.  Self-made  and  self- 
educated,  he  has  won  a  remarkable  success  in 
life  through  his  individual  efforts,  and  enjoys 
in  an  eminent  degree  the  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low citizens. 


BEARDSLEY   LlAiKE. 

Beardsley  Lake,  pioneer  settler  of  Walworth 
County,  Wis.,  and  for  over  thirty-five  years  a 
resident  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  111.,  was 
born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  13,  1814,  the 
son  of  Rev.  Phipps  Waldo  and  Rebecca  (Beards- 
ley)  Lake;  grew  up  on  a  farm  and  attended  a 
country  school  during  the  winter  season,  while 
doing  farm  work  in  the  summer  until  he  was 
seventeen  years  old,  when  he  became  a  clerk  in 
the  general  store  of  Willard  R.  Wheeler,  and  la- 
ter in  that  of  Elliott  Graves.  October  16, 1836,  he 
was  married  at  Ames,  N.  Y.,  to  Mary  K.  Welch, 


who  was  born  in  New  York  State,  near  the  line 
of  Otsego  County,  Oct.  1,  1812.  After  marriage 
Mr.  Lake  settled  on  his  father's  farm,  which  he 
managed  on  shares  for  two  years,  when,  in  the 
spring  of  1840,  he  moved  west,  settling  in  Wal- 
worth County,  Wis.,  where  his  father  had  lo- 
cated a  few  months  earlier.  Here  he  bought 
the  north  half  of  a  tract  of  640  acres  of  land 
upon  which  his  father  had  settled  the  fall  pre- 
vious. He  lived  for  a  time  with  his  father's 
family  in  a  primitive  log  house,  built  in  pioneer 
style,  with'  clap-board  roof,  but  later  erected  a 
story-and-a-half  frame  house,  which  for  some 
time  was  the  best  house  in  Big  Foot  Prairie. 
The  lumber  for  this  house  was  hauled  from 
Chicago  and  Kenosha,  Wis.,  while  the  finishing, 
including  doors,  window  frames,  sash,  etc.,  were 
made  on  the  spot.  Here  Mr.  Lake  lived  with 
his  family  for  twenty-seven  years.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Charles  W.,  born  Sept.  30,  1837; 
David  D.,  born  Dec.  23,  1839— both  born  in 
Ames,  Montgomery  County,  N.  Y. — with  six 
others  born  in  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  viz.: 
Mary  L,  born  Dec.  15,  1841;  George  W.,  born 
July  13,  1845;  Arthur  B.,  born  July  16,  1848; 
James,  born  Sept.  23, 1850;  Jennie  W.,  born  Jan. 
1,  1853;  Fremont,  born  Oct.  10,  1857.  Mr.  Lake 
improved  his  land  until  he  had  one  of  the  most 
valuable  farms  in  Walworth  County,  also 
bought  forty  acres  more  of  land,  which  he  sub- 
sequently sold,  but  still  retains  the  original 
homestead  of  320  acres.  In  April,  1852,  in  com- 
pany with  a  party  of  men  from  Big  Foot  Prairie, 
Mr.  Lake  started  across  the  plains  for  Califor- 
nia, crossing  the  Missouri  river  at  Council 
Bluffs,  Iowa.  Mr.  Lake  drove  an  ox-team,  walk- 
ing the  whole  distance,  the  journey  occupying 
five  months.  Arrived  in  California,  he  followed 
mining  successfully  on  Feather  River,  but  fin- 
ally returned  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Pana- 
ma and  New  York.  In  1861  he  made  a  second 
trip  to  California,  this  time  remaining  in  the 
mining  business  eighteen  months,  when  he  re- 
turned to  the  States.  Originally  an  old-line 
Whig,  Mr.  Lake  became  one  of  the  early  Repub- 
licans of  his  locality,  voting  for  Fremont  and 
Dayton  in  1856  and  for  Lincoln  and  Hamlin  in 
1860.  He  served  as  the  first  Assessor  of  Wal- 
worth Township,  and  was  Supervisor  of  his 
township  for  several  terms  during  the  Civil  War 
period.  In  the  latter  position  he  was  able  to 
render  valuable  service  in  raising  funds  to  pay 
bounties  for  the  encouragement  of  enlistments, 


1090 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


thereby  avoiding  the  necessity  for  a  draft  to 
fill  the  quota  of  Walworth  County.  He  also 
served  his  township  as  Road  Commissioner  for 
a  time.  Before  leaving  New  York  he  was  a 
member  of  the  State  militia,  filling  various  pos- 
itions from  that  of  Corporal  to  Captain. 

September  23,  1867,  Mr.  Lake  moved  from 
Walworth  County,  Wis.,  to  Harvard,  McHenry 
County,  111.,  where,  for  the  next  three  years,  he 
lived  in  practical  retirement.  At  the  end  of  this 
period  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at 
Harvard,  in  partnership  with  Cyrus  Clark.  A 
few  years  later  Levi  Lake  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  and  they  did  an  extensive  business. 
Levi  Lake  eventually  sold  out,  the  firm  re- 
maining Lake  &  Clark  for  some  years,  when 
James  Lake,  the  son  of  Beardsley  Lake,  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  Mr.  Clark,  the  firm  then 
becoming  Lake  &  Son.  Three  years  later  Mr. 
Beardsley  Lake  sold  his  interest  in  the  concern 
to  A.  D.  Crumb,  and  has  since  lived  a  retired 
life  in  his  home  at  Harvard. 

By  a  life  of  industry,  prudent  management 
and  honest  methods,  Mr.  Lake  has  had  a  suc- 
cessful business  career,  and  accumulated  a 
handsome  property. 


JAMES  UAKE. 

James  Lake,  lumber  dealer  and  prominent 
citizen  of  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  was  born 
in  Big  Foot  Prairie,  Walworth  County,  Wis., 
Sept.  23,  1850,  the  son  of  Beardsley  and  Mary 
(Welch)  Lake,  and  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  while  working  on  the  farm 
during  the  summer  months,  In  1867,  when 
about  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  and  there 
attended  school  two  years  longer.  In  1871,  in 
company  with  his  brother  Arthur,  he  returned 
to  his1  father's  farm  in  Walworth  County,  Wis., 
which  they  carried  on  for  the  next  two  years, 
after  which  James  managed  the  farm  alone  for 
some  time. 

November  4,  1874,  Mr.  Lake  was  married  at 
Harvard,  111.,  to  Mary  Emma  Burdift,  after 
which  they  settled  on  the  Wisconsin  farm,  re- 
maining until  1876,  when  they  removed  to  Har- 
vard, where  he  engaged  in  the  liverv  business 
in  company  with  Joseph  Swinney.  This  part- 
nership lasted  one  year,  when  Mr.  Lake,  hav- 
ing sold  his  interest  in  the  livery  business  to 
Mr.  Swinney,  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the 
lumber  firm  of  Lake  &    Clark,    of    which    his 


father,  Beardsley  Lake,  was  a  member,  and 
ever  since  has  been  engaged  in  the  lumber 
trade  on  an  extensive  scale.  Mr.  Clark  having 
retired,  the  firm  was,  for  three  years  Lake  & 
Son,  when  Mr.  A.  D.  Crumb  bought  out  the  in- 
terest of  the  father,  Beardsley  Lake,  and  the 
firm  became  Lake  &  Crumb  for  the  next  six 
years.  Mr.  Lake  then  became  sole  proprietor 
of  the. concern,  conducting  the  business  alone 
for  eighteen  years,  but  in  1900  he  sold  a  half 
interest  to  his  son-in-law,  J.  M.  Harris,  since 
when  the  business  has  been  carried  on  under 
the  name  of  Lake  &  Harris. 

Throughout  his  business  career  Mr.  Lake  has 
given  evidence  of  a  degree  of  energy  and  prac- 
tical foresight  which  has  been  rewarded  with  a 
good  degree  of  success.  Besides  his  lumber- 
yard property,  Mr.  Lake  is  the  owner  of  three 
large  farms  in  McHenry  County,  aggregating 
500  to  600  acres,  three  houses  and  lots  in  Har- 
vard, with  valuable  lots  at  Geneva  Lake,  Glen- 
wood  Springs  and  Riverdale,  a  suburb  of  Chi- 
cago. In  political  relations  he  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, and  in  1900  was  elected  Supervisor  of 
Chemung  Township  and  re-elected  in  1902.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  Mason,  a  member  of  Harvard 
Lodge  and  Woodstock  Commandery  Knights 
Templar,  and  also  of  Knights  of  the  Globe. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Lake  are  parents  of  the 
following  named  children:  Grace  Louise,  born 
Nov.  23,  1875;  Ruby  Mary,  born  Nov.  23,  1881; 
George  Burditt,  born  Feb.  26,  1890.  Grace 
Louise  graduated  from  Harvard  High  School  in 
1895,  and,  on  Nov.  30,  1898,  was  married  to  Jos- 
eph Merritt  Harris,  who  is  now  a  partner  of 
his  father-in-law,  Mr.  James  Lake,  in  the  lum- 
ber business  under  the  firm  name  of  Lake  & 
Harris.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris  have  one  child, 
Sylvia  Lourine,  born  April  13,  1903.  Mr.  James 
Lake's  youngest  daughter,  Ruby  Mary,  grad- 
uated from  Harvard  High  School  in  1900,  at- 
tended Ferry  Hall,  at  Lake  Forrest,  111.,  1900- 
01,  and  is  now  devoting  her  attention  to  vocal 
music  at  Rockford.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lake  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  church,  of 
which  he  is  a  trustee.  Mrs.  James  Lake  (nee 
Burditt)  was  born  in  South  Danville,  Steuben 
County,  N.  Y.,  July  17,  1853,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  Ann  (Ojers)  Burditt,  and 
came  with  her  parents  to  Harvard,  McHenry 
County,  111.,  in  1869.  The  family  is  of  mixed 
Colonial  New  England  and  Holland-Dutch 
stock.     The  father,  Thomas  Burditt,  was  born 


^ 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1091 


in  Rutland,  Vt,  Nov.  16,  1822,  the  son  of  George 
and  Millie  (Wadsworth)   Burditt.     George  Bur- 
ditt  was  born  Jan.  13,  1796,  was  a  Vermonter  by 
birth,  and  was  engaged  in  business  as  a  trader 
in  live  stock.    Sometime  prior  to  1830  he  moved 
to  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there  settled  on 
a  farm,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  dying  August.  17,  1851.    He  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church.     His   first  wife  was 
Millie  Wadsworth,  born  in  1795,  the  daughter  of 
David   and   Eleanor    (Capen)    Wadsworth,   and 
died  in  1839.    David  Wadsworth  was  a  descend- 
ant in  the  sixth  generation   from  Christopher 
Wadsworth,    the    progenitor    of   the   American 
branch  of  the  family,  who  came  from  England 
to   Massachusetts    Bay    Colony    on    the    ship 
"Lion"   in   1632,  and  whose   descendants   were 
among  the  noted  colonial  families  in  New  Eng- 
land.    Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow,   through 
the  maternal   branch,  was  of  this  family.     In 
England  the  genealogy  of  the  family  is  traced 
back  many  generations.     The  Wadsworths  cf 
Perristone,  County  of  York,  England,  were  of 
this  stock  and  were  the  possessors  of  a  coat- 
of-arms.     A  very  complete  genealogical  record 
of  the   American   Wadsworths   has   been   pub- 
lished. 

Thomas  Burditt,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Lake,  was 
taken  by  his  parents  when  a  child  to  South 
Danville,  N.  Y.,  received  an  ordinary  education 
and  became  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  On  February 
25,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Ann  Ojers, 
torn  in  London,  England,  Oct.  28,  1822,  the 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  (Barton)  Ojers. 
Peter  Ojers  was  a  native  of  Holland,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  spice  trade,  his  father,  who  was 
a  wealthy  man,  being  a  member  of  an  East  In- 
dia spice  firm.  On  the  division  of  his  father's 
estate,  Peter  took  as  his  share  a  ship  with 
which  he  went  to  England.  This  vessel  was 
afterwards  captured  in  some  war.  Peter  Ojers 
married  Oct.  20,  1812,  Mary  Barton,  an  English 
woman,  and  their  children  were:  Richard, 
John  and  Mary  Ann.  Richard  came  to  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  was  a  banker,  and  his  father 
and  family,  coming  over  still  later,  settled  at 
South  Danville,  N.  Y.,  in  1836,  and  here  the 
father  lived  until  his  death  in  1860.  Thomas 
Burditt  lived  here  many  years,  and  he  and  his 
wife  had  the  following  named  children:  Maria 
Louise,  born  March  25,  1849;  Mary  Emma,  born 
July  17,  1853.  In  1869  Mr.  Burditt  came  with 
his  family  to  Harvard,  McHenry  County,  and 


here  died,  Nov.  6,  1893,  and  his  wife  Dec.  24, 
1892.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burditt  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,  and  in  politics  he  was  a 
Democrat.  During  his  residence  at  South  Dan- 
ville, N.  Y.,  he  served  for  many  years  as  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Mrs.  James.  Lake  received  a  good  education, 
being  first  a  pupil  in  the  South  Danville  Semi- 
nary, in  New  York  State,  and,  after  coming  to 
Illinois,  in  the  Harvard  High  School. 


LA    FAYETTE    THOMAS. 

LaFayette  Thomas  is  descended  from  a  fam- 
ily of  Illinois  pioneers  prominently  identified 
with  the  early  history  of  McHenry  County,  be- 
ing the  son  of  LaFayette1  and  Arvilla  (French) 
Thomas.  The  father,  LaFayette  Thomas,  Sr., 
came  to  Illinois  with  two  brothers,  Nelson  and 
Fianton  M.,  in  1835.  (See  sketch  of  Stanton 
M.  Thomas  in  this  volume.)  These  brothers 
took  up  land  in  the  western  part  of  Lake  Coun- 
ty near  the  McHenry  County  line,  now  known 
as  the  "Powell  place,"  but  later  entered  320 
acres  of  land  at  what  is  now  Cary  Station, 
McHenry  County,  and  here  the  brothers  as- 
sisted in  improving  the  farm. 

LaFayette  Thomas,  Sr.,  married  in  Algonquin 
Township  Arvilla  French,  daughter  of  Joshua 
French,  a  pioneer  settler  of  McHenry  County. 
.Almira,  a  sister  of  Arvilla  French,  married  Mr. 
Thomas's  brother,  Stanton  M.  The  sisters  were 
both  early  teachers  in  McHenry  County,  Ar- 
villa being  a  teacher  in  the  Munshaw  district, 
where  she  boarded  with  Hosea  B.  Troop.  La- 
Fayette Thomas,  Sr.,  built  a  log-house  on  his 
land,  in  which  he  lived  until  1867,  when  he 
erected  a  substantial  brick  residence  which  is 
still  standing.  He  bought  the  interest  of  his 
brother,  Stanton  M.,  in  this  land,  and  made  ad- 
ditions to  the  farm  until  he  became  the  owner 
of  329  acres,  besides  sixty-eight  acres  in  Lake 
County,  where  the  original  settlement  was 
made.  He  was  a  typical  pioneer  and  expert 
hunter,  and  coming  to  Illinois  when  the  coun- 
try abounded  in  game,  and  when  creeks  and 
lakes  were  stocked  with  fish,  he  and  his  broth- 
ers had  no  difficulty  in  providing  the  family 
with  meat.  Timber  wolves  and  foxes  were 
numerous,  and  flocks  of  wild  ducks  and  geese 
swarmed  on  the  rivers  and  often  fed  in  the  corn- 
fields. A  rifle  which  Mr.  Thomas  brought  with 
him  from  New  York  and  used  in  his  many  hunt- 
ing expeditions,  is  still  preserved  as  a  valued 


1092 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


relic  of  pioneer  days  by  his  son.  In  politics 
originally  a  Democrat,  on  the  formation  of  the 
Republican  party,  he  allied  himself  with  that 
organization.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  were:  Marion  J.,  who  married  William 
T.  Hamilton,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Mary 
G.,  who  married  Alva  H.  Hale^of  Nunda;  Mary, 
died  aged  fourteen  years ;  Dora  W. ;  LaFayette, 
jr.,  born  March  18,  1857;  Berr  W.,  born  Dec. 
26,  1860.  In  October,  1881,  Mr.  Thomas  moved 
to  Diamond  Prairie,  Newton  County,  Mo.,  where 
he  and  his  son  Berr  bought  120  acres  of  un- 
improved land  upon  which  they  built  a  resi- 
dence, and  which  they  otherwise  improved. 
About  four  years  later  Mr.  Thomas  moved  to 
Carthage,  Mo.,  where  he  bought  residence  prop- 
erty, which  he  still  further  improved,  and  where 
he  finally  died,  Feb.  6,  1899,  aged  seventy-four 
years.  His  widow  still  survives  at  the  ven- 
erable age  of  eighty-nine  years. 

LaFayette  Thomas,  Jr.,  born  on  the  paternal 
homestead,  March  18,  1857,  received  the  usual 
common  school  education  and  grew  up  a  farmer. 
On  September  28,  1882,  when  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  he  was  married  near  Nunda,  Mc- 
Henry  County,  to  Carrie  Munshaw,  who  was 
born  Nov.  13,  1861,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Newton)  Munshaw.  Since  his  mar- 
riage Mr.  Thomas  has  lived  on  the  old  home- 
stead at  Cary  Station,  where  he  built  a  pleas- 
ant residence  which  he  now  occupies.  In  1895 
he  erected  a  two-story  frame  house  adjoining 
his  home,  which  he  has  since  sold.  Mr.  Thom- 
as is  a  member  of  the  Town  Council  and,  for 
six  years,  has  been  a  member  of  the  School 
Board.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  are  parents  of 
the  following  children:  Ethel  C,  born  Oct.  28, 
1883;  Glenn  Earl,  born  Feb.  28,  1885;  Audrey, 
born  December,  1897;  LaFayette,  born  Oct.  20, 
1898.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  have  an  ideal 
home,  and  are  prominent  citizens  of  Cary  Sta- 
tion. Their  two  older  children,  Ethel  C.  and 
Glenn  Earl,  are  pupils  in  Elgin  Academy,  from 
which  Ethel  will  graduate  in  1904. 

John  Munshaw,  the  father  of  Mrs.  LaFayette 
Thomas,  was  born  at  Youngstown,  Ontario, 
about  1818,  the  son  of  John  and  Catherine  (Ful- 
ton) Munshaw.  John  Munshaw,  Sr.,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Massachusetts,  and  of  mixed  Irish, 
French  and  German  ancestry.  The  Fulton 
branch  of  the  family  were  of  the  same  general 
stock  as  Robert  Fulton,  the    inventor    of    the 


steam-boat.  John  Munshaw,  Jr.,  was  a  farmer, 
and  owned  a  farm  near  Youngstown,  Ontario. 
In  1861  he  moved  to  Illinois,  where  he  became 
the  owner  of  a  farm  of  103  acres,  and  here  he 
died  Aug.  28,  1891,  aged  seventy-three  years, 
two  months  and  four  days.  Elizabeth  (New- 
ton) Munshaw,  his  wife,  was  born  Nov.  9,  1837, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sophia  Newton, 
who  were  of  English  descent.  They  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Sophia,  born  Feb.  7,  1858;  Caroline,  born  Nov. 
13,  1861;  Edwin,  born  June  11,  1864;  Thomas 
Arthur,  born  Dec.  20,  1866;  Fred  Albert,  born 
in  1869;  Mary  Louisa,  born  March  16,  1870; 
Frances  May,  born  May  1,  1871. 


MORRIS  S.  M.  WEST. 

The  West  family  in  America  are  of  Scotch- 
Irish  extraction,  according  to  tradition  being 
descended  from  three  brothers — Peleg,  Elisha 
and  one  other  whose  name  is  not  recalled — 
coming  to  the  Colonies  in  the  days  of  Puritan 
immigration.  One  of  the  descendants  of  the 
branch  was  Elisha  West,  the  grandfather  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  a  farmer 
near  Rutland,  Vt.  Children  of  this  family 
were:  Cyrus,  John,  Polly,  Christina  and  Jede- 
diah.  Elisha  West  was  a  talented  musician, 
both  as  a  performer  and  a  composer;  was  also 
a  teacher  of  instrumental  and  vocal  music  and 
author  of  a  book  of  vocal  lessons  for  which  he 
composed  the  music.  His  son  John,  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  near  Rut- 
land, Vt.,  Sept.  7,  1782,  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, but,  like  his  father,  a  natural  musician 
and  a  teacher  of  vocal  music,  traveling  exten- 
sively in  the  prosecution  of  his  profession.  He 
was  also  the  author  of  a  work  on  musical  in- 
struction in  the  publication  of  which  he  was 
associated  with  the  late  Lowell  Mason,  the 
celebrated  composer  and  publisher  of  Boston, 
Mass.  John  West  came  to  New  York  State, 
when  a  young  man,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
teaching,  and  at  Utica  in  that  State,  on  Jan. 
17,  1807,  was  married  to  Sally  Slayton,  who 
was  born  in  that  city,  Oct.  2,  1788,  the  daughter 
of  David  and  Sally  (Crossman)  Slayton.  David 
Slayton  was  born  in  England  and  became  a 
sea-captain,  in  his  early  manhood  commanding 
sea-going  vessels,  but  later  in  life  settled  on  a, 
farm  one  mile  west  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  afterwards 
removing  to  Leroy,  Genesee  County,  where  he 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1092 


bought  100  acres  of  unimproved  land  and 
opened  up  a  farm.  In  his  old  age  he  sold  this 
farm  and  removed  to  Bethany  Center,  where 
he  lived  with  a  son,  finally  dying  about  1840, 
aged  about  eighty-six  years.  Mrs.  Slayton 
died  aged  eighty-two.  In  politics  Capt.  Slayton 
was  a  Whig  and  in  religious  belief  a  Baptist. 
Their  children  were:  Uriah,  the  only  son  who 
lived  to  manhood,  and  Sally,  an  only  daughter. 

John  West  and  his  wife  Sally  (Slayton)  set- 
tled at  Leroy,  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  on  100 
acres  of  unimproved  land,  developed  a  farm, 
and  gave  singing  lessons  in  that  part  of  the 
country.  In  politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig. 
Their  children  were:  Hiram,  born  Oct.  22, 
1808;  Melinda,  born  June  15,  1810;  Ann  Eliza, 
born  Sept.  18,  1812;  Harrison,  born  Dec.  15, 
1814;  Anson  T.,  born  April  1,  1817;  Jane  A., 
born  Sept.  28,  1819— (still  living  in  1903); 
George  W.,  born  Jan.  18,  1822;  Louisa,  born 
June  10,  1824;  Morris  S.  M.  (subject  of  this 
sketch),  born  March  8,  1827.  John  West,  the 
father  of  this  family,  died  March  14,  1829,  and 
his  wife,  Feb.  14,  1845.  (This  record  is  taken 
from  the  West  family  Bible).  Mrs.  West  was  a 
Baptist. 

Morris  S.  M.  West  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools,  and  worked  on  the 
farm  in  his  boyhood.  His  father  having  died 
when  he  was  two  years  old,  he  was  brought  up 
by  his  mother,  who  died  when  he  was  about 
eighteen.  During  the  latter  years  of  her  life, 
Mrs.  West  was  supported  by  her  son,  Morris, 
who  worked  out  for  wages.  Soon  after  the 
death  of  his  mother,  he  began  learning  the 
blacksmith's  trade  at  Linden,  Genesee  County, 
but  eight  months  later  went  to  Perry,  N.  Y., 
where  he  spent  seven  months  in  the  same  line. 
In  1849  he  came  to  McHenry  County,  111.,  mak- 
ing the  journey  by  way  of  the  lakes  and  the 
Michigan  Central  Railroad  to  New  Buffalo, 
Ind.,  and  from  there  by  steamer  to  Chicago, 
and  arriving  in  Algonquin  Township,  June  23. 

Here)  he  bought  a  thrashing  machine  and  en- 
gaged in  thrashing  grain  the  following  fall,  but 
soon  after  bought  an  80-acre  farm  in  Algonquin 
Township,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Cary 
Station,  which  he  still  owns.  This  farm  had 
no  improvements  except  twenty-five  acres 
broken.  On  March  8,  1854,  he  married  in  Mc- 
Henry village  Deborah  Diantha  Crabtree,  born 
in  Allegany  County,  N.   Y.,   July  3,   1835,  the 


daughter  of  Newman  and  Sally  (Hicks)  Crab- 
tree.  (See  sketch  of  George  and  William  Crab- 
tree  in  this  volume.)  After  marriage  Mr.  West 
settled  on  the  land  he  had  bought,  erected  on 
it  a  small  frame  house,  in  which  he  lived  until 
able  to  erect  a  more  substantial  residence, 
which  he  did  in,  subsequent  years,  having  now 
one  of  the  best  improved  farms  in  the  town- 
ship. During  the  Civil  War  Mr.  West  carried 
on  his  business  as  a  blacksmith  at  Cary  Sta- 
tion and,  in  1888,  removed  to  that  place  per- 
manently, erecting  there  the  residence  he  now 
occupies.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  are  members  of 
the  Free  Methodist  Church  in  McHenry  County, 
with  which  they  have  been  identified  for  the 
past  thirty-three  years.  For  forty  years  he  has 
been  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School  In 
his  neighborhood  and,  since  1887,  has  been  a 
local  preacher  in  his  church;  is  also  one  of  the 
church  trustees.  In  politics  he  is  a  Prohi- 
bitionist. The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West, 
with  dates  of  birth,  are:  Ida  M.,  Dec.  13,  1856; 
Inez  C,  May  29,  1859;  Mary  E.,  Aug.  7,  1877, 
(died  aged  five  months). 

Ida  M.  has  been  married  twice:  first,  March 
12,  1874,  to  Fred  G.  Thompson,  and  they  had 
one  child  born  to  them,  Josephine  W.,  born 
Sept.  21,  1876.  She  married  as  her  second  hus- 
band, Nov.  16,  1876,  Harvey  W.  Philip,  who 
died  in  Elgin,  111.,  May  6,  1900'. 

Inez  C.  married,  August,  1878,  Rev.  Frank 
Miller  of  Crystal  Lake,  and  they  settled  at 
Elgin.  Their  children  are:  Hugh  A.,  Alta  B., 
Earl  (died  in  infancy),  and  Helen. 

Mrs.  Ida  M.  (West)  Philip  was  educated  in 
the  public  school  at  Cary  and  in  Elgin 
Academy,  and  afterwards  taught  at  Nunda, 
Udina  (Kane  County),  Pingrey's  Grove,  Syca- 
more, Silver  Lake,  and  in  the  Miller  District 
in  Algonquin  Township.  After  the  death  of 
her  second  husband  in  May,  1900,  Mrs.  Philip 
returned  to  Cary  Station,  where  she  is  now  car- 
ing for  her  aged  parents., 

Hugh  Miller,  son  of  Rev.  F.  A.  and  Inez  C. 
(West)  Miller,  married  Edith  Bonner,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Bonner  of  Knox,  Ind.,  and  they  have  one 
child — Verne.  Alta  B.  Miller  married  John  B. 
Collin  and  they  have  one  child — Harold. 

Josephine  W.  Thompson,  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Philip  by  her  first  marriage,  lived  with  her 
grandparents  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  gradu- 
ated from  the  Cary  public  school  in  1892  and 
from  the  Elgin  High  School  in  1896,  later  took 


1094 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


a  course  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Normal, 
111.,  after  which  she  engaged  in  teaching  for 
nearly  two  years.  March  8,  1899,  she  married 
L.  A.  McKenzie,  who  is  station  agent  at 
Wooddale,  111.,  and  they  have  one  child— Mary 
Leone,  born  Feb.  10,  1900. 


LORENZO    DOW   LOWELL,   M.   D. 

Among  the  older  physicians  of  McHenry 
County  stands  the  name  of  Dr.  Lorenzo  Dow 
Lowell,  of  Nunda.  The  family  is  of  English 
origin,  the  founders  of  the  American  branch 
coming  to  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  in  the 
days  of  Puritan  immigration  between  1630  and 
1640.  Dr.  Lowell,  of  McHenry  County,  is 
descended  from  the  same  stock  as  the  late 
James  Russell  Lowell,  the  celebrated  author, 
from  whom  in  relationship  he  is  not  far  re- 
moved. 

Abraham  Lowell,  grandfather  of  Dr.  Lowell, 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  early 
manhood  left  home  with  a  brother,  going  on 
foot  to  New  York  State.  This  was  before  the 
days  of  improved  roads  and  bridges,  and  they 
were  in  some  cases  obliged  to  swim  rivers 
when  the  ice  was  forming.  They  settled  in 
Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  about  ten  miles  from 
Cooperstown.  Abraham  Lowell  married  a  Miss 
Inman,  who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
family  were  the  owners  of  a  very  large  amount 
of  lands  which  afterwards  became  very  valu- 
able, part  of  it  being  coal  lands.  The  title  was 
directly  from  the  Government,  but  the  lands 
being  held  under  leases  covering  a  period  of 
one  hundred  years,  through  neglect  on  the  part 
of  the  occupants,  in  some  cases  these  were 
allowed  to  lapse  and  great  confusion  as  to 
ownership  was  the  result.  Abraham  Lowell 
passed  his  last  years  in  Schoharie  County, 
dying  between  eighty  and  ninety  years  of  age, 
his  wife  dying  at  the  same  place.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Nyrum,  Abraham  B.,  Reuben,  De- 
loss,  Clara,  Hannah  and  Sarah  Jane.  The  last 
named  married  Thomas  Taylor,  of  Coopers- 
town,  N.  Y.,  and  she  is  still  living,  at  present 
being  a  resident  of  Chicago. 

Abraham  B.,  of  this  family,  was  born  on  his 
father's  farm  in  Schoharie  County,  Jan.  30, 
1904,  received  a  limited  common-school  educa- 
tion, and  proving  a  natural  mechanic,  followed 
brick-making  for  a  time,  and  was  also  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  pumps,  and  established 
the  water-works  in  Mohawk  Village,  N.  Y.    for 


the  canal  and  railroad  purposes.  He  married 
Anna  Seeber,  who  was  born  in  Schoharie  Coun- 
ty, the  daughter  of  William  Seeber.  The 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Cline,  and  both 
families  were  of  German  descent.  The  father, 
William  Seeber,  was  an  educated  man  and 
able  to  speak  six  different  languages.  He  was 
a  native  of  Schoharie  County,  and  his  father 
was  one  of  five  brothers  who  fought  under 
Gen.  Herkimer  at  the  battle  of  Oriskany  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  War.  The  British  force 
was  made  up  of  Tories  and  Indians  under  com- 
mand of  Gen.  St.  Leger,  and  three  of  the 
Seeber  brothers  were  killed  and  the  two  others 
wounded  and  crippled.  William  Seeber  and 
wife  were  the  parents  of  children  named:  Syl- 
vanus,  Luther,  James,  Anna,  Betsy,  Elizabeth 
and  Nicholas.  The  parents  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

After  marriage  Abraham  Lowell  settled  in 
Mohawk  Village  on  the  Mohawk  River,  where 
he  lived  many  years.  He  and  his  wife  were 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Clarissa,  Darius,  Lorenzo  D.,  Celia  A.,  Emory 
G.  (who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Ninety-fifth  Regi- 
ment Illinois  Volunteers),  Abraham  A.,  Jane, 
Angevine  D.,  Reuben  D.  and  Othello.  The  last 
named  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years 
from  injuries  received  in  an  accident  at  ten 
years  of  age.  Abraham  Lowell  moved  to 
Oneonta.  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  brick  and  pumps. 
In  1845  he  moved  to  Sharon,  Wis.,  coming  by 
way  of  the  canal  and  lakes  to  Kenosha,  and 
thence  by  teams  across  the  country.  In  the 
vicinity  of  Sharon  he  pre-empted  eighty  acres 
of  Government  land,  which  he  improved  and  to 
which  he  made  additions  until  he  owned  528 
acres.  His  wife  having  died  he  married  at 
Nunda,  111.,  Arvilla  Olds,  and  later  a  third  wife 
who  is  still  living.  Mr.  Lowell  gave  farms  to 
his  five  younger  sons.  He  was  a  great  admirer 
of  Lorenzo  Dow,  the  celebrated  evangelist,  for 
whom  he  named  his  second  son  and  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church  and  a  class-leader.  He  died  June  5, 
1892. 

Lorenzo  Dow  Lowell,  born  in  Mohawk  Vil- 
lage, N.  Y.,  July  19,  1836,  attended  school  in 
his  native  place  until  nine  years  of  age,  when 
he  came  with  his  father  to  Sharon,  Wis.  Here 
he  attended  the  public  school  for  a  time  and 
later  was  a  pupil  in  an    academy    at    Darien, 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1095 


Wis.,  after  which  he  taught  one  winter  near 
Harvard,  McHenry  County,  and  still  later  at 
Sharon,  Wis.,  where  he  made  a  specialty  of 
mathematics.  Meanwhile  he  studied  Latin 
with  a  Rev.  Mr.  White  and  began  the  study  of 
medicine  with  Dr.  Reuben  Wilson  of  Sharon, 
Wis.,  with  whom  he  practiced  two  years.  In 
1862  he  came  to  Crystal  Lake,  McHenry  Coun- 
ty, and  practiced  in  partnership  with  Dr.  E. 
Ballon,  after  which  during  1863-4  he  was  a 
student  in  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago. 
After  an  experience  covering  forty  years,  the 
Doctor  is  still  in  active  practice. 

July  2,  1862,  Dr.  Lowell  was  married  in  Wis- 
consin to  Sarah  Elizabeth  Miller,  born  Aug.  27, 
1842,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Anna  (Ide)  Mil- 
ler. Thomas  Miller  was  a  native  of  Rens- 
selaer County,  N.  Y.,  the  son  of  Henry  and 
Hannah  (Wylie)  Miller,  was  a  snoemaker  by 
trade  and  married  in  Columbia  County,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  26,  1837,  Hannah  Ide,  daughter  of  Oliver 
and  Elizabeth  (Salts)  Ide.  The  Ide  and  Salts 
families  were  both  of  English  origin,  the  Salts 
being  of  Quaker  stock  from  Dutchess  County, 
N.  Y.  Oliver  Ide,  a  farmer,  came  to  Wiscon- 
sin in  1841,  where  he  improved  a  farm  and 
where  he  finally  died  aged  sixty-nine  years. 
Thomas  Miller  and  wife  came  to  Wisconsin  in 
1844,  settling  near  the  Illinois  State  line,  and 
owned  land  on  both  sides  of  the  line.  He  and 
his  wife  were  parents  of  the  following  named 
children:  Ebenezer,  Sarah,  Orson,  Edward 
and  Thomas.  The  son  Orson  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Ninety-fifth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers 
during  the  Civil  War.  Mr.  Miller  died  on  his 
farm  Nov.  29, 1853,  aged  about  forty  years.  Mrs. 
Miller  lived  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Lorenzo 
D.  Lowell,  for  the  last  twenty-five  years. 

In  religious  belief  Dr.  Lowell  is  a  Congrega- 
tionalist  and  in  politics  a  stanch  Republican. 
He  and  his  wife  have  had  the  following  named 
children:  Edith  L.,  born  April  25,  1863; 
Lorenzo  D.,  born  Jan.  1,  1867;  Edward  T.,  born 
Nov.  16,  1870 ;  Ferdinand  G,  born  Oct.  23,  1873 ; 
George  D.,  born  Dec.  2,  1881.  Mrs.  Lowell  died 
June  30,  1902. 

Dr.  Lowell  has  taken  a  deservedly  high  rank 
in  his  profession  and  maintains  the  respect  ot 
a  large  circle  of  friends. 


LORENZO  DOW  LOWELL,  JR. 

Lorenzo  Dow  Lowell,     Jr.,     late     Master     in 
Chancery  and  present  State's  Attorney  of  Mc- 


Henry County,  was  born  in  Crystal  Lake,  111., 
Jan.  1,  1867,  the  son  of  Dr.  Lorenzo  D.  and 
Sarah  (Miller)  Lowell,  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  Crystal  Lake  public  school  and 
in  the  high  school,  graduating  from  the  latter, 
when  he  took  a  three  years'  course  in  Oberlin 
College,  Ohio.  He  then  entered  upon  the  study 
of  law  with  Judge  C.  H.  Donnelly  or  Woodstock, 
and  in  1893  was  admitted  to  the  Dar  and  im- 
mediately began  practice  in  the  McHenry 
County  Circuit  Court  with  offices  in  Woodstock 
and  Nunda.  He  soon  succeeded  in  establish- 
ing for  himself  a  successful  practice,  and  was 
finally  appointed  Master  in  Chancery  for  the 
McHenry  County  Circuit  Court,  followed  in  1900 
by  his  election  to  the  position  of  State's  At- 
torney, which  he  still  holds  and  in  which  he 
has  proved  himself  a  capable  and  efficient  pub- 
lic prosecutor. 

Mr.  Lowell  was  successful  in  unravelling  one 
of  the  most  intricate  and  mysterious  murder 
cases  that  has  come  before  the  courts  of 
Northern  Illinois  for  many  years,  finally  obtain- 
ing a  complete  confession  from  the  murderer — 
to- wit:  the  celebrated  Ellsworth  case,  which  oc- 
curred in  1902.  The  main  facts  of  this  case, 
briefly  summarized,  are  as  follows:  Benjamin 
P.  Ellsworth  was  a  prosperous  wagon-maker  ot 
Woodstock.  His  family  consisted  of  himself 
and  wife  and  one  son,  besides  an  elderly  man 
named  Amos  W.  Anderson,  seventy-eight  years 
of  age,  who  had  roomed  and  boarded  with  the 
family  for  several  years.  The  tragedy  occurred 
on  the  morning  of  Feb.  28,  1902,  the  first 
knowledge  of  it  being  furnished  by  Earl  Ells- 
worth, the  son,  as  he  came  from  the  Ellsworth 
home  with  the  announcement  that  Anderson 
had  shot  his  father,  and  that  the  latter  had 
shot  Anderson  in  turn.  The  room  in  which  the 
tragedy  occurred  was  located  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  house,  and 
was  used  by  Anderson  as  a  sleeping  room — the 
bed  standing  in  the  northeast  corner — and  at 
the  foot  of  the  bed,  was  a  door  opening  to  the 
stairway  leading  to  the  lower  floor,  while  on 
the  south  side  was  a  door  leading  to  a  front 
bed-chamber.  Beside  the  head  of  the  bed  was 
a  window  facing  towards  the  east,  the  sill  ot 
which  was  but  five  or  six  inches  above  the 
floor.  The  first  persons  to  enter  the  house 
after  the  discovery  of  the  tragedy  found  the 
elder  Ellsworth  ly^ing  outstretched  in  a  south- 
easterly direction,  with  his  head  on  the  sill  of 


1096 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  west  doorway,  while  Mrs.  Ellsworth  lay  in 
the  same  direction  with  her  head  near  the  sill 
of  the  south  doorway,  their  feet  almost  touch- 
ing. Both  were  dead  with  bullet  holes  in  their 
heads.  The  old  man  Anderson  was  still  alive, 
but  writhing  on  the  floor  south  of  his  bed,  with 
his  head  on  the  window-sill,  and  from  which 
the  blood  was  flowing  upon  the  floor  and  onto 
the  veranda  below  the  window.  He  was  placed 
upon  his  bed  and  later  moved  to  the  south 
bed-room,  but  died  within  half  an  hour.  His 
body  bore  several  bullet  wounds,  besides  two 
or  three  on  his  head,  one  on  each  hand  and  one 
through  the  breast  from  right  to  left.  He  died 
from  internal  hemorrhage  and  the  shock,  and, 
although  partially  conscious  until  a  few  mo- 
ments before  his  death,  gave  no  clue  to  the 
perpetrator  of  the  crime. 

Earl  Ellsworth,  tne  son,  promptly  surrendered 
himself  to  the  Sheriff  and  employed  Messrs. 
Barnes  and  Lumley  as  attorneys  for  his  de- 
fense, while  State's  Attorney  Lowell,  with  the 
assistance  of  attorneys  Smiley  &  Lyon,  looked 
after  the  prosecution  from  fts  inception.  The 
Coroner's  jury  rendered  a  verdict  binding 
young  Ellswoth  over  to  the  Grand  Jury  with- 
out bail.  The  attorneys  for  the  defense  at 
once  prepared  a  petition  for  a  writ  of  habeas 
corpus  in  behalf  of  the  prisoner,  but  on  its 
presentation  to  Judge  Donnelly,  it  was  denied 
of  the  ground  of  lack  of  jurisdiction,  Ellsworth 
being  then  a  voluntary  prisoner.  The  at- 
torneys for  the  prosecution  being  desirous  ot 
further  time  for  the  preparation  of  their  case, 
waived  this  point,  and  the  attorneys  for  the 
defense  asked  for  the  release  of  their  client 
on  bail,  but  this  was  refused  by  Judge  Donnelly 
and  the  application  was  withdrawn.  This  was 
followed  by  a  second  application  for  release  on 
bail,  submitted  to  Judge  Frost  at  Rockford, 
which,  with  the  consent  of  the  prosecution,  was 
granted  and  Ellsworth  admitted  to  bail  in  the 
sum  of  $8,000.  At  the  May  term  of  the  Circuit 
Court  the  Grand  Jury  found  a  true  bill  against 
Ellsworth  for  the  murder  of  Amos  W.  Ander- 
son, and  the  case  was  set  for  trial  at  the  Sep- 
tember term  following;  but  before  that  date 
Mary  Lee,  an  important  witness  for  the  prose- 
cution, disappeared,  and,  as  the  jury  for  the 
case  had  not  been  impaneled,  the  prosecution 
asked  and  obtained  a  continuance. 

With  the  aid  of  detectives  employed  at  his 
own  expense,  State's    Attorney    Lowell     kept 


close  watch  on  the  movements  of  young  Ells- 
worth, and  was  finally  successful  in  securing  a 
confession — first  made  to  the  detectives,  and 
later,  in  a  room  adjoining  another  in  which 
were  two  prominent  citizens  of  MeHenry  Coun- 
ty, in  a  position  to  hear  what  was  said  through 
a  door-way  hung  with  portierres  against  which 
was  placed  a  desk.  On  the  strength  of  this 
last  confession,  Ellsworth  was  rearrested,  again 
repeated  his  confession,  was  brought  before 
the  Circuit  Court  at  Woodstock,  Judge  Donnelly 
presiding,  repeated  his  confession  before  the 
court  and  received  a  life-sentence  to  the  State 
Penitentiary  at  Joliet  for  one  of  the  most  re- 
volting crimes  ever  perpetrated  in  the  history 
of  MeHenry  County. 

For  the  success  attending  the  prosecution  of 
this  celebrated  case,  with  comparatively  little 
cost  to  the  county.  State's  Attorney  Lowell  is 
entitled  to  great  credit.  He  devoted  himself 
untiringly  for  many  months  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  case,  freely  advancing  means  from 
his  own  pocket  for  the  employment  of  detec- 
tives. Practically  there  was  so  little  evidence 
at  the  outset  on  which  to  base  a  verdict  of  con- 
viction, that,  without  the  employment  of  some 
such  methods  as  those  so  successfully  resorted 
to,  the  perpetrator  of  this  foul  crime  would  in 
all  probability,  have  gone  unpunished,  and  the 
mystery  attending  it  have  remained  unsolved 
forever. 

Mr.  Lowell  was  united  in  marriage,  at  Nunda, 
MeHenry  County,  Nov.  3,  1892,  with  Mary  H. 
Philp,  who  was  born  in  Nunda,  the  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Jane  (Hoskin)  Philp.  (See 
sketch  of  Robert  Philp  in  this  volume.)  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lowell  have  two  children,  viz.: 
Beatrice  M.,  born  Oct.  11,  1894,  and  Gordon  L., 
born  June  2,  1900.  Fraternally  Mr.  Lowell  is 
a  member  of  Cary  Lodge  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  and  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees. 


ROBERT  PHILP. 

Robert  Philp,  early  settler  and  worthy  citi- 
zen of  Nunda,  MeHenry  County,  was  born  in 
the  village  of  St.  Tudy's,  Cornwall,  Eng.,  June 
4,  1834,  the  son  of  John  and  Philippa  (Hooper) 
Philp.  John  Philp,  the  father,  was  also  a  na- 
tive of  Cornwall,  born  May  2,  1797,  the  son  of 
Robert  and  Elizabeth  (William)  Philp,  who 
were  of  old  English  stock  and  life  residents  ol 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1097 


St.  Tudy's.  Their  children  were  named  John 
and  Ann.  Mr.  Philp,  the  father  of  this  family, 
died  aged  about  seventy  years.  John  Philp, 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  and  married,  in  St.  Tudy's, 
Philippa  Hooper,  who  was  born  in  that  place, 
Sept.  7,  1799,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Eliza- 
beth (Prout)  Hooper.  James  Hooper  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade,  and  spent  his  life  at  St. 
Tudy's  where  he  died.  His  children  were: 
Samuel.  John,  James,  Thomas,  Gerry,  William 
and  Joseph.  Six  of  these  sons  were  black- 
smiths. William  of  this  family  went  to  New 
Zealand  with  his  brother  George,  where  the 
former  died.  John  Philp  lived  all  his  life  at 
St.  Tudy's,  dying  there  in  1877,  aged  eighty 
years.  The  family  were  members  of  the 
Church  of  England.  His  children  were:  James, 
Robert  and  Elizabeth. 

Robert  Philp,  second  son  and  subject  of  this 
sketch,  received  a  limited  education  in  a  sub- 
scription school  in  his  native  village,  and 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  serving  three 
years  as  an  apprentice.  He  worked  at  his  trade 
in  his  native  place  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  to  America,  sailing  from 
Plymouth,  Ehg.,  in  a  sailing-vessel,  in  August, 
1855,  the  voyage  to  Quebec  occupying  seven 
weeks.  From  Quebec  he  came  directly  by  rail- 
road to  Chicago,  wnere  he  arrived  Sept.  30, 
1855.  From  Chicago  he  proceeded  to  Algonquin, 
McHenry  County,  where  his  brother  James 
had  settled  in  1851,  and  an  uncle,  Thomas 
Hooper,  in  1847.  John  Pooley,  now  of  Aurora, 
came  to  America  at  the  same  time.  Mr.  Philp 
worked  at  his  trade  in  Algonquin,  ana,  on  July 
11,  1877,  was  married  in  the  city  of  Chicago  to 
Jane  Hoskin,  who  was  born  in  St.  Teath,  Corn- 
wall, Eng.,  Feb.  19,  1847,  the  daughter  ot 
Nicholas  and  Fannie  (Parnall)  Hoskin.  Nicho- 
las Hoskin,  the  father,  was  born  in  St.  Teath, 
England,  June  3,  1824.  He  married  Fannie 
Parnall,  born  in  England,  the  daughter  of  John 
Parnall.  Nicholas  Hooper  was  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  England,  and  came  to  America 
in  1826,  sailing  from  Plymouth,  Eng.,  to  Quebec. 
He  died  at  London,  Ont,  six  weeks  after  his 
arrival,  leaving  two  children,  Jane  and 
Nicholas.  His  family  remained  at  London, 
Ont.,  several  years,  and  here  his  widow  mar- 
ried a  second  husband  and  they  had  children 
named   Mary,    Sarah   and   one   other   now   de- 


ceased. Jane  Hoskin,  afterwards  Mrs.  Robert 
Philp,  came  to  Chicago  in  1877,  the  year  of  her 
marriage  to  Mr.  Philp.  After  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Robert  Philp  lived  two  years  in  Al- 
gonquin and,  on  April  1,  1879,  removed  to 
Nunda,  where  he  established  himself  in  the 
blacksmith  business  in  which,  at  the  present 
time  (1903)  he  is  still  engaged.  He  built  a 
comfortable  residence  at  Nunda  in  1878,  which 
he  now  occupies.  The  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Philp  are:  Ida  J.,  John  R.,  Mabel  E., 
Mary  H.  and  Bessie  A. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philp  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.  During  the  Civil  War  Mr. 
Philp  was  in  the  Government  service  as  a 
blacksmith,  being  stationed  for  six  months  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republi- 
can and  served  for  fifteen  years  as  a  member 
of  the  Nunda  Village  Board  of  Trustees.  Mr. 
Philp  has  provided  all  his  children  with  good 
educations.  His  son,  John  R.,  graduated  from 
Dixon  College,  111.,  afterwards  studied  law  at 
Rockford,  and  is  now  practicing  his  profession 
in  the  city  of  Chicago. 


GEORGE  EVERETT  MORTON. 

George  Everett  Morton  (deceased)  was  one 
of  the  younger  citizens  of  McHenry  County  and 
descendant  of  a  pioneer  family.  He  was  born 
in  Algonquin,  June  27,  1870,  the  son  of  Edward 
and  Maria  G.  (Everett)  Morton,  received  his 
primary  education  in  the  Algonquin  public 
schools,  and  later  took  a  course  in  Drew's  Busi- 
ness College  at  Elgin,  111.  He  then  engaged  in 
the  livery  business  in  Algonquin,  in  which  he 
was  successful.  On  June  19,  1901,  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Algonquin  to  Catherine  Hope  Doig,  who 
was  born  Feb.  14,  1874,  the  daughter  of  An- 
drew Doig.  (See  sketch  of  Andrew  Doig  in 
this  volume.)  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton  was 
born  one  child — George  Everett  Morton,  Jr., 
born  Dec.  1,  1902.  On  November  16,  1902,  less 
than  two  years  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Morton 
died  of  typhoid  fever,  leaving  his  bereaved 
wife  to  mourn  her  loss  and  care  for  their  son, 
who  was  born  a  few  weeks  after  the  death  of 
the  father  whose  name  he  bears.  Like  his 
father,  Mr.  Morton  was  a  stanch  Republican  in 
politics,  and  fraternally  was  connected  with 
the  Cary  Station  Lodge  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  with  the  order  of  Maccabees  and 
Modern  Woodman  of  America.      Mrs.  Morton 


1098 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


received  a  good  education  in  the  Algonquin 
public  schools  and  is  a  lady  of  refinement  and 
high  character. 


DORR    W.    THOMAS. 

Dorr  W.  Thomas,  a  native  of  McHenry  Coun- 
ty and  respected  citizen  of  Algonquin  Town- 
ship, was  born  April  25,  1852,  the  son  of  La- 
Fayette  and  Arvilla  (French)  Thomas.  (See 
sketch  of  S.  M.  Thomas  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume.) He  received  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Algonquin  Township  and  Gary 
Station,  grew  up  a  farmer  and  married,  in  the 
town  of  Algonquin,  Seraphina  Morton,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Charlotte  (Brewer)  Morton. 
(See  sketch  of  Morton  family.)  After  his  mar- 
riage Mr.  Thomas  first  settled  on  a  farm  in  Al- 
gonquin Township,  but  a  few  years  later  sold 
this  farm  and  engaged  in  the  milk  business  in 
the  city  of  Chicago,  which  he  continued  about 
three  years.  This  he  finally  exchanged  for  the 
stock  and  butcher  business,  which  he  carried 
on  in  Algonquin.  He  has  recently  erected  an 
electric  light  plant  in  Algonquin  Village,  which 
is  being  conducted  successfully  and  for  which 
he  has  a  franchise  covering  a  period  of  twenty 
years.  In  politics  Mr.  Thomas  is  a  Republican 
and,  fraternally,  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Maccabees  and  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


THOMAS   W.   COFFEY. 

Thomas  W.  Coffey,  early  settler  and  success- 
ful farmer  of  McHenry  County,  111.,  was  born 
in  Johnstown,  County  Meath,  Ireland,  in  1835, 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (McDonough) 
Coffey.  Thomas  Coffey,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of 
Johnstown,  where  the  family  had  lived  for 
many  generations.  His  mother's  maiden  name 
was  McGill.  The  families  were  of  old  Celtic 
stock.  The  children  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Cof- 
fey were:  Ann,  Teddy,  William,  Thomas  W., 
John  (who  died  in  America  aged  twenty-five 
years),  and  Christopher.  Thomas  Coffey,  Sr., 
was  a  farmer  and  stock-trader  in  the  fairs  of 
Ireland  according  to  the  custom  of  that  coun- 
try. In  1850  he  came  with  his  family  to 
America,  sailing  from  Liverpool  in  the  last 
days  of  February  for  New  York,  in  the  ship 
"Underwriter,"  the  voyage  occupying  seven 
weeks.  From  New  York  he  went  immediately 
to  Saratoga  County,  settling  in  Jonesville.  Be- 
ing already  advanced  in  years,  he  had  retired 
from   active   labor,   but  his   children   promptly 


found  employment.  Five  years  later  (1855)  he 
removed  to  Spring  Prairie,  Walworth  County, 
Wis.,  where  his  sons,  Thomas  and  John,  had 
already  located,  and  with  them  he  made  his 
home  and  there  he  finally  died  aged  about 
seventy  years.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a 
Catholic.  His  wife  had  died  before  the  family 
left  Ireland. 

Thomas  W.  Coffey,  the  son,  attended  school 
but  little  in  his  native  Ireland,  and  was  about 
fifteen  years  old  when  his  father  removed  to 
America.  In  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  he  found 
employment  at  farm-work,  at  four  dollars  per 
month  for  the  first  year,  and  eight  dollars  per 
month  for  the  second.  When  about  seventeen 
years  old  he  went  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  being 
unable  to  find  other  employment,  engaged  his 
services  to  an  old  Scotchman  as  a  bar-keeper, 
with  whom  he  remained  two  years  at  $30  per 
month.  Notwithstanding  his  youth  and  sur- 
roundings' during  this  period,  it  is  to  his  credit 
to  say  that  he  contracted  no  bad  habits  as  to 
drink  or  otherwise,  but  was  unable  to  save 
anything  from  his  meager  wages,  and,  at  the 
end  of  two  years,  returned  to  his  old  neigh- 
borhood in  Saratoga  County,  and  resumed 
farm-work  at  $12  per  month.  Here  he  was  al- 
most free  from  expense,  and  having  saved  his 
wages  for  eight  months,  amounting  to  almost 
$100,  came  with  his  brother  John  to  Illinois, 
traveling  by  rail  to  Chicago  and  thence  by 
stage  to  Richmond,  McHenry  County.  Then 
going  to  Lake  Geneva,  he  spent  a  month  in  the 
employment  of  a  farmer  there,  when  he  went 
to  Hudson,  Walworth  County,  Wis.,  and  there 
engaged  in  farm-work,  in  all  spending  there 
about  five  years,  of  which  two  years  was  with 
one  employer.  His  father  having  come  west, 
he  and  his  brother  made  a  home  for  him  in 
Wisconsin  until  his  death. 

Thomas  W.  Coffey  was  married,  Nov.  29, 
1859,  in  Hartland  Township,  McHenry  County, 
to  Mary  Ann  Claresy,  who  was  born  in  Paw- 
tucket,  R.  I.,  Sept.  29,  1845,  the  daughter  of 
Patrick  and  Catherine  (Brady)  Claresy.  After 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coffey  settled  on  an  80- 
acre  tract  of  rented  land  in  Linn  Township, 
Walworth  County,  where  they  remained  three 
years,  when  in  1862  they  moved  to  McHenry 
County.  For  the  next  three  years  he  lived  on  a 
rented  farm  of  200  acres  in  Greenwood  Town- 
ship, but  in  1865  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Hebron  Township,  upon  which  he  lived  the 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


1099 


next  fifteen  years,  in  the  meantime  adding 
eighty  acres  more,  and  improving  his  land  by 
the  erection  of  good  farm  buildings.  His  first 
purchase  of  land  originally  costing  him  $13  per 
acre,  he  subsequently  sold  at  $22  per  acre,  and 
then  bought  a  200-acre  farm  in  Greenwood 
Towjiship  at  $22  per  acre.  In  place  of  the 
worn-out  buildings  on  his  last  purchase  he  has 
erected  new  and  more  modern  structures,  and 
now  has  one  of  the  best  improved  tarms  in 
McHenry  County.  Besides  this  farm  he  owns 
another  of  122%  acres  in  Greenwood  Township, 
with  eleven  acres  constituting  his  homestead 
just  outside  the  city  limits  of  Woodstock  on 
the  south,  on  which  there  is  a  good  two-story 
frame  house  and  other  farm  buildings.  He 
also  owns  some  valuable  real  estate  in  Wood- 
stock, while  his  wife  is  also  the  owner  of  resi- 
dence property  in  her  own  name. 

In  political  opinions  Mr.  Coffey  is  a  firm  ad- 
herent of  the  doctrines  of  Jefferson  and  Jack- 
son, but  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont,  the  first 
candidate  for  President  of  the  Republican 
ticket.  Four  years  later  he  supported  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  for  the  Presidency,  and  during  the 
Civil  War  was  a  stalwart  supporter  of  the 
Union  cause.  He  is  recognized  as  a  man  ot 
sound  practical  judgment,  and  for  twelve  years 
served  as  School  Director  of  his  township.  His 
family  is  Catholic  in  religious  belief. 

Mr.  Coffey  is  what  may  be  justly  termed  a 
self-made  man,  who  owes  his  success  in  life  to 
his  individual  efforts,  aided  by  his  faithful  and 
efficient  wife.  Beginning  life  with  nothing  but 
his  hands,  a  stout  Irish  heart,  and  that  native 
ability  and  shrewdness  characteristic  of  the 
Celtic  race,  he  has  won  deserved  success  as  an 
enterprising  farmer  and  established  for  him- 
self a  reputation  as  a  trustworthy  and  re- 
spected citizen. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coffey  have  had  born  to  them 
the  following  named  children:  William  Thom- 
as, born  Sept.  29  1860,  died  March  20,  1865; 
Mary  Ellen,  born  Sept.  3,  1862,  died  aged  three 
years;  Edward,  born  May  9,  1864;  Francis  Wil- 
liam, born  Sept.  20,  1867;  Rose  A.,  born  June 
9,  1869 ;  Catherine,  born  Jan.  25,  '  1876,  died 
Aug.  17,  1891;  Margaret,  born  April  3,  1880, 
died  Oct.  6,  1893;  Christopher,  born  Jan.  25, 
1884;  Frances  Pearl,  born  March  28,  1888.  Mrs. 
Coffey  was  in  Chicago  during  the  great  fire  of 
Oct.  8-9,  1871,  and  witnessed  that  historic  con- 
flagration. 


Edward  Coffey,  son  of  Thomas  W.,  married 
Maggie  Halloran,  and  they  have  two  children — 
Gilbert  and  Paul.  They  reside  In  Greenwood, 
McHenry  County. 

The  son  Francis  William,  married  Susan 
Bonner,  and  they  reside  on  a  farm  in  Green- 
wood. 

Christopher  married  Nellie  Cusack,  and  they 
reside  in  Woodstock.  They  have  one  son- 
Joseph. 

Patrick  Claresy,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Coffey, 
was  born  in  County  Limerick,  Ireland,  about 
1800,  came  to  America  in  early  manhood  and 
worked  in  the  cotton  factories  in  Rhode  Island. 
He  married  Catherine  Brady,  who  was  a  native 
of  County  Longford,  Ireland,  born  about  1800. 
In  her  girlhood  she  came  to  America  and  was 
employed  as  a  domestic,  earning  the  money 
which  she  sent  to  Ireland  to  enable  her  broth- 
ers and  sisters  to  reach  this  country.  The 
children  of  this  family  were:  William,  Ellen, 
Catherine,  Francis,  Mary  Ann,  John,  Elizabeth 
and  Maggie.  Of  these  the  first  five  were  born 
at  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  where  Mr.  Claresy  was  em- 
ployed for  many  years  in  the  cotton  mills. 
About  1848  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Hart- 
land  Township,  McHenry  County,  where  tie 
bought  a  farm  of  150  acres  in  the  Donnelly  set- 
tlement. This  land  he  improved  and  added  to 
it  until  he  became  the  owner  of  300  acres.  Mr. 
Claresy  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  in  re- 
ligious faith  a  Catholic.  He  served  for  some- 
time as  school  director  in  his  district.  He  died 
Dec.  3,  1863,  aged  about  65  years,  while  his 
widow  survived  him  nearly  thirty-five  years, 
dying,  May  20,  1898,  aged  nearly  100  years. 


JOSEPH   E.  ROBINSON. 

Joseph  E.  Robinson,  Harvard,  111.,  member  of 
a  pioneer  family  of  McHenry  County,  was  born 
near  Montreal,  Can.,  April  22,  1837,  the  son  ot 
Joseph  and  Harriet  (Carr)  Robinson.  Joseph 
Robinson,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  Canada,  born 
near  Montreal,  now  in  the  Province  of  Quebec, 
and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  According  to 
tradition  the  Robinson  family  was  originally 
of  English  stock,  this  branch  of  the  family  be- 
ing descended  from  a  soldier  of  the  English 
army  who  settled  in  the  Scotch  settlement  in 
the  North  of  Ireland,  an  incident  which  has 
given  rise  to  the  belief  that  they  were  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  If  there  was  Scotch- 
Irish  blood  in  their  veins,  it  was  derived  from 


1100 


McHENRY      COUNTY. 


the  maternal  side.  Joseph  Robinson,  St.,  was 
married  near  Montreal  to  Harriet  Carr,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Rachel  Carr,  the  Carr  fam- 
ily being  of  Yorkshire  English  stock.  Joseph 
Robinson  and  wife  first  settled  twenty-four 
miles  north  of  Montreal,  where  they  remained 
a  few  years,  when  they  removed  to  Walworth 
County,  Wis.,  settling  near  Geneva  Lake.  Here 
he  began  improving  a  farm,  but  subsequently 
sold  out  and  in  1841  removed  to  McHenry 
County,  111.,  locating  at  Fanklinville,  where  he 
bought  320  acres  of  land  in  company  with  his 
mother-in-law,  Mrs.  Rachel  Carr.  This  land  he 
improved  and  it  remained  in  possession  of  the 
family  until  1902.  Mr.  Robinson  and  wife 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  but 
on  coming  to  Geneva  Lake,  there  being  no 
church  of  that  denomination  there,  they  became 
identified  with  the  Baptist  Church.  They  were 
parents  of  the  following  named  children: 
Rachel,  Joseph  E.,  Rebecca,  Charlotte,  Henry, 
Richard,  Mariah  and  George.  In  political 
opinions  he  was  originally  an  old-time  Whig 
and  later  a  Republican.  He  was  a  man  of 
sound  morals  and  high  character.  Mrs.  Robin- 
son lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  dy- 
ing on  the  farm  in  1884. 

Joseph  E.  Robinson,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  four  years  old  when  his  par- 
ents moved  to  Franklinville,  McHenry  County, 
received  a  common-school  education  in  his  boy- 
hood, and  later  spent  two  terms  in  the  Todd 
Seminary  at  Woodstock.  His  life  occupation 
was  that  of  a  farmer,  remaining  at  the 
paternal  home  until  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
when,  in  December,  1864,  he  removed  to 
Bremer  County,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  200 
acres  of  unimproved  land  with  ten  acres  of 
timber  land.  Here  during  1865  he  built  a  grist 
and  saw^mill,  carrying  on  a  considerable  busi- 
ness. He  also  built  a  good  frame  house,  and 
on  July  7,  1868,  he  married  in  Rockford,  IN., 
Mary  C.  Carmack,  who  was  born  Nov.  4,  1839, 
in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  the  daughter  of 
Abram  and  Ruth  (Massey)  Carmack.  (See 
sketch  of  William  A.  Carmack  in  this  volume.) 
Mrs.  Robinson  was  an  infant  when  brought  by 
her  parents  to  McHenry  County,  and  grew  up 
on  the  farm  in  Dunham  Township,  where  she 
attended  the  district  school.  Her  first  teacher 
was  Mary  Barnes.  Her  mother  having  died 
when  she  was  twenty  years  old,  she  remained 
at  home  for  several  years  caring  for  her  fath- 


er's household.  Her  brother,  Robert,  having  be- 
come blind  from  an  attack  of  measles  when 
about  five  years  old,  came  under  the  charge  of 
his  sister,  and  she  cared  for  him  with  sisterly 
affection  and  devotion.  He  was  a  bright,  in- 
telligent boy  and  made  excellent  progress  in 
his  mental  studies,  especial  mental  arithmetic 
and  music,  and  learned  to  play  well  on  the 
violin  and  the  cornet. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  E.  Rob- 
inson located  in  Bremer  County,  Iowa,  on  the 
land  which  he  had  bought,  and  made  of  it  a 
pleasant  home  developing  a  valuable  property. 
His  farm  was  situated  fifteen  miles  northeast 
of  Waverly,  Iowa,  and  he  added  to  it  until  he 
was  the  owner  of  277  acres.  Here  he  lived 
twenty-six  years,  and  here  their  two  children 
were  born,  viz.:  Robert  E.,  born  Sept.  16,  1869, 
and  Frank  A.,  born  July  8,  1873.  Mr.  Robinson 
served  as  Secretary  of  the  School  Board  of  his 
district  thirteen  years. 

Robert  E.  Robinson,  the  elder  son  of  this 
family,  received  his  education  In  the  district 
school,  later  graduated  from  the  business  de- 
partment of  the  Fayette  High  School,  after 
which  he  attended  the  Medical  College  at  Iowa 
City  three  years.  He  then  spent  one  term  in 
the  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  when,  re- 
turning to  the  Medical  College  at  Iowa  City,  he 
graduated  there  in  1894,  and  soon  after  began 
practice  at  Frederica,  Iowa,  which  he  contin- 
ued successfully  for  eight  years.  Then,  having 
taken  a  special  course  in  the  Medical  College  at 
Iowa  City,  he  became  the  resident  physician  in 
charge  of  the  Mercy  Hospital  at  Davenport, 
Iowa.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in  practice  at 
Tripoli,  Iowa. 

Frank  A.,  the  younger  son,  received  his  edu- 
cation in  the  district  school  and  in  the  high 
school  at  Tripoli,  Iowa,  after  which  he  spent 
some  time  in  the  horological  school  at  Elgin, 
111.,  graduating  there  in  1893.  On  December  20, 
1893,  he  was  married  to  Rose  Guiney. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  E.  Robinson  visited  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  in 
1893,  after  which  they  came  to  Harvard,  Mc- 
Henry County,  then  spent  a  year  at  Marengo, 
and  finally  purchased  the  property  where  they 
now  reside,  consisting  of  two  acres  adjoining 
the  corporation  limits  of  the  City  of  Harvard 
on  the  south.  Here  Mr.  Robinson  has  erected 
a  pleasant  residence,  and  here  they  have  since 
resided.    He  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  politics, 


McHENRY     COUNTY. 


1101 


and  a  man  of  sturdy  moral  character  and 
sound  business  judgment.  He  has  invested 
largely  in  fertile  farming  lands  in  Clark  and 
Codington  Counties,   South  Dakota. 

Mrs.  Robinson  inherited  from  her  father, 
Abram  Carmack,  the  Carmack  homestead, 
consisting  of  179  acres  of  valuable  land.  She 
is    a   member  of   the   Presbyterian   church,    in 


which  she  is  an  active  worker  and  a  liheral 
supporter.  She  is  an  ex-member  of  the  Ladies 
of  the  Maccabees  and  of  the  Woman's  Relief 
Corps — an  auxiliary  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic — and,  for  fifteen  years,  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union;  is  also  a  member  of  the  Patriotic  CluD 
of  Harvard. 


ERRATA. 

Page  652— (Sketch  of  Frank  F.  Axtell)  Second 
Column,  2d  line:  For  "Genoa,  111.," 
read  Geneva,  111. 

Same  Page — Same  Column,  6th  line:  For 
"John  D."  read  Joseph  D. 


■^S^FlLLINOlTuRBANA 


C001 


^tS1L%CVCLOPED.A  OF  ILLINOIS 


INCL 


